P: (Masking) (AI) generated depth map for depth masks

[thomas5CED]

The new lens blur function generates a depth map from images without depth information.

It would be nice to be able to use this depth map for mask creation.

Right now only lumance and color range is support here, but depth range is disabled if the image doesn't contain a depth map. In this case an AI generated depth map could be used to enable depth range based masks even if no depth data is recorded in the image.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

While I don't disagree with your request, can you describe when and how you would use it?

[thomas5CED]

I missed this feature when editing a landscape shot with several "layers" of mountain ranges behind each other. Sometimes I want to do different things to different layers of mountains. Here is an example where AI foreground/background detection didn't select anything:

Other applications are that it might just make selecting things easier. When the AI object detection/subject/background code fails me and one is back to manual masking, quickly removing certain depth ranges might help and would reduce the pencil precision required when masking.

Does that sound reasonable or am I holding it wrong?

[thomas5CED]

Sorry, let me clarify, by saying "different things to different layers of mountains" i mean adjust exposure/color temperature/highlights. The usual local adjustments.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Thanks for the info. 
My first thought was to add a blur slider to Local Adjustments with Bokeh Control that could be zone-controlled via an AI-calculated depth mask. This is a different interpretation. 

[JBedfordPhoto]

I like this idea too and would use it in much the same way as described. 

[Roy_vancity]

I love this idea! I stumbled across it while searching for ideas on extracting the depth map for masking to increase the lighting on individuals while making the background darker. 

[Bob Trlin]

We have three standard mask types, Subject, Sky and Background.  I would like to see one more.  Not sure what to call it but for sake of this request, lest's call it Out Of Focus (OOF) or maybe Blur.  In the Lens Blur panel, the algorithm does a great job of isolating OOF areas and even has provision to adjust it.  I would like to be able to create an "OOF" mask so that these areas can be teated differently e.g. darken and soften to add focus on the subject.  This would have a similar effect to using "background", only, I think, better.  It will include close OOF areas as well. 

On the face of it, it seem a simple task since Lens Blur is already there, but I appreciate things are rarely that simple.   

[johnrellis]

Moderators, @Rikk Flohr: Photography, please merge with this existing Idea:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-ideas/p-masking-ai-generated-depth-map-for-depth-ma...

[huwmorgan]

Create a depth mask option and make lens blur available in all masks. This would have two great advantage: first, it would allow all the regular mask adjustments to be made based on depth of field. For example, you could warm up the in focus area. Inverting the mask would allow you to cool down the out of focus area. Second, adding a lens blur tool to all masks would be handy to blur out a vignette or to add a lens tilt effect using a linear gradient.

[Nadeem28230335k4xr]

@Rikk Flohr: Photography  a depth mask being able to utilize all the adjustments available when masking (exposure, color, etc) and not just lens blur has many applications.  Example 1: being able to shape and adjust light at certain depths of a landscape image with rolling hills coming in an out of highlights/shadows without having to painstakingly create many multiple radial gradient or brush masks.  Example 2: adjusting light/color on an image through an archway or doorway and having proper fall-off of the light being said door way.

Check out what Luminar has done with their new Light-Depth tool.  It looks really interesting but I don't want to have to buy a second editor for this one thing.

[HSQrs]

What I’m trying to solve
Lightroom Classic has excellent masking tools, but depth information is currently locked behind very specific cases (e.g., Lens Blur and certain depth-enabled phone photos). That limitation is a big downside compared to other software where depth can be used more broadly as a masking input.

Requested improvement 

Add a Depth Map option as a masking source (a “Depth” mask type, or Depth as an input within existing masks) so users can target edits by distance in the scene—independent of Lens Blur or a specific phone-file depth format.

Why this matters / workflow impact
Depth-based masking would make it dramatically faster and more accurate to do common edits like:

• Separating foreground / midground / background for tone and color adjustments

• Distance-based haze/atmosphere control (without fighting edge artifacts)

• Faster subject-to-background grading for cinematic looks

• Cleaner selective sharpening/noise reduction (e.g., less sharpening in far background)

Right now, I often can’t use depth information at all unless the file happens to include it in the “right” way. A depth mask would expand the Range Mask concept into actual spatial distance, which is incredibly useful for real-world editing.

How it would help batch editing
If depth becomes a standard mask source, I could apply consistent distance-based looks across a set (events, portraits, environments) without round-tripping to other apps—huge gain for batch workflows. Also It would be possible to add it in presets.

Suggested controls (example)

• Near/Far slider (or distance range selection)

• Smoothness / falloff

• Invert Depth

• Optional visualization overlay for depth boundaries

If a similar request already exists
Happy to have this merged—please link the existing thread so we can consolidate votes.

Enlist support
If you’d use depth-based masking for faster foreground/background grading, please upvote—this would be a major workflow unlock in Classic.