{"id":377339,"date":"2021-12-06T22:00:05","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T19:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/"},"modified":"2021-12-06T22:00:05","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T19:00:05","slug":"how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/","title":{"rendered":"#How to Use Lightroom\u2019s Masking Tool"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a371791eb793\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a371791eb793\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Using_the_AI_Masking_Tools_in_Adobe_Lightroom_Classic\" >Using the AI Masking Tools in Adobe Lightroom Classic<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Select_Subject\" >Select Subject<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Select_Sky\" >Select Sky<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Local_Adjustment_Options\" >Local Adjustment Options<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Range_Masking_Options\" >Range Masking Options<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-lightrooms-masking-tool\/#Practice_Makes_Perfect\" >Practice Makes Perfect<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#How to Use Lightroom\u2019s Masking Tool&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-752551\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/adobe-lightroom-app-smartphone.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/adobe-lightroom-app-smartphone.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/adobe-lightroom-app-smartphone.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Adobe Lightroom app shown in a tablet\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/adobe-lightroom-logo-shown-by-apple-1912302481\">Vladimka production\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Adobe Lightroom\u2019s masking tool used to be limited to certain adjustments, but the 2021 update changed that. Lightroom Classic now provides you with numerous AI masking features that make editing a whole lot easier and can cut down on work in Photoshop.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re used to brushing in masks with older versions of Lightroom and skeptical of AI masking, this system will take some getting used to. But the learning curve is worth it, and the AI masks are surprisingly precise.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll get into the different types of masking available in Lightroom and how to use them below. This will be a brief overview of different masking types, with links to more in-depth resources at the end. Since the AI masks are the newest addition, we\u2019ll focus mostly on them here.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Using_the_AI_Masking_Tools_in_Adobe_Lightroom_Classic\"><\/span>Using the AI Masking Tools in Adobe Lightroom Classic<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Lightroom\u2019s masking tools now provide much greater control over selective adjustments than previous versions. While it\u2019s not a substitute for Photoshop, it will give you a much more refined edit before you leave Lightroom.<\/p>\n<p>To find the masking tool, go to the Develop workspace, then select the mask icon in the upper right-hand panel. The panel looks a bit different in 2021 than past versions \u2014 where before you would see the linear gradient, radial gradient, and brush tools there\u2019s now just a single circular icon.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-770080 \" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-11.20.20-AM.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"277\" height=\"227\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>When you open it up, the new masking tool panel looks like this:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-770081\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-11.21.29-AM.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Expanded view of Lightroom's masking panel with new features. Includes select sky, select subject, local adjustments, and range masks.\" width=\"263\" height=\"313\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The new AI filters for selecting the sky and subject in your image are right at the top. You can also use color and luminance range masks, depth range masks, gradients, and an adjustment brush.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s really useful is that you can now combine any mask with any other type of mask. So you could, for example, lay down a radial gradient then create a new brush mask and mask out certain parts of that gradient. You can also add or subtract from each new mask.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s just one example. Depending on your skill and creativity, combining masks opens up a lot of possibilities. Different masks can be intersected with one another for highly localized adjustments.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Adjust Exposure With Range Masks in Lightroom<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Select_Subject\"><\/span>Select Subject<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Lightroom\u2019s Select Subject mask is crazy accurate, even masking in strands of flyaway hair. And it\u2019s really easy to use. Just go to the mask tool and click \u201cSelect Subject.\u201d Once the program creates the mask, you\u2019ll see a red overlay and a small icon that looks like a person.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 483px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-770082 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-12.45.13-PM-e1638369002904.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Portrait of a woman crouching on the ground, the woman is highlighted in red.\" width=\"483\" height=\"600\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The select subject mask does a fairly good job of finding the subject here, apart from some areas of her coat at the bottom of the image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once you begin making adjustments, the red overlay will vanish, but you can bring it back at any time by checking the \u201cShow Overlay\u201d box in the mask menu.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-770091 \" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-12.47.02-PM.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Click the &quot;show overlay&quot; checkbox.\" width=\"207\" height=\"201\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll be able to adjust exposure, clarity, white balance, and other common settings you might be familiar with from previous versions of Lightroom from there. This tool works best when there\u2019s a clear distinction between the subject and background of your image. You get the best mask if your subject clearly stands out from the background in sharpness, contrast, or size.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Select_Sky\"><\/span>Select Sky<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Select Sky mask works a little less well than Select Subject, but can still give you a good place to start. If you\u2019ve got trees in an image creating pockets of sky, or buildings that have the sky showing through their windows, this tool will probably miss those areas.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 472px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-770084\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-12.56.48-PM.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Cropped image showing a lake, the horizon, and the sky. The sky is overlaid in red.\" width=\"472\" height=\"227\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This image was shot over a body of water with nothing intersecting the sky, so the mask turned out pretty clean.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019ve got gaps in your mask, the ability to intersect different mask types will help you compensate for them. For example, you could begin with a select sky mask then intersect it with a luminance range mask, which would target the brighter pockets of the sky that the AI missed.<\/p>\n<p>To intersect masks, go to the popup panel with your newly created mask, click the three dots next to it, then click \u201cIntersect Mask With\u201d and choose from the list of options.<\/p>\n<p>From there you can refine the secondary mask. Depending on which mask you\u2019re combining with the original, you\u2019ll use different refinements. For example, the luminance range mask lets you either select a luminance range or select an area of your image with a dropper.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Combine Masks in Adobe Lightroom Classic<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Local_Adjustment_Options\"><\/span>Local Adjustment Options<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The brush, linear gradient, and radial gradient masking tools are listed right underneath the new AI masking options. You can click any of them to create a local adjustment mask. They work in much the same way as previous versions of Lightroom, with a few new additions.<\/p>\n<p>One cool new feature is the ability to adjust components of a mask independently of one another. For example, you could create a radial gradient to darken an image, use the \u201csubtract\u201d option to subtract part of the mask, and still adjust the shape, size, and location of the original gradient without affecting the part you brushed out. To see that in action, check out <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tzPWzJQsYTI\">this video by Adobe<\/a> that quickly demonstrates the new Lightroom masking system.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Range_Masking_Options\"><\/span>Range Masking Options<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Where before you had to get a little creative with gradient masks if you wanted to create a luminance or color range layer, now there are dedicated options for them in the masks panel. There\u2019s also an option for a depth range mask.<\/p>\n<p>When you select a color or luminance range mask, you\u2019ll automatically get a dropper icon when you hover over the image you\u2019re working on. You can use that dropper to select certain areas of your image you want to mask.<\/p>\n<p>Holding Shift while using the dropper lets you add up to five different areas your mask will affect. This only works in the color range mask and can give you more granular control over the colors in your image before you even get into Photoshop.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-770094 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-19-at-3.07.40-PM.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"317\" height=\"359\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">I\u2019ve selected five similar color samples here in the area next to my subject\u2019s arm. Any adjustments I make will now only affect these colors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Depth Range feature is something you probably won\u2019t use much. It\u2019s only used for images taken with portrait mode on later iPhone models, or with Lightroom\u2019s built-in camera feature with \u201cdepth capture\u201d turned on. If you\u2019re still curious, you can check on an explainer <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lightroomkillertips.com\/what-lightrooms-depth-range-feature-does-and-how-to-use-it\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to see these different masking tools explained in video format, photography educator Matt Kloskowski has an <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ztuhNo7ZgdA\">in-depth tutorial here<\/a>. For a deeper dive on how to refine masks in Lightroom, you can read Adobe\u2019s breakdown <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/helpx.adobe.com\/lightroom-classic\/help\/masking.html\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practice_Makes_Perfect\"><\/span>Practice Makes Perfect<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve read up on them, the best way to learn how to use Lightroom\u2019s new masking tools is to play with them yourself. Experiment with your old images and combine masks until you figure out the finer points. Before long, you\u2019ll be using these tools without a second thought.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Use the iPhone&#8217;s Portrait Mode<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Lightroom Classic now provides you with numerous AI masking features that make editing a whole lot easier and can cut down on work in Photoshop. If you\u2019re used to brushing&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":377340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/adobe-lightroom-app-smartphone.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-377339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=377339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377339\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=377339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=377339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=377339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}