Develop module Curves vs Curves - the difference in masks!

[David Gordon]

Lightroom Version Number

13.4

Operating System

1. macOS 14 Sonoma

Curves has four controls as we all know for Highlights, Lights, Darks and Shadows. Until I create a Mask where Curves has Presets for Linear, Medium and Strong Contrast. (I'm sure that's how things were for Curves a few versions ago.)

Why?!

Or am I going wrong somewhere?

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Parametric curves have the 4 points, whereas those presets are for point curves. https://www.lightroomqueen.com/premium-classic/advanced-editing/tone-curves/#q_PointVsParametric

In Masking, there's only a point curve available.

 

[David Gordon]

Parametric curves have the 4 points, whereas those presets are for point curves. https://www.lightroomqueen.com/premium-classic/advanced-editing/tone-curves/#q_PointVsParametric

In Masking, there's only a point curve available.

Ah, right, I can have a point curve with its presets in the Develop window! But - never happy - I can't have parametric in a mask. Both are useful and I'm actually happy I can have both in Develop, but still wonder why not in a Mask.

 

[David Gordon]

Ah, right, I can have a point curve with its presets in the Develop window! But - never happy - I can't have parametric in a mask. Both are useful and I'm actually happy I can have both in Develop, but still wonder why not in a Mask.

Also, I see that I can add a "Strong Contrast" point curve preset and then switch to parametric to fine tune, for example, the shadows. The Curves are now different in each, maybe I don't care? You can have two different curves? In any case this (a preset followed by fine tuning in parametric if required) seem to fit my workflow.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Yep, you can have both the parametric and point curves active at the same time. Or you can apply the strong contrast point curve preset and then tweak it to your liking in the point curve interface.