Luminosity Masks Issue

[Limpopoboy]

Hi Guru's

I am fairly new to PS and currently using PS6. I have recently discovered the luminosity mask and am working on this with my chosen genre Wildlife/Nature/Landscapes. I have created the masks (vrun via an action) as you can see from the attached screen capture and things were running smoothly. I was creating different masks as required now for some reason as you can see from the screen shot in channels my RGB and Red Green and blue channels are fine but my masks are either now black and or white and when trying to load I dont and cant get my masks to show (marching ants) what have I done wrong? have I ticked something I shouldn't have? was working perfectly well and the current action works well on my PS5 copy so I am stumped.

Can you gurus help its driving me nuts.

Regards

Limpopoboy

 

[Hoogle]

all your channels appeared to be turned off so you will need to activate 1 channel before you can make a selection of it.

 

[Limpopoboy]

Hey Hoogle

Thanks for your quick response. I assume you mean the eye beside each channel? if yes then no tried that (activate) it just turns the whole image red mask (I assume) whether they are all on or none

Any other ideas?

Regards

Tony

 

[Hoogle]

yeah it will only show 1 colour (channel) unless you select RGB

 

[IamSam]

There are a few different ways to accomplish and execute luminosity masking, all require that the RGB channel is active/turned on as Hoogle points out. I personally use them with adjustment layers. What I'm not understanding is how you've managed to not have any of the channel layers turned on!

In your screen shot, does the image show all of the channel layers or are there more to be scrolled to?

 

[Limpopoboy]

There are a few different ways to accomplish and execute luminosity masking, all require that the RGB channel is active/turned on as Hoogle points out. I personally use them with adjustment layers. What I'm not understanding is how you've managed to not have any of the channel layers turned on!

In your screen shot, does the image show all of the channel layers or are there more to be scrolled to?

In this screen shot you can see I have RGB turned on and a lights mask I get no marching ants when I load this mask and as you can see its red?? also some sort of transform has appeared?? Nothing adjust if I load the mask with levels for example its worked fine before so I really am at a loss. I must add I am no expert on this software just taking small steps.

Regards

Limpopoboy

 

[IamSam]

This is may layers panel with the Curves adjustment layer I made from Cmd/Cntrl + clicking the RGB channel layer OR Alt/Opt + Cmd/Cntrl + 2 (shortcut). This is my luminosity mask.



With the same layer highlighted in my layers panel, this is what my Channels Panel looks like
with only the mask selected.....



And this is my image on the canvas..



This is the same selection process mentioned above, except I have placed the selected pixels on their own layer (Cmd/Cntrl + J).



If I have two of these selection layers and I group them, then add a layer mask,
With the grouped layer selected, I get this in my channels panel.



This is similar to yours but it does not behave the same. I'm just not sure how your attempting to use the luminosity masking. Can you take zoomed in screenshots of both your Layers Panel and the corresponding Channels Panel?

Is there a certain tutorial that you have followed?

 

[MrToM]

It looks like the first 6 channels (after RGB and A) are completely black? The next 6 white? Are the last 6 grey?
Maybe the action didn't run properly or you ran the action on a locked background layer or something?

Try deleting the channels the action created, load an over-exposed version of your image into a layer above your background, keep this layer selected and run the Luminosity Action again.

You should then get 18 new channels with various degrees of luminosity instead of just black / white / grey.

The above works fine for me in both CC and CS6 on win7.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[IamSam]

What action are you running MrTom?

 

[MrToM]

It [was] called Easy Panel, which included several actions...it no longer exists as a 'panel' since Adobe removed Flash from PS but the actions can still be downloaded and used in the normal way, the 'panel' was just a UI to execute them.

Its by Jimmy McIntyre from HERE.

You only need to unzip and drag and drop the actions onto the 'Actions' panel directly in PS, the specific one I tried was JM Luminance Masks.

For the original OP this download also includes a pdf file with a link to a video which not only explains how to install the actions, but also covers some of the issues raised and how to solve them.

I'm not sure this is the same version as the OP's but it looks like the result is more or less the same.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[IamSam]

Thanks Gman!

 

[Limpopoboy]

This is may layers panel with the Curves adjustment layer I made from Cmd/Cntrl + clicking the RGB channel layer OR Alt/Opt + Cmd/Cntrl + 2 (shortcut). This is my luminosity mask.

View attachment 46943

With the same layer highlighted in my layers panel, this is what my Channels Panel looks like
with only the mask selected.....

View attachment 46944

And this is my image on the canvas..

View attachment 46945

This is the same selection process mentioned above, except I have placed the selected pixels on their own layer (Cmd/Cntrl + J).

View attachment 46946

If I have two of these selection layers and I group them, then add a layer mask,
With the grouped layer selected, I get this in my channels panel.

View attachment 46947

This is similar to yours but it does not behave the same. I'm just not sure how your attempting to use the luminosity masking. Can you take zoomed in screenshots of both your Layers Panel and the corresponding Channels Panel?

Is there a certain tutorial that you have followed?

Guys great you are trying to solve or help me understand this issue for me. 'Screenshot' This is the same action I ran on CS6 now run on CS5 and as you can see I get a totally different screen 'pixel mask' or marching ants which I was comfortable with before on CS6 now as described above cant seem to get this on CS6 but can on CS5 running this action see screen shot. With a levels mask loaded as an example this is what I get in CS5. In answer to your question I followed the tutorial of Tony Kuyper for creation of the masks and instruction on how to use them (Sorry cant post the link)

Regards
Limpopoboy

 

[Limpopoboy]

It [was] called Easy Panel, which included several actions...it no longer exists as a 'panel' since Adobe removed Flash from PS but the actions can still be downloaded and used in the normal way, the 'panel' was just a UI to execute them.

Its by Jimmy McIntyre from HERE.


You only need to unzip and drag and drop the actions onto the 'Actions' panel directly in PS, the specific one I tried was JM Luminance Masks.

For the original OP this download also includes a pdf file with a link to a video which not only explains how to install the actions, but also covers some of the issues raised and how to solve them.

I'm not sure this is the same version as the OP's but it looks like the result is more or less the same.

Regards.
MrTom.

Hi MrTom

Thanks for your input, I cant seem to get anything from that link you put up for Jimmy McIntyre. on 2 email addresses nothing has come in? Any ideas or is it just because perhaps its a weekend? I appreciate all your help

Regards

Limpopoboy

 

[ZipedX]

Well over my paygrade here, but inverted quickmask comes to mind.

I'm running CS5 never tried CS6.

 

[MrToM]

Hi Limpopoboy

I cant seem to get anything from that link you put up for Jimmy McIntyre.

I used a gmail account and it ended up in the 'Bin' folder.....if you use gmail have a check there or the 'Promotions' folder......so many folders!

If not then I dunno what the problem is.

I don't want to attach a copy of it in case that goes against PSG rules but as that reply was in answer to IamSam's request he'll know for sure if that's possible.

Also, I'm a bit confused now as to where exactly you are with this, sorry, so could you clarify:
1. What the ultimate goal is.
2. What version of PS you are using.
3. What 'Luminosity Mask' action does not work for you.

Its unlikely that actions that run in CS5 will fail in later versions, an action is just a bunch of code in a file and AFAIK the code has never changed. If it where the other way round I could understand it, a CS6 action in CS5 could potentially have code relating to a process which CS5 doesn't support.....but that's not the case here, so its a bit odd.

Also, did you try my earlier suggestion? What was the result?

Regards.
MrTom.

MAJOR EDIT:
OK, I've just gone through the action I've used to see what's what and its pretty easy to replicate manually......repetitive but relatively easy.

I'll probably write stuff you already know but for the benefit of others I'll include it.

First things first:
[All clicks are on the channel thumbnail]
Ctrl + Click = Load Channel as selection. (Cursor gets a blank dotted square).
Ctrl + Shift + Click = Add to selection. (Cursor gets a '+' in the dotted square).
Ctrl + Alt + Click = Subtract from selection. (Cursor gets a '-' in the dotted square).
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Click = Intersect with selection. (Cursor gets a 'x' in the dotted square).
Ctrl + A = Select All. (Selects the whole canvas).
Ctrl + Shift + I = Inverts current selection.

The top 4 channels (RGB, Red, Green, Blue) can, and should be, the only channels selected throughout.

Ok, with that said this is the process:

Pour yourself a large Gin.
01. Open your image. It doesn't matter if its locked or not.
02. Open the 'Channels' palette.
03. Make a selection, (or 'load' if you prefer), from the RGB channel, (Ctrl + Click the topmost RGB channel thumbnail).
04. Click 'Save selection as channel' icon at the bottom of the palette.(This channel will be named 'Alpha 1').
05. INTERSECT select the channel 'Alpha 1'. (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Click 'Alpha 1' Thumbnail).
06. Save the selection as a channel again....this will be named 'Alpha 2'.
07. INTERSECT select 'Alpha 2'...
08. Save the selection....'Alpha 3'....
09. INTERSECT select 'Alpha 3'....Ya get the pattern?
10. Save...
11. INTERSECT...
12. Repeat this process until you have 6 channels named Alpha 1-6 inc.

Add Tonic to Gin.
13. Create a selection from the RGB again as in step 03.
14. INVERT the selection.
15. Save.....'Alpha 7'...
16. INTERSECT select 'Alpha 7'...
17. Save....'Alpha 8'...
18. INTERSECT select 'Alpha 8'...
19. Save.....'Alpha 9'...
20. Repeat until you have 6 more channels named Alpha 7-12 inc.

Add a slice of lemon to the Gin + Tonic.
21. Select ALL.
22. SUBTRACT select Alpha 1 AND Alpha 7...(You will get a warning that no pixels below 50% transparency will have the 'marching ants'...acknowledge it with OK and carry on...
23. Save...'Alpha 13'...
24. Select ALL.
25. SUBTRACT select Alpha 2 AND Alpha 8...
26. Save...
27. Select ALL...
28. SUBTRACT select Alpha 3 AND Alpha 9...
29. Repeat until you have 6 more channels named Alpha 13-18 inc.

Add ice to the Gin + Tonic.
You now have 18 channels of differing 'luminosity' with which you can use for whatever purpose you wish.
Alpha 1-6 are the 'Bright' channels.
Alpha 7-12 are the 'Dark' channels.
Alpha 13-18 are the 'Midtone' channels.

It may be best to go through and rename each group of 6 for clarity but its up to you.

An example of how to use them:
You want to add a 'Curves' adjustment layer with Alpha 15 as the 'mask'...
In the channels palette create a selection from channel Alpha 15 by Ctrl + Clicking the Alpha 15 thumbnail.....you'll get the 'marching ants'.
Switch back to the 'Layers' palette and add the 'Curves' adjustment layer by clicking the 'Create new fill or adjustment layer' icon bottom centre of the palette and selecting 'Curves'.
The curves 'mask' should now contain the selection from channel Alpha 15.

Remember, there is no need to select any other channels than the topmost RGB (Which will include Red + Green + Blue automatically) throughout the entire process.

Sit back, take a big slug of G+T and admire your handywork.

(You could also record this as you go through it as an action of your own. I've had too many G+T's to describe how to do that but there's plenty of tutorials out there... )

Regards.
MrTom.