Merging/selecting multiple masks at the same time? Possible?

[studio_2]

Lightroom Version Number

Lightroom classic

Operating System

1. macOS 12 Monterey

Hi friends
I’ve tried but cannot find a way to merge or at least select multiple masks after creating two or more.
Say I created a mask of two separate people is there a way to select both for the sake of adding more changes to both at the same time?

Thanks!

 

[Califdan]

What you want is a single mask with multiple components (or selections) rather than multiple masks.

Each Mask can only have one set of adjustments. And local adjustments are applied at the mask level.

However each mask can have as many comonents as you wish. The components are used to identify the pixels which are to be affected by the adjustments. So, for example, a mask could have 3 components, one for each of 3 people and all 3 people would get the same adjustments. Or a mask could have a Select Subject component and also a Brush component to add in some area that the select subject missed.

 

[studio_2]

What you want is a single mask with multiple components (or selections) rather than multiple masks.

Each Mask can only have one set of adjustments. And local adjustments are applied at the mask level.

However each mask can have as many comonents as you wish. The components are used to identify the pixels which are to be affected by the adjustments. So, for example, a mask could have 3 components, one for each of 3 people and all 3 people would get the same adjustments. Or a mask could have a Select Subject component and also a Brush component to add in some area that the select subject missed.

Thanks I need to wrap my head around this

 

[prbimages]

Say I created a mask of two separate people is there a way to select both for the sake of adding more changes to both at the same time?

Yes, sort of. Each "mask" can contain one or more "mask components". All components within a mask get the same adjustments. (As Califdan has written above.) You can combine mask components - for example:

• In Mask 1, right-click on one of the mask components (or hit the three dots menu) and click on "Copy" (or hit Ctrl-C or the equivalent Mac shortcut).
• In Mask 2, right-click (or hit the three dots) on one of its mask components, and click on "Paste" (or Ctrl-V).

Now, Mask 2 will contain the two mask components which were previously in separate masks. However Mask 1 will still contain its copy of the component, so either delete that component from Mask 1 or delete all of Mask 1 (assuming you don't want two copies of it).

Note that when you paste the component into Mask 2, that copied component will inherit the mask settings that already exist for that mask; the original settings from Mask 1 will be lost.

 

[johnrellis]

You can also drag-and-drop a mask component from one mask to another. See this screen recording:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lw3fwvo89k97vox/moving-mask-component.2023.06.05.mov?dl=0

 

[prbimages]

You can also drag-and-drop a mask component from one mask to another. See this screen recording:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lw3fwvo89k97vox/moving-mask-component.2023.06.05.mov?dl=0

Ah, interesting! I did not know that (should have just tried it). I note that the "drag-and-drop" actually MOVES the component, rather than copying and pasting it.

 

[johnrellis]

Also, for some reason, copying of People mask components is not allowed, at least in my LR 12.3. If I right-click a People mask component, the Copy menu item is greyed out.

 

[studio_2]

Yes, sort of. Each "mask" can contain one or more "mask components". All components within a mask get the same adjustments. (As Califdan has written above.) You can combine mask components - for example:

• In Mask 1, right-click on one of the mask components (or hit the three dots menu) and click on "Copy" (or hit Ctrl-C or the equivalent Mac shortcut).
• In Mask 2, right-click (or hit the three dots) on one of its mask components, and click on "Paste" (or Ctrl-V).

Now, Mask 2 will contain the two mask components which were previously in separate masks. However Mask 1 will still contain its copy of the component, so either delete that component from Mask 1 or delete all of Mask 1 (assuming you don't want two copies of it).

Note that when you paste the component into Mask 2, that copied component will inherit the mask settings that already exist for that mask; the original settings from Mask 1 will be lost.

thank you so much. very clear

 

[studio_2]

You can also drag-and-drop a mask component from one mask to another. See this screen recording:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lw3fwvo89k97vox/moving-mask-component.2023.06.05.mov?dl=0

thanks!

 

[alanhunt]

You can right click and duplicate a component and then move it - essentially a copy.

Alan Hunt