Ever noticed how there are always multiple ways to do the same thing inside of Photoshop? Every time you download photoshop for mac free there is a whole new swag of tools, many of which do the same job as the old tools. Combine this with the fact that Adobe is reluctant to remove old tools (for obvious reasons) and pretty soon you have a massive program with multiple ways of completing the same task. What does all this mean? Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining, this is great for advanced users because it gives them a set of different tools all with different nuances. However, this confounds many Photoshop newbies because they get confused by all the different tools and techniques. If there are 6 tools for doing the same job which one should you use? Knowing which one to use only really comes with experience. However, there is one old technique that I use all the time, Luminosity masks.

Luminosity masking is a method for selecting pixels based on their light level. This has become my ‘go-to’ tool for making selections and converting them to masks because 1) it is quick 2) it is easy and 3) it is a subtle method for making masks. Before we dive in I would like to state that this is a fairly advanced guide and that if you haven’t heard of this technique before then I would advise you to check out the beginner’s guide to Luminosity masks and then to return to this one. Further, I would also like to state that this technique is not my original idea but rather one I have learned from Tony Kuyper’s fantastic tutorial. I have however modified Tony’s technique to suit my own style of image editing and this is what I would like to share with you.

Luminosity masks stay within the conventions of layer masks in that using white reveals the top layer and masks the bottom layer and black does the. I used to create masks and then use different selection methods to reveal the underlying layers, for example, brushes, the pen tool, color selections, and so on. While these methods work great and can be highly accurate they often take a very long time. Luminosity masks work in the same way however they are a way of getting Photoshop to do most of the heavy lifting for you. An added bonus is that they are very fast to use. Luminosity masks have now become the ‘go-to’ starting point for me when creating a mask.

Free stuff

I have created some Photoshop actions for luminosity masks, surface masks, and edge masks. Feel free to download them and play with them, if you’re like me you will soon discover their value and incorporate them into your workflow. However, I strongly recommend reading this post and watching the instructional video so that you better understand how luminosity masks work, and then downloading the actions.

How to make luminosity masks

In essence, a luminosity mask is a way of selecting only a certain value of pixels based on their luminance level. It ignores color and instead evaluates the Image in greyscale. The best part is Photoshop does it all for you. To get started simply press (ctrl + alt + 2) or (ctrl + alt + [tilde] ~) for older versions of Photoshop. Doing this tells Photoshop to analyze the current layer in greyscale and to only select the pixels with a brightness value of 50% or brighter. By doing this you have created a selection of the brightest pixels and excluded the darker ones. Note how in the example below the marching ants are only selecting the brightest parts of the image and leaving out the rest.

basic selection based on luminosity levels

What to do with a selection that is based on the luminosity

Now that you have your selection you can do whatever you want with it. By clicking on an adjustment layer you can load it into a mask. Or by pressing (ctrl + J) Photoshop will create a new layer based on the selection. I recommend saving the selection as an Alpha Channel so that you can reuse them later (see the image below). By doing this you can reload them later when needed by ctrl-clicking on the Alpha channel. Be warned though if you save them as an Alpha Channel they will dramatically increase the file size of your document, so I recommend deleting them after you edit an image in order to save space.

how to save a selection as a channel

How to modify the mask

Darker pixels:

Now that you have a basic luminosity mask you can do much more to it. If you invert the selection (Ctrl + [the letter] I), the selection will include the pixels that are 50% or darker.

Controlling the mask:

After creating a basic mask if you click on the mask and then run the levels command (ctrl + L) you can control the areas that the masking effect.

Intersecting the mask on itself:

Once you have created a basic masked and saved it as an Alpha channel you can intersect the mask in order to select the next brightest pixels. For instance, if you have a selection with the brightest pixels, you can then run the mask again on that mask and select the next brightest pixels to the exclusion of the darker pixels. To do this save the basic mask and then click on the mask while holding down (ctrl + shift + alt). I know it’s a long shortcut. Now you can save that selection as another mask. You can run this command again and again to create more ‘exclusive’ masks and this will give you finer control over the selection.

Subtracting masks:

After loading a mask you can subtract another mask by clicking on it while holding (ctrl + alt). This is a common method for deselecting the brightest and also the darkest part of an image in order to control the mid-tones. Be aware though that if you deselect the brightest and the darkest channels and then convert to a mask you may get a warning saying no pixels were selected – ignore it and carry on. Photoshop doesn’t think you have selected any pixels but you actually have, don’t worry. See the image below.

photoshop warning

Other practical applications for luminosity masks

Surface mask:

I often use a basic luminosity mask in tandem with a noise reduction layer. For instance, if you apply noise reduction on a layer and then run the basic mask (ctrl + alt + 2), and then go to filter>stylize>find edges, Photoshop will only select the edges based on the luminosity of the image (see image below). Now your noise reduction layer will only affect the surface areas of the image, where there is low detail. This is an effective method for preventing noise reduction from blurring the detailed areas of an image. I recommend blurring the mask with the Gaussian filter set to about 4 pixels in order to create a smoother transition.

surface mask inside of photoshop

Edge mask:

The opposite of a surface mask is an edge mask, this is useful for sharpening a photo. Start by creating a new layer and sharpen the image (for tips on sharpening see this blog post). After sharpening create a basic luminosity mask and run the filter>stylize>find edges, just the same as the surface mask. This will tell Photoshop to find the edges, however, if you look at the mask you will notice that Photoshop has selected the surface area and masked off the edges. Simply press (ctrl [the letter] I) and this will invert the mask. Now when you sharpen the image it will only affect the edges rather than the whole image. I recommend using the Gaussian blur filter at around1-3 pixels on this mask as well so that it blends more seamlessly.

edge mask inside of photoshop

A complete list of shortcuts

Basic mask =

(ctrl + alt + 2) or (ctrl + alt + [tilde] ~) for older computers

Inverting the mask =

(ctrl [the letter] I)

Selecting a saved alpha channel mask = click on the channel while holding ctrl

Intersecting a mask =

click on the channel while holding (ctrl + alt + shift)

Subtracting a mask =

click on the channel while holding (ctrl + alt)

Surface mask =

create a mask and then run the filter>stylize>find edges

Edge mask =

create a mask the same as a surface mask and invert (ctrl + [the letter] I)

Conclusion

I realize that this has been a very technical guide. Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense yet. I recommend starting off with the basic masks and then learning the more advanced masks as you get used to working with luminosity masks and channels. I have prepared an instructional video to go along with this guide; you may find it easier to follow along with me while I demonstrate after reading the guide. (see down below).

I strongly recommend creating your own masks and channels in order to gain an understanding of how the process works. However, after learning about the masks you may find it useful to save them as an action this will save you a lot of time in the long run. One thing is for sure, although the luminosity masking technique is one of those older tools, it certainly is very useful. I use it on almost every image that I work on. But I seldom hear or read anything about it, that is why I have called it Photoshop’s best-kept secret.

As we know that car covers are the best for protecting any kind of vehicle like the car itself, motorcycle, truck, and much more. Also in some cases the cover also protects car from acid rain but that can only be possible if you are choosing the right cover for your car. You should also consider best car covers 2020 updated and still if you are confused then make sure to stay till the end.

It is essential to know the types of covers if you do not want to get your hands on the worst one.

Here are some types for you

There are many but among them essential ones are sufficient enough to understand better about them. Following are the types you should know-

• Three layers-

Number one type you should consider in mind is three layer cover for your car which sounds really good and also it will provide better protection to your car in different condition. No harsh weather, sunlight, etc. can harm your car if you are using this cover on your car.

• Waterproof-

The second type of car cover you can consider is the water-proof ones. Their main specialty is to protect car from water damage. It helps in keeping the water away so that the paint on your car can be in good condition for longer term.

• Acid rain protection-

There are some limited car covers available in the market those who are responsible to protect your car from acid rain. Now this kind of rain can easily damage the outer body of your car which is why you should use the cover on it.

• Customized-

At last you can go for customized covers which you can do according to your needs and demands. 

Towing a vehicle is certainly a sensitive task and you can’t afford to make any mistakes when doing it because it may cost you a lot of money. What makes it challenging is that if what you are towing is a 4×4 vehicles because these vehicles have additional parts on the chassis that can be damaged if mistakes are committed. Hence, it is advisable to be very careful and cautious when towing a car to make sure that it is safe and free from any damage from the point of pick up to the point of destination. 

The very first step that you need to take in order to safely tow a 4×4 vehicle is top consult first your owner’s manual or contact the car manufacturer. Checking all the necessary information first is crucial to ensure safety and protection. The owner’s manual will tell you the best way to tow your vehicle and whether or not your vehicle should be towed.

The next step you need to take is to tow your vehicle on a trailer. Experts recommend getting your 4×4 vehicle up off the ground using a trailer. It is considered the safest way to tow a vehicle. Make sure that your vehicle is securely attached to the trailer. You can do this by strapping the winch clip to the chassis of the vehicle. 

If you don’t have a towing trailer or car dolly trailer and cant get access to it, the safe and best alternative would be towing your vehicle in its own wheels. You can just use a towing car, attach the tow rope to the frame of the vehicle. It is advisable not to drive more than 40-45 miles per hour. Again, always rely on your manuals driver to ensure safety and protection. 

While the entire world is grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, peak summer season has added to the woes but the nationwide lockdown has proven to have a positive effect as everyone has been confined to their homes, thereby not being subjected to the merciless heat wave.

People who are into gardening have found the perfect opportunity to cultivate their gardening skills that were limited to weekends but now they can water their plants on alternate days which have become a good practice in the past few months.

What is the one thing that you need to keep in the garden all the time without fail? It is the hose that you use to water the greenery that you come across all around the garden that can be considered a gardener’s best friend.

Excellent Tool

However, there are many people out there that are new to the gardening technique and need to know about it like which hose to buy and what all things need to be kept in mind while doing so.

Therefore, let us take a look at some of these things so that you get this excellent tool for gardening to be clear in mind and they are as follows:

• The hose heel has to be large in size so that it can match the garden perfectly without fail

• Do buy a hose box alongwith the hose that can serve as a nice addition in the yard

• While out shopping for the hose, ask the shopkeeper pertinent questions about the various brands and the best one in his opinion to get an idea while taking reference from https://mygaragetool.com/best-air-hose-reels-reviews/ 

• When looking for brands, take care to choose the best ones like Liberty Garden and Good Year because they are quite swift at their job and have a minimum warranty of 3 years

An online social network is a group of people with similar goals or beliefs who gather to share information, as are the social groups we have offline in our own communities. On line, these groups serve a purpose just as much as they do off line. The online social networking groups bring a sense of community to those of us who are surf the internet.

Social networking sites are sites like myspace, facebook, and suidoo, which allow people to set up profiles and express themselves with the purpose of networking with others in cyberspace. These sites have millions of users making them huge social clubs.

Networking is another word for mingling, and that is what users do with their computers on these sites. Each person within the site learns from the others within the community and together they help each other in ways that are too numerous to mention.

Some people use social networking sites to promote their business, their views, or music. There are tons of reasons to use a social networking site. Many people realize the value of these groups yet some people still scratch their heads in wonder at the value.

These social networking sites provide internet users with bulletin boards, forums and various ways of communicating with other users. It makes the internet more like a community or small town if you will.

These social networking sites are as numerous as any group of people you have in your own location. There are groups for every age group and just about every topic you can imagine. Some of these groups have over a million users while some have fewer than 100 users.

There are social networking sites all over the world but the majority of the biggest ones are located right here in the United States and while some are new this year some have been around for a few years. Every one has heard of ming, myspace, facebook and some people even use squidoo, but those social networking sites really are just brushing the surface of what is out there.

Imagine using more then three or four to promote your business or goal. With that, many social clubs you could get so much internet traffic your head would swim. If you were trying to run a business that would be ideal to get the word out about your group, goal, or whatever.

Currently I am working on a series of articles, which will look into several different social networking sites; please keep a look out for it. That series of articles is now in the works and I will examine some a bit closer then others. Trying to find the best way to buy Instagram followers? Then a visit can be made at the reputed websites. The charges will be less and offering of the potential followers will be there. Proper examine of the site can be done for the purchase of the followers. 

People nowadays are occupied with their work routines that they are unable to give proper timing to their household. To get themselves out of chaos at home, it is better to approach a housekeeper that can help in keeping everything in place.  

When willing to get a housekeeper, then people need to look for some essential traits in their working for no complication in the future. For comprehensions, consider reading details within the article. 

Qualities of a great housekeeper! 

The housekeeper industry is getting highly popular across the globe due to increasing competition in professional realms; people are unable to look after their households. There is a requirement list that the employer must look into before considering for a housekeeper, so let us get started with it.  

• Trustworthy:

the primary thing that employer is willing to look into a housekeeper is trustworthiness. As the employer would be leaving house unprotected to a housekeeper, so it is the duty of housekeeper to take care of the home.  

Alertness:

another primary thing is to have is alertness during different household work. One needs to have alertness for the smooth working of the home. Paying different household bills, groceries, safety, taking care of assets, and different doing chores. Also, buying gifts on the employer’s behalf.

• Flexible:

another important role that they need to play multiple roles from taking care of the house, laundry, trash doing different odds. Hence, it is appropriate for people to look for housekeepers who can excel in different household chores.  

• Caring:

it is appropriate for people to look for a caring nature housekeeper who has sweet and warm gestures towards their employer and others. It is a primary trait in any housekeeper for getting a job. Being a perfectionist and not humble is not apt for one.

The charged платен домоуправител софия are not that high as there is some stiff competition in the market.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and on Feb. 13, you’ll see the card aisles full of men looking for just the right greeting card online on obich.net. When they can’t find it, they will settle for something close.

Historically, men have had problems expressing their feelings to the women they love. Yet, most women will tell you they would rather receive a heartfelt letter from their man than some generic message from Hallmark.

Are you one of those men who is looking to do something different for your sweetie? Then, make her swoon by skipping the greeting cards and writing her something she won’t forget. It’s not as hard as you think it is.

First, use her name, or her pet name as much as possible –

The reason greeting cards don’t have as much effect as actual letters are they can be given to any woman, not just your significant other. Love letters are better because they are personalized. And, that personalization starts with a name. Use her name as much as possible; to prove you were thinking about her when you were writing it.

Don’t just tell her she’s beautiful, be more specific –

One of the first notes I wrote to my wife was a note comparing her beauty to that of a sunset (in which the sunset lost). In fact, her nickname since then has been Sunset. One of the best things you can do in a letter is to be as specific as possible. If you love her eyes, tell her and tell her why; “I love your green eyes because they remind me of precious emeralds.” Again, it’s about being specific to her, so she knows she’s the only one you would say stuff like that to.

Bring back old times –

One of the hardest things about writing a love letter is finding ways to make the person you’re writing to fall in love with you again. An easy way of doing this is by picking a romantic event you two shared, like your honeymoon or your first date or maybe even that time when you were fooling around like a couple of kids in the rain.

Tell her how she makes you feel –

This is hard for many men but it is the most important thing about a letter because, if you have difficulty telling her in person, it might be the only time she hears it. Again, it’s important to be specific. Don’t just say “I love you” tell her why; I love you because you always manage to make me laugh or I love you because you are the one person I feel I can tell all my secrets to or even something like I don’t know if I could live if I didn’t have you to spend my life with.

You may not be Shakespeare but, if you follow the simple steps above, you will be able to write her something that will move her more than any of his sonnets could.