How To Master Masking in Lightroom: TUTORIAL for 6 Kinds of Masking

Is using masking in Lightroom a very daunting task for you?

By the end of this post, you will have the basic knowledge of 6 kinds of masking techniques in Lightroom and how to use each of them in your photographs.

Masking in Adobe Lightroom is an essential feature that allows you to apply adjustments selectively to specific areas of an image, offering precise control over edits.

Using masking in Lightroom you can enhance or correct particular areas in a photograph without affecting the whole image.

For example, if you have a portrait image and you want to edit only the eyes of your subject, you can use masking to bring out the details only in the eyes without affecting the rest of the face/image.

If you have a landscape photo where the sky is a bit blown out but the exposure of the other area is fine, you can pull down highlights of the sky separately.

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You can even add drama to the sky by adjusting things such as texture and clarity.

If you’re editing a product photo and you want to adjust the brightness and contrast of only the product to bring the focus to it, you can do so by masking in Lightroom.

6 Types of Masking in Lightroom & How to use them

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Mask the sky, subject, and background automatically

Go to the masking menu and Lightroom will identify the people in your image.

As you can see in the screenshot above, it identified the person whose portrait it is and created a mask titled ‘Person 1’.

Now you can go ahead and select the areas that you want to edit, in this screenshot, I chose facial skin. That’s why it is highlighted in red.

You can select any number of items or even all of them to create a mask according to you.

After creating a facial skin mask, say you want to edit the eyes now.

Repeat the same process and this time only tick the box in front of the iris and pupil, eye sclera.

Click on the sky in the masking menu to select only the sky in your image and make your edits on it. Similarly, you can click on the background to select everything except the subject of your image.

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Mask an object by drawing a selection

In this example, I wanted to select only the ceramic pot.

Choose the object selection option in the masking menu and draw a rough outline of the object you want to edit.

Lightroom will analyze the object based on your rough outline, pretty smooth, right?

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Gradient masks: Linear & Radial

In Adobe Lightroom, linear and gradient filters are powerful tools for masking specific areas of a photo to apply targeted adjustments. You can apply multiple linear and radial gradients together to get the desired look.

For example, in the picture above, I’ve used 2 gradients with a brush.

Linear Gradient Filter

How to apply it

• Select the Linear Gradient tool from the toolbar or press M.
• Click and drag over the area of your photo where you want to apply the gradient. A linear gradient will appear, with three lines: the outer lines indicate the start and end of the transition, while the center line indicates the midpoint.
• You can adjust the position, rotation, and width of the gradient by dragging the lines or the points on the lines. The effect will transition smoothly from full strength to no effect over the distance between the outer lines.

Making Adjustments

• Once the gradient is in place, you can apply various adjustments like exposure, contrast, clarity, dehaze, temperature, and more. These adjustments will affect only the selected area.
• For instance, to enhance a sunset, you could apply a gradient from the top of the image downward and increase the warmth and saturation while decreasing the exposure slightly to create a more dramatic sky.

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Radial Gradient Filter

Applying the Filter

• Select the Radial Gradient tool from the toolbar or press Shift+M.
• Click and drag to create an oval or circular gradient over the area you want to adjust.

Adjusting the Mask

• You can adjust the size, shape, and rotation of the radial gradient by dragging the handles.
• The feathering slider allows you to control the transition’s softness from the center outwards.

Making Adjustments

• Apply various adjustments within the radial gradient area.
• This tool is great for spotlighting subjects by creating a vignette effect, increasing brightness and clarity on a face, or darkening the edges to draw attention to the center of the image.

Where and how you can use these gradients for masking in Lightroom

• In landscape photos, use a linear gradient on the sky to darken it slightly and increase contrast, making the clouds pop.
• Apply another linear gradient in the foreground to increase exposure and bring out details.
• In portraits, use a radial gradient to brighten the subject’s face and add a touch of clarity while subtly darkening the background with another radial gradient.
• Use a linear gradient to add dehaze to the distant background in a landscape photo, making the foreground appear more prominent and creating a sense of depth.

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Color range masks

Color Range Masks in Adobe Lightroom allow you to make precise adjustments to specific colors within your photo.

Steps to Use Color Range Masks

Choose one of the local adjustment tools: Graduated Filter (M), Radial Filter (Shift+M), or Adjustment Brush (K).

Make your selection and apply the desired edits.

Access the Color Range Mask

• Scroll down in the adjustment panel to find the “Range Mask” option.
• Select “Color” from the drop-down menu.

Select Colors

• Click on the “Color” option to activate the color picker.
• Click on the colors in your photo that you want to mask. You can click and drag to select a range of colors.
• To add more colors to your selection, hold the Shift key while clicking on additional colors.

Refine the Mask

• Use the “Amount” slider to refine the selection. Moving the slider to the right increases the precision of the mask, making it more selective to the chosen color range.
• The mask will only affect the areas containing the selected colors.

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Depth range masks

Depth Range Masks in Adobe Lightroom allow you to make precise adjustments based on the depth information in photos taken with cameras that support depth maps. Here’s how to use them effectively:

Steps to Use Depth Range Masks

Choose one of the local adjustment tools: Graduated Filter (M), Radial Filter (Shift+M), or Adjustment Brush (K).

Make your selection and apply the desired edits.

Access the Depth Range Mask

• Scroll down in the adjustment panel to find the “Range Mask” option.
• Select “Depth” from the drop-down menu (available only for photos with depth information).

Select Depth Range

• Use the Depth Range slider to specify the range of depths to be affected by the mask.
• Adjust the “Smoothness” slider to control the transition between the selected and unselected depth areas.

Adjust the Effect

• Make your adjustments (exposure, contrast, saturation, etc.). These will only affect the selected depth range.
• Further, refine the mask by adding or subtracting areas using the brush tool in the Range Mask options.

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Luminance range masks

Steps to Use Luminance Range Masks

Choose one of the local adjustment tools: Graduated Filter (M), Radial Filter (Shift+M), or Adjustment Brush (K).

Make your selection and apply the desired edits.

Access the Luminance Range Mask:

• Scroll down in the adjustment panel to find the “Range Mask” option.
• Select “Luminance” from the drop-down menu.

Select Luminance Range

• Use the Luminance Range slider to specify the range of brightness levels to be affected by the mask.
• Adjust the “Smoothness” slider to control the transition between the selected and unselected luminance areas.

Adjust the Effect

• Make your adjustments (exposure, contrast, saturation, etc.). These will only affect the selected luminance range.
• Further, refine the mask by adding or subtracting areas using the brush tool in the Range Mask options.

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