How do you learn and master luminosity masks? What are some of the best resources and tips?

1 What are luminosity masks?

Luminosity masks are layers that isolate different levels of luminance in your image, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. You can create them by using the channels panel in Photoshop, or by using dedicated plugins or scripts. Luminosity masks are different from other types of masks, such as selection tools or brush tools, because they are not based on shapes, colors, or edges, but on light values. This means they can capture subtle transitions and details that other masks might miss.

3 How to create luminosity masks?

The basic method to create luminosity masks is to use the channels panel in Photoshop. To start, open your image and go to the channels panel. Select the RGB channel and press Ctrl+Alt+2 (or Cmd+Option+2 on Mac) to load the luminosity of the image as a selection. Save the selection as a new channel, which will create your first luminosity mask, called Lights 1. To create a darker luminosity mask, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+2 (or Cmd+Option+Shift+2 on Mac) and save the selection as a new channel, naming it Lights 2. Repeat this process until you have six luminosity masks from Lights 1 to Lights 6. To create opposite luminosity masks, called Darks, invert the selection by pressing Ctrl+Shift+I (or Cmd+Shift+I on Mac) before saving the channel. You can also create midtone luminosity masks by subtracting Lights and Darks from each other. Alternatively, you can use plugins or scripts that automate this process, such as Lumenzia, Raya Pro, TK Actions or ADP LumiFlow.

4 How to use luminosity masks?

To use luminosity masks, you need to load them as selections and apply them to adjustment layers. To do this, select the luminosity mask channel from the channels panel, then press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+3 (or Cmd+Option+Shift+3 on Mac) to load the channel as a selection. Next, create a new adjustment layer, like curves, levels, hue/saturation, or exposure. This will automatically generate a mask that corresponds to the luminosity mask selection. Tweak the settings of the adjustment layer to modify the tonal range that you selected with the luminosity mask. You can also use the opacity and blend mode of the layer to fine-tune the effect. To use another luminosity mask, repeat these steps with a different channel and adjustment layer.

5 How to learn and master luminosity masks?

Learning and mastering luminosity masks can be a challenge, but there are many resources and tips to help. Watch tutorials from experts to understand the theory and practice. Experiment with different luminosity masks and adjustment layers on different images to achieve different effects. Join online communities and forums to ask questions and get feedback from other photographers. Plugins or scripts can simplify the process of creating and using luminosity masks. Mastering luminosity masks can help you enhance your images and express your creative vision.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?