Technique Tuesday: Oh, The Lightroom Auto Mask Feature – I Love You, I Hate You!

Good Afternoon Everybody,

Well, it looks like the “crashed car” drama is finally coming to a close.  Yesterday, I made the final decision on my replacement vehicle. I decided against the very fast and more nimble Mercedes CLS 500 – it probably would have gotten me a ticket or two in the long run and decided on a low mileage late model S 550.

It was pricier than I wanted to pay even after the showroom haggle, but wow, it has all the “bells and whistles” and what a gorgeous ride! It should be one sweet trip to Photoshop World next week ;~)

Oh, The Lightroom Auto Mask Feature – I Love You, I Hate You!

But you didn’t tune in to hear about my car, you’re looking for a  brand new Technique Tuesday.  Well folks, here it is. I hope you enjoy it. 

Oh, by the way, I used my new nifty little battery operated Fotodiox battery powered LED light I blogged about right here. The video light was used for the intro and exit video segments.  I thought it worked out really well.

Lightroom’s Auto Mask feature has always been a bit problematic for me.  Maybe it’s because I’m a heavy handed retoucher and I want Flow and Density cranked up to 100% when using Auto Mask.  But by doing that, you will definitely see some artifacts at the edges.

By using the Auto Mask a little more judiciously or less aggressively, you really can obtain a good result. In this Lightroom Tutorial I’ll walk you through two images and show you the “ins and outs” of the Auto Mask feature in Lightroom. Using it correctly can and certainly will enhance your post-production efficiency.

Anyway, hit the PLAY button below and enjoy the show.

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Hey gang, that’s it for me today.  I’ve got to clean out the bank account and go pick up a car ;~)  Have a great rest of the day and I just might see you tomorrow for a Photoshop Marathon Love Fest.

See ya’ then,  David