Multiple level nesting?

[LenC]

I am learning how to use nesting to mask adjustments to selected parts of an image.  I can nest a mask and an adjustment layer with either above the other.  But in the process of nesting (using vertical blue line guide), sometimes the layer diagram shows the adjustment more indented than the mask (see screen grab), sometimes the same. Does this represent a different image-processing behavior of AP or is it maybe just a graphic glitch? All configurations seem to behave the same: painting the mask reveals or conceals the adjustment.

[MEB]

Hi LenC,

This is by design. Ignoring the bottom locked background layer which is irrelevant here, in the case of the Curves Adjustment you have nested it to the Background layer, which means it is affecting the whole layer. In the Mask case you have clipped it to the Background layer, which means it will only affect the area defined by the boundaries of the clipping layer (which is the Background layer). Since the boundaries defined by the Background layer happen to match the whole layer area, both the mask and the Adjustment will affect the Background layer in a similar way visually.

In other words if instead of the mask you had clipped an adjustment instead it would have affected the same area visually as the nested adjustment. That's why you get the same results visually if you nest or clip an adjustment.

 

The indenting difference in the Layer's panel is to help you distinguish between the two (nested and clipped) when the parent layer is expanded.

When the parent layer is collapsed nested adjustments will have a thumbnail displayed on the right of the parent's thumbnail.