Having problems with automask

[justinfromtoronto]

Hello Everyone,

Thank-you to those who are taking the time to read my post and anyone who can offer me some suggestions.

Last night I updated my LR Classic software and today I am working with it and have encountered some trouble using automask with my adjustment brush.

I am using it to isolate a specific luminosity that would be very difficult and time-consuming to paint in bit-by-bit, so I'm using the trick I've used many times before where you shrink your image to 1:8, increase the size of your brush, and then click on the specific shade, color, etc. that you want to isolate in the photo.

The problem is that, while the brush is creating a new adjustment point that I can click and edit, it is not showing the selected mask overlay in red or allowing me to make any adjustments to the many areas of the photo that should have been included in the automask. I have tried moving the mask around to other lighter and darker areas of the photo to see if I could create a mask of any kind, but it will not work. I've also tried increasing the exposure and other settings to see if it was simply the mask overlay that wasn't working. All to no avail. Automask is a feature I use regularly and am very concerned that it's not working when used this way.

Flow and Density are both set to 100 and feather is set to 0.

Has anyone experienced this before and, if so, do you know how I can fix this problem? Thanks in advance.

Justin

Edit: I was able to get the automask to work after restarting my computer three times and using it on a number of pictures. So now it's working but a new problem has arisen. The automask is covering everything. So, in my photo there is a lot of contrast between the white, snowy areas, the dark tree trunks, the dark water, and the brighter sky in the background. However, if I place my little cursor on the snow, everything in the photo becomes part of the automask, dark, light, and everything in between.

[GoldingD]

Please accomplish the following

In LightRoom click on Help, click on System Information, click on Copy. Paste that in a reply

[Rob_Cullen]

There have been a couple of reports of Automask problems. And I also find that the Brush is not very selective when using Automask.

Can I suggest if you are trying to mask for luminance over the whole image that you instead use a 'reverse' gradient and then apply a Range Mask. You will get a far better result. (one that even works as desired!!)

1. Apply Gradient -start outside image and drag away from image.

2. Check the [Range Mask] on, and set for Luminance

3. Turn on the Overlay for pre-visual

4. Adjust the sliders [Range] and [Smoothness] to isolate the luminance area you are modifying.

5. Set the Effect Adjustment sliders

[VinFlyer]

Hi Wobert,

I am using LightRoom CC (Cloud-based) and just updated it today (17June2020). I too am having the same issue with AutoMask as you described in your post: the brush is not very selective when using AutoMask. The issue is the same on several photos I have tried; it essentially has no difference whether you check automask or not - the selected area does not stay within any boundary. From what I understand, range masks are not available in the Cloud-based LightRoom CC. Do you have any update on this issue or advice? Many thanks, Vin

[Ian Lyons]

Vin,

This forum and thread relates to Lightroom Classic, which as you've already established doesn't support Range Masks. Should you have questions in the future concerning Lightroom (Cloud based) then best submit them to the correct forum.

In meatime and getting back to your question re Auto-Mask. As WobertC mentions, it's easier to see what you're doing and where you're going if the overlay mask is enabled (ie. O key toggles it on/off). Also, set the feather so that there is a reasonable distance between the inner and outer circles. Next make sure that the '+' cursor does not stray into the areas you want to protect from the edit. Zooming into the image tends to best approach when using the brush.

FWIW, for anything other than masking areas of continious tone (e.g. sky) I find the Auto-Mask quite crude as a masking tool. If area has any texture the mask will tend to have pepper dots.