Creating Flexible Luminosity Masks in AP

[coranda]

There have been a couple of threads recently relating to luminosity masks and the limited flexibility available in AP.  In one of those threads csp proposed blending options as a better way to do this which set me thinking about how that could work.  I have produced a quick, simple video that explains a way to generate a very flexible luminosity mask using blend options.  I hope some of you may find it useful.

 

Thanks to csp for the original idea.

 

 http://youtu.be/2NfimjzLdbA

 

 

[csp]

...i played a little more with your idea and i have to say i´m really impressed !  this is a great and unique way to make luminance based selection with visual control !    i hope affinity picks this up and makes it an official video  !

[anon1]

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[coranda]

MBd,

 

That can be done too.  All you need to do is set the blend options on a copy of the image (on top of the original) and apply the adjustment layer as a child to that upper layer.  This has the disadvantage of duplicating the image (file size) but means that you don't actually create a separate mask.  If you want to change the luminosity range affected you just need to change the blend options on the upper layer.

 

Although, the problem with that approach is that your adjustments will alter the luminosity of the overall image and so the effective mask will change as the adjustment layer is altered.

 

This needs a little more thought.  I'll get back to you if I can think of a solution.

[coranda]

Off the top of my head I can't think of a way to modify the luminosity range of a mask while viewing the affects of it's adjustment layer in real time.  It's possible to alter the mask and see, in real time, the area selected, albeit a little fiddly, but I can't think of a way to modify the mask while viewing the effect of the adjustment layer that is being masked.

[mvichos]

thank you Coranda for a wonderful way to create luminosity masks. very useful indeed for landscape photographers! 

[Depa]

Super !!! Thanks a lot for your work !!! It is a great way to adjust a picture and It is also possible to select color range R,V,B !!!

It would be great to have presets or option to select hi lights, midtones, and shadows ?

What do you think about ?

Sorry I am a French newbie :)

[rosa cobos]

The tutorial. is really interesting but I am missing the real thing of it.....I do not know what a luminosity mask is really doing....what a luminosity mask can exactly do in a picture or composite or object ir order to enhance or change its luminosity essence. And though I know what luminosity means and what mask means too I do not see the strict relation of both and the need to get a luminosity in any mask....sorry..may be would need some more information on its basis.

Thank you so for your tutorial and generous sharing.

Rowa

[ronnyb]

Depa, Affinity Photo already has shortcuts for selecting individual RGB channels as well as Shadows, Midtones and Highlights. Under the main menu, under Select > Color Range and Select > Tonal Range. Cheers!

 

 

Super !!! Thanks a lot for your work !!! It is a great way to adjust a picture and It is also possible to select color range R,V,B !!!
It would be great to have presets or option to select hi lights, midtones, and shadows ?
What do you think about ?
Sorry I am a French newbie :)

[Depa]

Depa, Affinity Photo already has shortcuts for selecting individual RGB channels as well as Shadows, Midtones and Highlights. Under the main menu, under Select> Color Range and Select > Tonal Range. Cheers!

Thanks for this, but when I use this fonction ( tonal range) the result is not so "smooth"

[ronnyb]

Can you post some screen grabs of (perhaps in Quick Mask mode) to better see what you mean?

[anon1]

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[Depa]

maybe you simply have to increase the tolerance of the tonal range selection?

As I see, it is impossible to increase or decrease the tolerance .... Perhaps In the future ?

[anon1]

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[MJSfoto1956]

Because AP has advanced layer blend options that are not available in Photoshop, there is no need for traditional "luminosity masks". One can very precisely restrict any filter or layer to ANY range of luminosity with any kind of falloff (be it hard or soft, shallow or steep). Below is a screenshot that demonstrates how to do luminosity masks the fast and easy way using blend options -- in this case restricting the levels layer to only affect the midtones. This should serve as a reminder that if you are going to use a new tool, it pays to avoid trying to fit a square peg into a round hole! YMMV 

 

P.S. needless to say, my screenshot below is technically wrong -- for the equivalent of a luminosity mask one would want to use the "underlying" dialog rather than the "source" dialog as shown, but you get the idea.