askvity

How Do I Create a Custom Mask in Lightroom?

Published in Lightroom Masking 3 mins read

Creating a custom mask in Lightroom allows you to selectively apply edits to specific areas of your photos. Here's a breakdown of the process:

Steps to Create a Custom Mask

  1. Open Your Photo and Access Masking: Begin by opening the image you want to edit in Lightroom's Develop module. Locate the Masking panel on the right-hand side. It's represented by a circle with a dotted outline.

  2. Choose Your Masking Tool: Lightroom offers a variety of masking tools:

    • Brush: For freehand painting of your selection.
    • Linear Gradient: Creates a gradual transition of edits across a linear plane.
    • Radial Gradient: Similar to the linear gradient, but creates a circular or elliptical gradient.
    • Color Range: Selects areas based on color similarity.
    • Luminance Range: Selects areas based on brightness levels.
    • Depth Range: (Available for photos with depth maps, like those from some smartphones) Selects areas based on their distance from the camera.
    • Select Subject: (AI-powered) Automatically selects the primary subject of the photo.
    • Select Sky: (AI-powered) Automatically selects the sky in the photo.
    • Select Background: (AI-powered) Automatically selects the background of the photo.

  3. Mask Your Area:

    • Brush: Click and drag your mouse over the areas you want to include in the mask. Adjust the brush size, feather, flow, and density as needed.
    • Gradient Tools: Click and drag to create a gradient. Adjust the position, rotation, and feathering of the gradient.
    • Range Masks: Click to select a point on the image. Adjust the "Amount" slider to select similar colours. Refine the selection using the "Refine" slider and by holding ALT and dragging over areas you want to remove from the range.
    • AI-Powered Masks: Click the button, and Lightroom will automatically generate a mask.
      • For 'Select Subject' a subject is chosen.
      • For 'Select Sky' the sky is chosen.
      • For 'Select Background' the background is chosen.

  4. Adjust Your Mask: After creating your initial mask, you can refine it.

    • Add to Mask: Use the "+" button at the top of the masking panel to add more areas to the existing mask.
    • Subtract from Mask: Use the "-" button to subtract areas from the mask. You can use any of the masking tools for adding or subtracting.
    • Invert: Use the "Invert" checkbox to select the opposite area of your current mask. This is useful for selecting the background if you've initially selected the subject.
    • Mask Overlay: Enable the mask overlay (usually a red overlay) to visualize your selection. You can change the overlay color in Lightroom's preferences.

  5. Apply Adjustments: Once your mask is created, use the sliders in the right-hand panel to adjust the exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, temperature, tint, clarity, texture, dehaze, and other settings specifically to the masked area.

  6. Repeat as Needed: You can create multiple masks within the same image to apply different adjustments to various areas. To do so, click the "Create New Mask" button and repeat the steps above.

By utilizing these tools and techniques, you can create precise and effective custom masks in Lightroom, allowing for targeted edits and enhanced image control.

Related Articles