Half of creating better edits is taking more precise control over where they are applied and how they are blended. One of the most powerful tools for increasing that precision is a luminosity mask, and this excellent video tutorial will show you what they are, how to create them in Photoshop, and how to employ them for better photo edits.
Coming to you from Colin Smith of photoshopCAFE, this great video tutorial will show you the power of luminosity masks in Photoshop. If you have not seen a luminosity mask before, the idea is fairly straightforward: creating a mask where the white and black parts are determined by the different brightness levels in the photo. These can be tremendously useful, as you will often want to apply specific edits to different areas of the photo based on their relative brightness, such as adding a bit of warmth to the highlights. Using a luminosity mask instead of a more traditional selection process can be a lot quicker if you are dealing with a complex scenario such as a sky shining through a lot of tree leaves. It can also allow you to create easier and more convincing blends. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Smith.
