Fauxtoto
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Quebec, Canada
Posts: 430
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Fauxtoto on Oct 7, 2016 15:45:49 GMT
Luminosity mask for selection Using a threshold adjustment layer is a popular and most effective method used to create good selections. I just found another simple method, less known, based on a combination of the luminosity mask and level adjustments. Extracted from a blog conversation to which I refer at the end of this post, here is how it goes: 1. Copy the image to the Clipboard. 2. Add a Levels adjustment layer. 3. Alt-click on the mask of the Levels adjustment layer to display the mask in the editing area. 4. Paste your image into the editing area. It will automatically come in as a grayscale image (a Luminance Mask). 5. Use Enhance...Adjust Lighting...Levels (Ctrl+L) to open a Levels adjustment for the luminance mask and move the sliders so the pixels you want to be affected become white and the other pixels become black (or as close as you can get). 6. Click on your image layer to display the full colour image in the editing area. 7. Now you can adjust the settings of the Levels adjustment layer, moving the sliders to reduce the brightness of the brightest pixels. The key is in steps 5 and 7. I did experiment with this method, but not much. It seems to offer interesting flexibility. Compared to the threshold adjustment layer method, I found this method made it possible to push the adjustments further without affecting the shape of the edges. The source: forums.adobe.com/thread/1271104 |
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Post by michelb on Oct 7, 2016 18:39:25 GMT
Fauxtoto,
Thanks for bringing back that not so old discussion.
(I am still in favour of gradient maps adjustment layers instead of levels for more flexibility).
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Post by tonyw on Oct 7, 2016 21:24:44 GMT
I have been playing around with luminosity masks recently having watched a webinar which mentioned Tony Kuyper and his actions for Photoshop. He also has some free luminosity mask actions for Elements - I haven't tried these ones but the Photoshop ones are certainly interesting. You can get the Elements ones here : goodlight.us/specialoffers.html - Be interested to hear how well they work. Tony |
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Post by PeteB on Oct 8, 2016 1:40:24 GMT
Tony I have installed the TK Actions for Photoshop Elements but only have experimented with them. I found instructions here Instructions |
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mrkrnbrd
Junior Forum Member
Alive
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Post by mrkrnbrd on Oct 8, 2016 13:31:37 GMT
Thanks PeteB - snagged these actions but your link does not work (instructions came with the download)
Mark
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Post by Peterj on Oct 8, 2016 13:53:36 GMT
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 8, 2016 15:35:23 GMT
Thanks PeteB - snagged these actions but your link does not work (instructions came with the download) Mark To anyone following this thread . . . The link has been fixed. |
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Fauxtoto
Established Forum Member
Quebec, Canada
Posts: 430
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Fauxtoto on Oct 12, 2016 13:18:26 GMT
(I am still in favour of gradient maps adjustment layers instead of levels for more flexibility). Bonjour Michelb, I am curious to learn more on how you use the gradient maps adjustment layer for selection purposes or in relation with the process of creating a layer mask (if you do, of course  ). Can you explain further, give an example or references? Merci. |
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Post by michelb on Oct 13, 2016 7:12:44 GMT
(I am still in favour of gradient maps adjustment layers instead of levels for more flexibility). Bonjour Michelb, I am curious to learn more on how you use the gradient maps adjustment layer for selection purposes or in relation with the process of creating a layer mask (if you do, of course ). Can you explain further, give an example or references? Merci. Give me some time to provide an exercice showing the flexibility of gradient map adjustment layers. The key point with that tool is that : - levels are just a simplified version of curves - curves and the gradient map tool in luminosity mode are doing exactly the same changes with different interfaces. www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/Photoshop_Elements/curves_gradient_map/1_curves_gradient_map_make.htmforums.adobe.com/thread/368537?tstart=0That was important in older Elements versions without real curve tools. Another reason to use luminosity masks was that a common solution at that time to solve the lack of masking was to 'hijack' the masks present in any adjustment layer. That solution was to use an adjustment layer (commonly levels, but any type would do) and to clip the layer to be masked over it. I don't see the use of luminosity masks as pure 'selection' tools to isolate an object, it's rather a 'masking' tool to select pixels based on luminosity; the equivalent of the magic wand to select colours. First use as a tool to select shadows, midtones and highlights Second one to provide a better interface than curves to select a luminosity range with softening the starting/ending points Another one to be used as a contrast amplifier for edge detection (on high pass layers, difference layers etc.) |
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Post by Lillias on Oct 13, 2016 20:17:04 GMT
I had never heard of luminosity masks and was interested to read this thread. I followed the tutorial referenced by michelb here… www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/Photoshop_Elements/curves_gradient_map/1_curves_gradient_map_make.htmforums.adobe.com/thread/368537?tstart=0 I think the tutorial must have been made for an older version of PSE and I was following it just fine until the part about saving the new Gradient in order to be able to use it again. Unfortunately the instructions given don't pertain to version 13. It says in the Gradient Editor to click New then click Save and a Save window will open. Click Save and a window will appear asking if you want to replace Untitled Gradients. Click ok and your gradient is now saved with the default gradients. Version 13 doesn't have a New or Save button. It does have an 'Add to Preset|Create a new Gradient Preset' button which I clicked and which added the new Gradient to the Default set which was open in the Gradient Editor but the next time I opened PSE and went looking for my newly created Gradient it was gone. Can anyone tell me how to save it properly please so that it is available to use again. |
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 13, 2016 20:43:06 GMT
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Post by Lillias on Oct 13, 2016 21:00:52 GMT
I knew there must be a way of doing it, thank you so much Sepiana.
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Fauxtoto
Established Forum Member
Quebec, Canada
Posts: 430
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Fauxtoto on Oct 29, 2016 15:32:12 GMT
I don't see the use of luminosity masks as pure 'selection' tools to isolate an object, it's rather a 'masking' tool to select pixels based on luminosity; Thank you Michelb. Sorry for the delay I took to reply. I did practice with different pictures. I was coming from far since I was not familiar with the gradient map layer nor with the luminosity blend mode. I am not yet comfortable with these techniques but I will integrate them as much as I can in my workflow. I think it is pretty good material to learn. One of the blog you cited was referring to this link: retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&opt=printable&id=132 I found it helpful to better understand the gradient map and the gradient tool. At times I used the Info panel, grayscale, to help me figure out the luminosity of the portion of the image I wanted to isolate. I will keep the full luminosity masking method for later though; most interesting, but I have too much to learn at this time. |
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). Can you explain further, give an example or references? Merci.