smadell

You can't use a "Fill Layer" here because Affinity Photo treats that as a vector object. You can't paint on a Fill Layer. Instead, add a new Pixel Layer (or just choose "New Layer" from the Layer menu) and then fill it with 50% grey. Set the blend mode to Overlay. If you paint with white, you will Dodge. If you paint with Black, you will Burn.
Suggestion: use a brush with 0% (or very, very low) hardness, and with 2-5% Flow. I usually keep the Opacity at 100%. The low Flow rate lets the strokes build up slowly, especially helpful if you're using a tablet.
I've attached a macro that you can import into your Library panel. This will create the layer for you.
Dodge & Burn (50% Grey Layer).afmacros

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

After you create your Recolor adjustment layer and mask it, make sure it's selected in the Layers panel. Over in the Channels panel, right click on the line that says "Recolor Adjustment Alpha" and then choose "Create Spare Channel" from the drop-down menu. Now, create your Layers adjustment and make sure it's the layer selected in the Layers panel. Right click on the Spare Channel you just created (in the Channels panel) and choose "Load to Levels Adjustment Alpha." You've just transferred the mask (the Alpha Channel) from the Recolor adjustment into the new Levels adjustment.

I believe that something like this should always be done non-destructively, whenever possible. You've already made a good selection of the girl. (1) Click on the Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. (2) Deselect (3) Add a New Fill layer, and change the color to Black (4) Drag that new fill layer to the bottom of the layer stack.

 
 

I believe that something like this should always be done non-destructively, whenever possible. You've already made a good selection of the girl. (1) Click on the Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. (2) Deselect (3) Add a New Fill layer, and change the color to Black (4) Drag that new fill layer to the bottom of the layer stack.

 
 

Another thumbs up for FastRawViewer. It is fast, inexpensive (less than $20), and lets you move or copy culled photos to another folder. Affinity Photo will not use the .xmp files generated by FRV, but (to me) the point of the app is culling, not editing; I find the .xmp files from FRV to be superfluous, anyway. The files you move are your original NEF raw files, which can be accessed by AP (or any raw developer) as they normally would be. Great little program!

I'm hoping this answers the issues raised...

Masking an Adjustment Layer.mp4

I'm hoping this answers the issues raised...

Masking an Adjustment Layer.mp4

Matt...
Look at the thumbnail of the Exposure adjustment in the Layers panel. It is black, with a small area of white in the upper right corner. That indicates that you have successfully (i) inverted the Exposure adjustment layer, and (ii) painted white on it.
Now, open the Exposure adjustment (double-click on it). Move the slider all the way to the right, and all the way to the left. You should see an area of your photo changing. That’s the area that you painted white. “Adjust to taste...”

This issue is solved fairly easily with the "Lock Children" feature. Select the pixel layer with the Move tool. You'll see the "Lock Children" checkbox in the Context Toolbar. If you leave the box checked, the pixel layer and its child layer mask are linked; if you UN-check the box, the link between them is broken. You can move, resize, and otherwise transform the pixel layer without affecting the mask.

If I understand your question correctly, the problem is that Affinity Photo handles channel editing much differently to the way that Photoshop does it. And, editing masks is particularly troublesome.
My understanding of this is that Photoshop allows the user to edit channels as if they were greyscale pixel layers. That means that all the pixel tools (all of the brushes, adjustments, and so forth) can be used directly on channels in the same way that they would when working on a traditional pixel layer. However, Affinity Photo is different, especially when it comes to editing the Alpha channel of a mask. Affinity will not let you directly apply all but a very few types of edits right to the alpha channel; AP treats the mask channel as alpha elements, only, and does not let you edit it the way you would a more typical greyscale pixel layer.
You can, however, add a Levels or Curves adjustment to a mask. Add a Curves layer, for instance, and drag it over the Mask thumbnail in the Layers panel so that you get the vertical blue bar. In the Curves dialog box, choose "Alpha" as the channel to be manipulated (rather than the default choice of "Master"). You can directly adjust the mask in this way, and it is effectively a non-destructive layer.
If you want to edit the Mask itself, however, in a more destructive fashion, you have to temporarily turn the mask into a pixel layer. In the Layers panel, right click on the mask thumbnail, then right click on the "Mask Alpha" in the Channels panel. Choose "Create Greyscale Layer" Drag this new layer up to the top of the stack. Now, add a Curves adjustment and adjust the greyscale layer as you'd like. Click the "Merge" button to change the pixel layer destructively. After that, right click on the pixel layer and choose "Rasterize to Mask." Drag this new mask into your photo, and replace the old mask.
The video below demonstrates this. I took a photo and created a "Darks 1" luminosity mask. (I kept all this in a Group to be able to compare at the end.) After duplicating the Group, I created a greyscale layer out of the duplicated mask and applied a Curves adjustment. I merged this, rasterized it to a mask, and dragged it into the duplicated Group.
Compare the New version and the Original version when I turn the Group on and off. Also, compare the masks when each is viewed in "Isolation Mode."

Add Contrast to a Mask.mp4

I have four separate feature requests that I'd like to submit. I have created a separate post for each of them, and they are all posted here within the "Feature Requests & Feedback" section. I have included proposed Studio-type panels (or modifications of existing panels) in each of the posts.
2) A New Filter - Add Grain
A suggestion for an additional Filter. While the Add Noise… choice is nice, it tends to give a small and very uniform form of noise. This might be great for dealing with certain situations, but it's not a good substitute for adding Grain to a picture (to give a photo an old-time type of look). I suggest a separate Filter that deals with Adding Grain, providing sliders such as (i) Grain per pixel; and (ii) Soft vs Hard. This reasonably simple set of choices is present in the Nik Silver Efex plug-in, and gives me all the choices I think I might want.

oquendo123...
 
The Luminosity Mask macros are actually Luminosity Selection macros. The selection itself is the end result. The macros were recorded in 3 steps:
 
1) On a given pixel layer, Blend Options are chosen to limit the opacity of the layer's pixels to a specific luminosity range. (For instance, the Lights 1 macro varies the opacity of the pixels from 0% to 100% such that the percentage of opacity is the same as the percentage of any pixel's luminosity. In effect, this is a straight line from lower left to upper right in the graph within the Blend Options panel.)
2) The "Selection from Layer" is a selectable menu item from the Select menu, and selects the visible pixels in the layer. In the case above, pixels are selected between 0% and 100% based on their visible opacity. Remember that at this point in the macro, the "visible opacity" of the pixels has been changed by Step 1.
3) The third step uses the Blend Options panel to return the opacity of the layer to normal, but does not change the selection.
 
The result of the macro is a selection based on luminosity. If you change the curve within the Blend Options panel (in Step 1) you can change the degree to which the Luminosity Selection favors Lights, Darks, Midtones, etc.

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

If you look carefully at the PhotoWhoa site, you should notice that all of the presets are described as an "Affinity Presets LUTS Collection." This pretty much defines how you'll end up using them.
Affinity Photo can use "color lookup tables" (otherwise known as CLUT's or LUT's) and these are fairly commonly used to "color grade" images or video. Basically, if you start with an image and then alter it with one or more Adjustment layers, you can then choose "Export LUT..." to form an external file that encapsulates all of the adjustments you made. Basically, a color lookup table is simply that - it lets you start with a bunch of pixels (your photograph) in which each pixel has a defined color, then the LUT changes each of the colors to a pre-defined "other" color according to the entries in the lookup table. It's a simple substitution scheme, which goes something like "wherever there's a pixel with this color [R255,G0,B0] put in a something else, like [R240,G100,B100]." And, it does that for each triplet combination of Red, Green, and Blue in your photo.
The up side to using a LUT is that it is simple, and boils down to an all-in-one color grade change. The down side is that the LUT does not add the component Adjustment Layers, so you can't really tweak the components afterward (except by adding more adjustments and filters, etc.)
To use your MegaPresets files, simply put the collection of folders somewhere convenient. I'm not from the Windows side, but I don't think there's a specific place they need to be. Once you have a photo in Affinity Photo, add an adjustment layer by choosing "LUT..." from the Layer>New Adjustment Layer submenu, or by choosing it from the icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. The LUT dialog box will open.

Click on the button called "Load LUT" and you will be able to navigate to the folder(s) containing your presents. Choose the one you like. Your photo will have one extra adjustment layer, labelled LUT, and the color lookup changes dictated by the LUT file will have been applied. (You may want to change Blend Modes, opacity, and so forth on the LUT adjustment layer to further refine the color grading.

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

I have previously posted 2 sets of luminosity based macro sets. The first set worked on Image and Pixel layers, and created Luminosity Selections that could then be used to create masks, adjustments, filters, etc. They can be found here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27214-luminosity-masks/

The second set of macros was meant to be used directly on Adjustment and Live Filter layers. These applied luminosity based Blend Options to adjustment and filter layers, based on the Image or Pixel layer(s) below the adjustment. They can be found here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/30523-luminosity-masks-for-adjustment-filter-layers/

Recently, a post from @danlhayes brought up the question of creating a greyscale representation of the luminosity selection. This would be similar to Option-clicking on a luminosity mask to see that mask in shades of grey. After (admittedly) quite a bit of trial and error, I’ve come up with a set of macros that will do just that. They are attached to this post.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

To use the Luminosity Visualization macros, you should do the following:

1) You need to start with a Pixel or an Image layer selected. An embedded Affinity Photo document also seems to work.
2) Click on the macro you would like to represent as a greyscale image.
3) The macro will create a new Pixel layer with the name “LuminosityVisualization” and put it on the top of your layer stack.
4) You can get rid of the LuminosityVisualization layer by clicking on the macro named “Delete Visualization Layer.”

As always, some caveats:

5) You should always delete a previously created LuminosityVisualization layer before creating another one.
6) When you create a LuminosityVisualization layer, it will be placed at the top of the layer stack (so that any other layers you have placed over your Image/Pixel layer don’t confuse the visualization). If you delete the LuminosityVisualization layer and want to create another one, be sure to choose your Image or Pixel layer again.
7) These macros were created using the same Blend Options curves that I used in creating the first two sets of macros. As such, they are meant to be used together with those macros, and not with luminosity selections that may be available from other users.
8) As always, I am one person with one computer. I believe that these macros will work as I’ve stated, but I cannot possibly have tested every possible combination of situations. No guarantees are made; use them if you like them!
9) If you like the macros, they are yours. They are a “thank you” to everyone for helping me learn, and a request to “pay it forward” with continued generosity.
Luminosity Visualization.afmacros.zip

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip

NormanPCN...
 
I tried to recreate this problem and - what do you know? - I imported an empty category too! Long story, short - when I renamed the category to omit characters such as "/" and "&" the macros exported and re-imported without a glitch. Maybe you'll want to try it again.
Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

Today, let’s have fun with Gradient Maps…
Gradient Maps are a great way to color grade photos, since they map dark, light, and midtone values according to a pre-defined gradient. This can easily define a “look” for photos that might otherwise be hard to accomplish.
Although I am not a user of Photoshop, our “arch rival” has a wonderful group of gradient maps called “Photographic Toning” that are specifically designed to color grade photos. Although you have to drill down through a few panels and dialog boxes to find them (and you sort of have to know they’re there in the first place) they are a truly nice addition. Also, they are easily obtained by anyone.
But, as they say, there’s the rub. Affinity Photo cannot import Photoshop gradient maps. Affinity Photo can store pre-defined gradients in the Swatches studio, but for some unknown reason the stored gradients are not available from the Gradient Map studio panel. Gradient Maps can be stored as presets, and can be chosen from the Adjustments panel, but I don’t believe they can be easily exported from one computer and brought into a different one.
So… after a long couple of days of transcription, I have created a set of Macros that apply each of the 38 Photographic Toning gradient maps. Since macros are easy to store, and to share, I am making them available for anyone who wants them.
There are actually 2 sets of Macros included - each as an easy-to-import Category from the Library panel. The first group of Macros is called “Photographic Toning Gradients” and these are named according to the gradient map they apply. Each macro creates a Gradient Map layer, applies the appropriate color values, and names the layer according to the gradient map it applied. The second set of macros is called “Photographic Toning Gradients - reduced.” This category also applies the gradient maps in a similar fashion, but then reduces the opacity of the layer to 30%. This reduces the effect of the Gradient Map, and produces a much subtler effect.
Here is an image that shows the full-strength versions of all 38 gradient maps.

And here is a photo to which I’ve applied a full-strength gradient map, and also a reduced-strength gradient map.

These macro categories are included in the ZIP file attached to this post, along with a Letter sized JPG that includes samples of the gradient maps. Also included in the ZIP file is another macro category that includes one more macro. It’s called “Obama Hope Poster” and, as you might have guessed, it turns any photo into an Obama Hope-style poster. Just because…
Please enjoy them!
Photographic Toning Gradient Maps.zip

Actually, you CAN edit a macro - but only in a limited way.
First of all, you have to have a document open. Once this is done, right-click on the macro (in the Library panel) and choose "Edit macro..." from the drop down menu. The Macro panel will open, and all of the macro's existing steps will be listed.
You can add extra steps at the end of the macro. The easiest way to do this is (i) click on the Run button in the Macro panel to run the existing steps of the macro; then (ii) click the Record button and add additional steps at the end. Lastly, save the new macro to the Library, giving it a unique name.
If you want to edit the middle of a macro, I know of only one way to do this, and it certainly qualifies as a "workaround." Open a document, right click on the macro to Edit the macro..., and enter the Macro panel's listing of steps. If, as the OP suggests, you've got a macro with 12 steps and you want to edit the 7th step, you need to UN-check steps 7 through 12. At this point, you've got a macro that will only run the first 6 steps, as written. So, first hit the Run button to run the 6 steps. Then, hit the Record button. Perform the new version of step 7. Then you'll have to re-record steps 8 through 12. Save that new version as a new macro, with a unique name.
No, this is definitely not optimal. But it's (a little) better than nothing.

About a month ago, I posted a number of macros for creating Luminosity Selections. These macros acted only on Pixel and Image layers, and could be used to create masks, adjustment layers, filters, etc. Today’s macros are a follow-up set, and are created to act on Adjustment Layers and Live Filter Layers.

These macros apply Blend Options to the adjustment and filter layers to produce the same results you would get with traditional luminosity selections and masks. However, these changes can be viewed in real time.

Instructions (see attached pictures):

1) Create an adjustment layer or a live filter layer like you normally would.

2) Apply the effect that the layer provides.

3) Now, click one of the Luminosity Blend Options macros to restrict the adjustment or filter effect to a luminosity range.


Notes:

1) Each macro restricts an Adjustment Layer or a Live Filter Layer based on the luminosity of the underlying composition - that is, the visible pixels in layers below the one being restricted.

2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.

3) Once you apply a macro to an adjustment or filter, you can change the luminosity restriction by choosing a different one, AND you can see the updates in real time. (For instance, if you want to darken an overexposed sky by applying a Levels layer, create the Levels adjustment layer and apply the “Lights 1 for Adjustments & Filters” macro. If you have affected too many of the midtones and darks, select “Lights 2 (or 3, or 4) for Adjustments & Filters” to restrict the adjustment toward lighter and lighter pixels.)

4) There is an additional macro called “Reset Blend Options to Normal” that will undo any changes the other macros have created, and return the Adjustment or Filter layer to its normal function.

Caveats:

5) Do not apply these macros to your baseline photo. They will not have the desired effect. These macros should be applied to Adjustment and Live Filter layers that are situated above the photo they are modifying.

6) As with my previous set of macros, I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.

7) If you like them, they are yours. Consider this to be “pay it forward” software. Enjoy it.
 
* * * *
 
Edit (Dec 7, 2016) - The afmacros zip file below has been replaced with a new file, named differently. This is in response to the post which follows this one. The edited attachment should work better (or, should I say, it should simply work).
 



Luminosity Blend Options for Adjustments.afmacros.zip

In response to a post I made last May, MJSfoto1956 suggested the use of Blend Options as an alternative to more traditional luminosity masks. It turns out that the use of the Blend Options panel, combined with a little math, makes luminosity based selections quite effective. The trouble is that the method is cumbersome if you do them from scratch each time.

What I have created is a series of Macros that automates the process. The attached afmacros file contains macros for creating Luminosity Selections in their usual and anticipated forms: Lights 1 through Lights 4, Darks 1 through Darks 4, and Midtones 1 through Midtones 4.

Notes:

1) Each action will select a luminosity-based portion of the selected layer.
2) NO additional channels are created, so files don’t become bloated.
3) Once the selection is made, it can be used for an adjustment layer, a mask, a live filter, etc. It can be deselected (like any selection). It can be replaced by using a different selection (e.g., click on Lights 2 to replace the selection made by Lights 1).

Caveats:

4) You must have a Pixel layer or an Image layer selected for the macros to work properly. If you have any other type of layer selected, or if you have NO layer selected, the results you get will be wrong.
5) The macros will undo any Blend Options you may have set on the selected layer.
6) I am one person with one computer. Obviously, I have not tested these macros in every possible situation. Use them if you like them. No guarantees are made.
7) However, if you like them, they are yours. They are my way of saying “thank you” to the Forum for helping me learn a wonderful piece of software!
Luminosity Selections.afmacros.zip