Wk5 Ex 3

[mikemeister_admin]

This is such a difficult image to know what areas need more emphasis at the expense of others.

My CM (only) solution was to use an invertedK mask in RGB, followed by a normal Kmask in LAB (to bring back the sky).

I think there are a couple of points about using masks that I'd like to raise.
a) CM tends to be much slower with mask adjustments, which makes things a little awkward
b) does more curve & then mask or mask and then curve?

Last time we played with masks, I would try and adjust it before beginning to curve - I now think this is probably the wrong approach. 

Assuming you know what you want to do and have a vague idea how to get there (with a mask), then I think one curves to create the effect you want in the specific area and then use the mask to throttle back the rest of the image to remove the curving effect. 

This probably means that you goes in twice - which is what I did for my 1st solution.  I wanted the hills to stand out, so curved for that - blowing the sky (which I used the inverted K mask to cancel out) - then went in using Lab to enhance the sky and then used the K mask to cancel that change on the hills.

[mikemeister_admin]

My second offering was comparing cm to other approaches. 

I use a Sky enhance Action (Overlay inverted Blue channel, capped with a copy of the background layer in Darken mode).  This marvelous action does 2 things - darkens the sky and adds the option of lightening the foliage.  I then added a CM layer - HSB with Kmask in VividLight blend at 25% to blow in some more sky.

[mikemeister_admin]

Finally, here is that action on it's own

[ggroess]

Chris,
Mask adjustments using CM??  are you talking about the creation aspect or the adjusting using masks?

For my money, when I know that I am going to use a mask to make an adjustment, I create a copy of the image as a layer, and work there. While this makes the image really big storage wise, it allows me the freedom to throw it (The mask layer) away. 

I tend to take the image apart more...I focus on separate "issues" and break the image down (see week 1 discussion).  I think that might be the issue here for you and your work flow.  Your work flow is yours and it makes sense to you. 

For instance you ask "Mask first then curve" or "Curve first then mask"?  For me I would say...In my work flow, I adjust the image in CM and make the best image I can before I go to Masks.  I know that masking, while one of the most powerful tools in PS, is also one of the most poorly executed by most users including myself. 

I hope that one of the lessons learned here is that Mask is good...More Mask is not necessarily better.  What I'm trying to say I guess is that there are some solutions in search of a problem, and sometimes mask is one of them...I do not think mask first...I think mask last..My work flow, my thought process.

Masking in CM is an answer to the problem of mask creation in general.  How do you create a mask from a channel if you cannot see the channel to know which one to pick?  CM solves this problem by making the masks visible and making choosing and adjusting them faster.  You also get the added benefit of being able to visualize the mask using the highlight command.  This is the real power; CM does not replace masking in PS just like curves themselves; it makes masking more accessible and more straight forward.  For me at least.

Great Discussion topic...
Thanks
Greg

[mikemeister_admin]

Thanks Greg,

I was referring to Masks within CM - I rarely use them in PS - only really for Dodge&Burn.

The real 'mask' I use quite a bit is the BlendIF feature, in Lab of course.  It has tremendous power for colour control and would be a great addition to CM.

I think you echo what I was trying to say - do your curving and then use the mask channel to undo the effect on the parts of the image you dont want to change.  I therefore think that I actually curve the mask channel.  The one feature I have not found how to do is to do a compare with/without the mask being active.  Turning it off seems to loose my settings.  An enable/disable button would be extremely useful.

[ggroess]

The CM compare doesn't do this for you?? 

I'll have to test mine...

[mikemeister_admin]

I worded it badly - what I want to do is to be able to see the image with the mask active and then with the mask disabled.  The Compare button will always show the before CM image.

[ggroess]

Ahhhh...I see said the blind man....

Greg