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Basic, easy to understand masking
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Dec 4, 2018 07:26:06   #
OneShotOne18
 
Perhaps I'm making this harder than it really is. When masking is done I read that it has a lot to do with transparency and filters. I can watch how to videos all day and just do not understand why anyone would white or black out a photo.Bottom line, what is the purpose? Is there a simpler solution until " I get it"? I apologize for having to drag y'all down to such low depth of my lack of knowledge.

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Dec 4, 2018 07:43:36   #
berchman Loc: South Central PA
 
OneShotOne18 wrote:
Perhaps I'm making this harder than it really is. When masking is done I read that it has a lot to do with transparency and filters. I can watch how to videos all day and just do not understand why anyone would white or black out a photo.Bottom line, what is the purpose? Is there a simpler solution until " I get it"? I apologize for having to drag y'all down to such low depth of my lack of knowledge.


Masking is done on "layers," which are copies of the photo on which you make some kind of adjustment like changing the contrast or the exposure. When black is painted on part of the layer, the adjustments done to the layer become invisible on that part of the main photo. That is why masks are called "layer masks."

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Dec 4, 2018 07:48:10   #
OneShotOne18
 
So, are you saying when I make an edit on hmmm say clouds, then I have to use the mask over the area in oder for the change to take effect?

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Dec 4, 2018 08:02:53   #
lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland
 
Masks allow you to reveal what you want to effect with an edit, and equally important what you do not want to effect. Maybe you want more detail in the clouds without changing anything else in the image?

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Dec 4, 2018 08:21:21   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
OneShotOne18 wrote:
So, are you saying when I make an edit on hmmm say clouds, then I have to use the mask over the area in oder for the change to take effect?


If you have clouds in a layer you can mask them in or out. That enables you to either apply your edits only to the clouds or to everything except the clouds.

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Dec 4, 2018 08:38:23   #
big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada
 
Example:
You have a wonderful photo of a sky with clouds and a second landscape photo with totally overcast dead sky. Open both on separate layers with the landscape on top layer. Highlight the landscape layer and create a layer mask. Now black brush over the dead sky to reveal the wonderful sky underneath. Make a mistake with the black brush? Simply switch to white and go back over the error areas to show the portion of the landscape you want to see.

You now have a wonderful landscape photo with wonderful sky. This can also used with more than 2 photos, skies the limit. No pun intended.

I suspect you are thinking of a layer mask on a single photo instead of multiple photos.

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Dec 4, 2018 09:13:58   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
big-guy wrote:
...I suspect you are thinking of a layer mask on a single photo instead of multiple photos.
That's what sounds like to me also.

"transparency" - you may be referring to the degree you want your change to show or be hidden. Another term: opacity. Transparency can also refer to the layer itself. It is "empty" and so you can see the layer below it. But put that aside for a minute:

One way to understand layers a little better is to create an adjustment layer. Say you want to increase saturation of your image, but only in certain areas. Your layer mask allows you to keep that increased saturation away from specific sections.

You would paint black on your mask to prevent that saturation from affecting certain spots. And with opacity adjustment, it doesn't have to be all or none, it can be in degrees (e.g. 50% strength).

"filters" - not sure what you're referring to in the layer mask context, unless you mean something like a "warming filter" or even "sharpening?" Apply to original image, it goes everywhere equally. Apply to a layer, and then you can mask from specific areas, like I said above with saturation.

Don't give up! It took me months to understand layers and layer masks Post a photo example and explain what you want to do. People can take you through step by step.

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Dec 4, 2018 12:48:19   #
speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho
 
OneShotOne18 wrote:
Perhaps I'm making this harder than it really is. When masking is done I read that it has a lot to do with transparency and filters. I can watch how to videos all day and just do not understand why anyone would white or black out a photo.Bottom line, what is the purpose? Is there a simpler solution until " I get it"? I apologize for having to drag y'all down to such low depth of my lack of knowledge.

Nobody is blacking out, or whitening out an image, they are using a mask on the image! According to your question, you do not even spent a minute in checking out masking, or you wouldn't ask, what's the purpose. I suggest you dive in just a bit, so you know!

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Dec 4, 2018 16:38:45   #
OneShotOne18
 
Thx for your poignant answer. Yes I know " they're masking an image" duuh. The best part of your answer was " dive in". Thx and have a blessed day!

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Dec 5, 2018 05:44:28   #
jimjams
 
Thank you Oneshotone18 for asking this question!
As a complete numbskull at all this, I too have struggled to grasp the concept. I have attempted to play around with layers etc but even with YouTube etc, nothing seemed to get through.
But Big-guy and Linda’s clear explanations finally got through to me - my thanks to them, and as I say, HUGE thanks to the OP for asking what I dare not.
I love UHH!

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Dec 5, 2018 06:48:17   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
OneShotOne18 wrote:
Perhaps I'm making this harder than it really is. When masking is done I read that it has a lot to do with transparency and filters. I can watch how to videos all day and just do not understand why anyone would white or black out a photo.Bottom line, what is the purpose? Is there a simpler solution until " I get it"? I apologize for having to drag y'all down to such low depth of my lack of knowledge.


Here ya go:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/masking-layers.html

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Dec 5, 2018 07:30:47   #
traderjohn Loc: New York City
 


Great info. I will review later in the day. How did he remove the dude??? What did he click?

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Dec 5, 2018 09:03:33   #
mborn Loc: Massachusetts
 



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Dec 5, 2018 09:51:13   #
emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun
 
Masking is nondestructive.

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Dec 5, 2018 11:02:03   #
ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!
 
big-guy wrote:
. . .
I suspect you are thinking of a layer mask on a single photo instead of multiple photos.

Even with a single photo you can use a mask to good effect. Say, with clouds, you can apply an adjustment of Curves. That automatically gives you a layer mask. Make the adjustment, say, to increase the contrast of the brighest clouds. But that adjustment affects the entire image whereas you only wanted to apply it to the clouds. So now you can first fill the mask with black (effectively negating the adjustment) and paint with white where you want the adjustment to work.

There is much more possible, but you gotta read.

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