Batch brush AI-masking

Question

The AI masking feature is a dream when editing, making it super time efficient editing large projects where the client is given several images from the same scene, to choose what they want to put up on their wall and in their albums.

But I do have an issue that IS rather time consuming and where, as far as I know, the masking AI isn't present.

And it's brush masking.

I copy and paste the adjustments on every image, and have to move, add and subtract the brush layer on every single image, even if it's the same scene and almost the same poses – but I've maybe moved a bit or the subjects may have moved a bit. You know the drill.

The AI features has no issue identifying subject and background if that type of mask is selected, when pasting it in to an image that even has a whole other structure. But even WITH AI-masking selected, and then subtracting the mask to only the part I want adjusted, when the mask is applied to the same place on the next image, it's not using the AI to recognize what I want highlighted.

Is there a way to work around this? I know it's a small prize to pay timewise, as you had to do this with every mask on every single image just a couple of years ago. Now it's only a small part, but still annoying when you see how powerful AI-editing has become.

Grateful for any tips, experiences or insights.

Or does someone know if AI brush-mask will be an upcoming feature at any point in the future?

richardplondon · Answer

If there is a particular set of masks that you use repeatedly, and this can include AI selections AND any corrective brushing, you can include those in a user Develop preset. IMO it's a good idea to take the trouble to name these meaningfully before doing so. Then the preset might concern only the named masks that you want, without applying anything for the other adjustments.

So for example you may use this preset to add a mask named "Subject" consisting of an auto AI Subject selection, and a (initially emptied) brush layer for manually Adding to this, and another for manually Subtracting from this. It's a single click to as needed update and refresh AI "subject" and "sky" selections, to reflect each different photo's content. "Sky" just replicates the fact that you want such a selection, without transferring any specifics of where in the picture a sky is to be found. But Object selection is 'about' a certain photo's specific content, and cannot then adapt itself to the different content of another.

Of course the auto AI Subject sometimes doesn't succeed, or not as we would wish it, and then manually brushing would be there ready to go. Or using AI assisted Object selection - though in this case those subtractions / additions would have to be created new, since inclusion in a preset of whatever specific interventions another photo had required, could not be of more general use. But the availability of a brush mask ready to paint on, could be.

Tip: in order to create a new Brush mask subcomponent in the first place, you do need to have painted something. But you can then Erase that out again, so the brush mask is left "empty" for inclusion in a preset - or for Syncing. Personally I find manual brushing amply good and quick enough, when it is a matter of just fixing exceptions where the AI has not made the particular 'guess' that you would have preferred. Object selection is more required IMO, where AI Subject finding has given up or gone badly astray.

You can of course include multiple masks in this same preset, each simple or complex, giving you a repeatable setup of the same set of masks all ready to go under consistent naming, perhaps each with the local adjustments already set that you commonly find yourself applying.

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