Re: Contrast Mask
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:05 am
Betty,
Forgot that. In this method, ignore the Overlay, Soft/Hard Options. What I usually do is either leave alone (Normal), or of using a Levels layer, set to Luminosity, HSL (Saturation), etc. IE, the blend mode should be targeted to what the adjustment layer is trying to do. (adjust Lighting, adjust saturation and so on)
I would also add that once you have generated the B&W version of the image, you can do an Enhance, Adjust Lighting, Levels and tweak the midtones to push greys to a more solid black or white. This is the only time I use that "version" of levels and not bother to create a Levels Adjustment Layer. (Not that you couldn't but you would have to merge the two layers to get the copy/paste ability.
Also, I have occasionally resorted to a Threshold adjustment layer to force things to an absolute black or white, then and almost always with the threshold layer, use the gaussian blur filter to soften a little.
I talk about this with my photo buddy as gorilla mask making, when you get down and dirty with hacking out a mask.
Forgot that. In this method, ignore the Overlay, Soft/Hard Options. What I usually do is either leave alone (Normal), or of using a Levels layer, set to Luminosity, HSL (Saturation), etc. IE, the blend mode should be targeted to what the adjustment layer is trying to do. (adjust Lighting, adjust saturation and so on)
I would also add that once you have generated the B&W version of the image, you can do an Enhance, Adjust Lighting, Levels and tweak the midtones to push greys to a more solid black or white. This is the only time I use that "version" of levels and not bother to create a Levels Adjustment Layer. (Not that you couldn't but you would have to merge the two layers to get the copy/paste ability.
Also, I have occasionally resorted to a Threshold adjustment layer to force things to an absolute black or white, then and almost always with the threshold layer, use the gaussian blur filter to soften a little.
I talk about this with my photo buddy as gorilla mask making, when you get down and dirty with hacking out a mask.