How To Blend Exposures in Photoshop (ADVANCED Layer Masking Tutorial)

LUMINOSITY MASKING PANEL DOWNLOAD:
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In this video I'm showing you 3 ways to blend 4 bracketed exposures in Photoshop to create natural high dynamic range landscapes.
1: EXPOSURE BLENDING: Method 1 (EASY)
2: EXPOSURE BLENDING: Method 2 (ADVANCED)
3: HOW TO MAKE METHOD 1 QUICK AND EASY
More Photoshop Tutorials And Resources:
How To Combine Bracketed Photos in Photoshop (Stunning Results!): • How To Combine Bracket...
Photoshop Layers & Masking - 3 Beginner Mistakes To AVOID like the plague: • 3 Massive Layer Maskin...
Exposure Blending Photoshop Tutorial: For BEGINNERS ONLY: • Exposure Blending Phot...
How To Blend Exposures in Photoshop (ADVANCED Layer Masking Tutorial): • How To Blend Exposures...
How to blend multiple exposures using layer masks: • Photoshop tutorial - H...
Correct Color in 30 SECONDS with this Curves Tip: • This ONE Curves Adjust...
Layers & Layer Masks For Complete Beginners: • [Still Relevant in 202...
These are the techniques I use all the time, and are what I've taught to thousands of students who have taken my Luminosity Masking Mastery course since 2013.
These are on the advanced side when it comes to layer masking techniques, but stick with me through to the end of the video because the effect that using these techniques is more than worth it.
Let me know if you liked this video and which of these tips you'll be trying out in your own workflow by adding a comment now.
And if you want to be notified by KZbin when I publish new videos, make sure you click the subscribe link below:
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An Introduction to Luminosity Masking:
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Video originally hosted here: • How To Blend Exposures...

[@iounatta]

Thank you for explaining it so I could grasp it unlike so many other videos I have watched.

[@derekcameron_21]

Wow! I’ll be watching this one about 19 dozen more times to fully ingest the content. So helpful and comprehensive!

[@justonemorevideo27]

One of the best Photoshop Tutorials I've ever seen. Thank you so much, it really helped me understand masking and luminosity selection.

[@collinanderson3432]

With the other video and this video, together they provide the best instruction on luminosity masking that I've seen. Thank you Steve.

[@galensinkey]

I've been stumped on layer masking for blending bracketed exposures for a long time. This is the first time I've seen it done on several exposures in a way I can understand. Well done!

[@TheCurls1]

Thanks Steve, what a wonderful gift to the photography community. I have just purchased your luminosity panel as a sign of gratitude and of course to improve my land/seascape photography! Looking forward to getting stuck in. Cheers 🙏🏻😁

[@tycenlear]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@patthompson1253]

I just had my first luminosity moment. Thank you!

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Hey Pat, thats great to hear! Cheers :-)

[@vinhsanity]

Such a great explanation to take a process that seems complex and make it simple

[@benjamins_eye662]

This is a really good tutorial. I tend to say the best I have seen on luminosity masks so far. Only thing I would like to know bettering why, she and how you are selecting 50% brightness or intersect. But I see you explain this in your advanced video on layer masks. Your plug in looks also attractively simple, for example compared to rays.

[@bio7021]

Excellent video! Thank you so much for the help👍

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Thanks Kim, glad it helped :)

[@RoadWearyPilot]

Great, easy to follow and understand tutorial. Thanks so much.

[@JKenpachu]

Love the tutorial. My question is about work flow. Are you editing all these photos then uploading them? Or are you uploading the Raws and editing them in photoshop?

[@keety]

I've been looking for a video that explains this properly, going into what each step is actually doing, so a massive thanks!

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

You're welcome Keety! :D Cheers

[@an_unnaki]

Fantastic video Steve 👌 Great work. Thank you!

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Thanks for your feedback Kevin! Cheers 👍

[@awad80]

Recently, one of my friends recommended your channel to me, and I watched some of them, in fact I blamed my friend because he was late to tell me about you, You’re absolutely wonderful, keep it up 🌹

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Thanks so much for your very kind words! Better late than never to find out about my channel 😃

[@OscarReyes2002]

I was having trouble with some weird light spots or noise in auto HDR in Lightroom and now it’s totally solved! Thanks a lot

[@chrishill2489]

Great vlog Steve as always and very informative. Can I ask about your luminosity package please as I am very interested in buying the package. In your demonstration vlog and showing option 3 to use but how or what algarythams are used say the video you showed how it picks up the rocks to say woods or a building. Only asking to make sure before I buy mate. I didn’t want to spend money if it only works on one type of land scape. It sounds an odd question I know but cyriousity prevals🇬🇧✅📸🤓👍

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Hey Chris, thanks very much. I think you're referring to the luminosity masking panel but you may be referring to my course... hopefully this answer covers both cases :) When using luminosity masks to isolate certain objects (like rocks, or perhaps a tree), it works based on the brightness values of the object versus the brightness of whats behind it... So technically, the subject is irrelevant because its all about the contrast of the edges around which you want to isolate. So you can use luminosity masking for a wide range of subjects and styles of photography, it just happens that landscape/seascape photography is what I do, so that's what my demonstrations are all based on. Hope this helps - if you have any other questions please let me know. Cheers Steve

[@chrishill2489]

Steve Arnold thanks very much for clarifying my odd question but answered perfectly. If I follow the link then it will take me to the panel to buy. Thanks again and Thankyou for all your helpful vlogs to date. Looking forward to using your panel and helping me improve my editing skills. Keep up the great vlogs mate✅👍🌈📸🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧❤️

[@lookforbeauty1964]

Hi Arnold. On minute 20:05, maybe I intend to be way too precise but, when you pass the brush into the selection, above and out, I got the impression the color changes when everything out of the selection is supposed to be protected. It might be my monitor but it seems there is a change in tone and color. Thanks

[@PaulTimlett]

Such a clear explanation. Thank you.

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

You're very welcome! :D

[@newborntraveller1525]

Thank you, Steve! Helped me very much.

[@michaellekas27]

Hi Steve. Excellent tutorial. But i have a question. Is there a difference if i were to create a HDR image from three images ( at various exposures) via Lightroom vs luminosity technique you showed in the tutorial

[@andrewcarter4935]

Hi Steve, Great explanation of blending the layers. To export the finished photo do you flatten the layers and then export? Sorry if it's an obvious question, Just a beginner.

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Hi Andrew, no worries :) My process is to first save my "master" edited image in TIFF or PSD format. Then create a copy (Image > Duplicate, from the menu), then flatten the copy. Then I'll resize, sharpen and export the copy. This is just to make sure I don't accidentally hit "save" and overwrite my master version after resizing it. Cheers

[@GMC43]

Once again a fantastic tutorial! and you make the so easy for dummies like me to follow along 😂. thanks very much 👍👍👍

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Thanks Gavin! Hey you're no dummie though 😀Cheers!

[@GMC43]

@@SteveArnoldPhoto haha I beg to differ mate. Thanks very much for these tutorials I really appreciate it I'm new to all this to it helps alot 👍

[@ianthomas205]

Hi Seve and thanks for the vid, very informative. Will be trying this out shortly but, I will probably have to watch the video quite a few times 'cause I'm 68 and more or less brain dead. It takes a lot longer for the "penny to drop" these days if you know what I mean.

[@johnnykempo]

This is great Steve, very clear. Does it matter how you have your layers stacked? Would it be best to order like you have i.e. the mid exposure as base layer and then going darker to top or does it not matter - or different for each image? Thanks

[@jrober42]

Hi Steve, I am enjoying your video on advanced exposure bracketing. Can you please tell me how I can load four bracketed images into Photoshop. I have the latest version of Photoshop [Ps] 2019. Can you please advise how to show the four layers separately in the Layers Panel. For example when I load 4 images they are all showing in [layer-1] instead of showing as [Layers 1,2,3 and 4] I am loading from the [File Menu > Open]. I have the Windows Version of Photoshop. Can you please advise how I overcome this problem. I have your Luminosity Masking Panel (Ver 1.0) and I wanted to try out Method-3 using the Panel.

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Hi Jay, Once you've opened each one into Photoshop, you just need to copy/paste them all into one document/image. Say you have image 1, image 2, image 3 and image 4... You'd go to image 2, then press Ctrl+A, then Ctrl+C to copy. Go to image 1 and Ctrl+V to paste. Repeat for images 3 and 4 and you should end up with all 4 images in individual layers of "image 1". P.S - not related to this query, but there's a new version of the panel (1.2) with some added functionality which you can upgrade to for free. You can log back into my site to download the latest version and replace your existing copy in the Adobe folders :-)

[@lovrosurbek326]

When i make selection and brush in it my brush can easily go outside selection and brush normally

[@hiramvilla50]

Hi Steve, thanks so much... One question: when using your Luminosity Masking panel, once you create the black mask and choose a plus or minus number, can you modify the selection by clicking another number or do you have to start over again? Thanks.

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Hello Hiram, thanks for your question! If I understand your question correctly, the answer is that each time you click one of the numbers it will start over using that number as the starting point. So anything you've done in the mask preview up to that point will be overwritten. The only exception to that is if you are using the add or subtract functionality, which allows you to add or subtract a numbered selection from the current mask preview. Hopefully this answers your question - please let me know if not! :D cheers

[@cam5396]

Is there a technique to not making the object you’re brushing over not look too white or dusty while still making it brighter? In my case I have my bright and dark exposure of my car at sunset and when I’m brushing over the car with the brighter exposure it gets too dusty looking by the time it’s bright enough. Thanks

[@김재섭-z7t]

Hi Sir. Could you up-load the sample images? It will be very helpful to study the Photoshop.

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

RAW file downloads are available only in my paid courses which you can find here: postprocessingmastery.com

[@nikzvo]

After making the selection, it's not isolating it and I am painting all through the image. Can you help me, please?

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Take a look at the layer mask after you've brushed through the selection (option/alt + click on the mask in the layers panel)... Does it look like just a bunch of brush strokes, or does it look like shades of the actual image coming through in the mask?

[@nikzvo]

@@SteveArnoldPhoto it looks like brush strokes

[@jam_explore]

Does this work with photoshop4

[@johns.earljr.3631]

Can you provide the pics used in your video so we can follow along?

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Sorry, not for my free KZbin videos. All my online courses however do come with RAW files to study along with.

[@johns.earljr.3631]

Thank you for your explanation.

[@suxxesphoto6419]

Im trying this with one of my images, but the intersection does nothing, pressing ctrl and selecting channel, then ctrl, alt, shift but does nothing? is there a corresponding menu option to do the same?

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Just one question first, to make sure we're on the same page... From your comment : "pressing ctrl and selecting channel, then ctrl, alt, shift but does nothing" It sounds like you're not then clicking again with the mouse on the channel to do the intersection. Is that right? The process is to hold those keys in and then click again with the mouse onto the channel you want to intersect the current selection with. If it's not working for some reason, there is a menu-based way to do the same thing. Here's a video that shows that in action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5KXioGGoLZsrsU

[@suxxesphoto6419]

@@SteveArnoldPhoto thankyou very much. the real problem might be the fine detail of many darkish very fine. tree branches twigs breaking the bright skyline. im trying to exclude these and selectively brush in the detail of the sky. i wiuld love to see a video of how you handle this kind of very fine detail?

[@SteveArnoldPhoto]

Aha, yes, trees can be a very tricky subject (as you're finding out!)... Every tree/sky combination is potentially different and has it's own set of challenges, but here's a video that might help and give you some ideas to build on: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGTMnIuPhJ2cqsk