A new feature in Adobe Camera Raw makes it easier to refine masks for difficult selections in busy areas of your image. I have include an example of selecting the sky between branches and leaves of a tree.
But the new masking feature can work on all kinds of selections like separating a subject from a background or anywhere that a mask doesn’t quite fit a selection. I plan on expanding this post when I come across other uses for this mask altering tool will work.
In the video, I show how the new tool or feature in the local masking helps create some separation where a color mask can better differentiate between the blue sky and foliage of the trees.
Summary of the Video Transcript
If you live in an area with dense trees and foliage, you know exactly how frustrating it is to select the sky when branches and leaves are blocking the way. In this quick tutorial, we look at how to use Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) to get a perfect, clean mask around complex trees without ruining the edges of your leaves.
Step 1: Apply the Base Sky Mask
- Open your image in Adobe Camera Raw.
- Navigate to the Masking panel on the right and select “Select Sky”.
- Note: The initial AI mask will likely fail on intricate details. It will often bleed over the tops of your leaves and completely miss the tiny patches of sky peeking through the lower branches.
Step 2: Adjust the Edge and Feather Sliders
Adobe Camera Raw features Feather and Edge sliders right at the top of the Sky Mask panel to help refine these boundaries.
- Adjust the Edge: Pull the slider back to contract the mask. Keep moving it until the overlay is roughly halfway off the leaves.
- Adjust the Feather: Contracting the edge will create harsh gaps around the branches. Smooth this transition out by bringing the Feather slider up until the boundary looks more natural.
Step 3: Fill the Gaps with a Color Range Mask
While the Feather and Edge sliders help, they cannot completely solve the problem of sky showing through dense trees on their own. To fix the remaining gaps:
- Click “Add” on your existing mask and choose “Color Range”.
- Use the eyedropper to click on the blue sky visible between the branches. This immediately fills in the missed holes throughout the center of the tree.
Step 4: Refine and Check Your Mask
- Adjust the Refine Sample Slider: Use the slider on the right to fine-tune the color selection. If you push it too far, the mask will start bleeding onto the branches. Back it off until the branches are completely clear.
- Zoom Out to Review: Drop back to a 50% view to check the overall effect across the entire frame.
- Final Tweak: With the Color Range mask doing the heavy lifting, go back to your original Sky Mask. You will likely find you can drop the Feather and Edge sliders back down to keep the top edges perfectly tight.
The Result
Once your mask is locked in, you can adjust your saturation, exposure, or color temperature seamlessly. Even with heavy adjustments, the blue patches deep inside the tree branches will match the main sky flawlessly, without leaving ugly halos or bleeding onto your foliage.