Digital BW, The Print

Hi Todd,

> My only qualm with that approach is that your effect is fixed by your mask,
> such that if you change your mind later and want to alter your mask, you
> also need to sharpen over again too. Whereas if you just sharpen the
> entirety of the layer, then use a mask to limit it's effect locally, you can
> manipulate the effect on the fly, so to speak

Ahhh, I misunderstood you... yes, this makes sense!  I like to have most
everything reversable, thanks.

>> person to make things easier.  Have you ever used "command option tilde" for
>> a mask, then invert/paint/blurr that?
> 
> I hadn't. So this creates a luminosity mask based on your background layer,
> and the invert makes it mask your lighter tones proportionally greater than
> your shadows? Sounds good for doing an overall gamma move without
> muddying/blowing-out your highlights? What do you usually use it for? I
> guess it would be good for limiting the effect of some layer blend modes
> too?

Yes, or any other layer you want, just make sure it is selected and is the
only layer visible when you hit the keys. Or if you want the mask from all
layers, keep them all visible... kind of cool.

I have been using it as a starting point for sharpening before the edge
technique. Now I use it for gamma corrections and blending modes as you
said. It is extremely useful for multiply and screen... or any other blend
you require. You can also move the mask to a new channel and adjust it's
strength or effect with curves... then select and move it back to a layer.

Another great thing about PS6 is the folder sets. You can create a layer
mask on any layers you want but then if you want to apply, say a gradient
mask to the whole (or even to some of the layers) create a set, drag the
layers you want to effect into the set, apply a layer mask to the set
folder... very cool! It's like being able to mask twice. You can create
set's of only one layer if you want.

I sometimes want to add a gradient mask to a layer than already has a
heavily painted mask applied to it... that is when this come in handy.

>> I find in the first levels command (in John's SuperSharpener) I can get rid
>> of most of the areas I don't want sharpened, then use your technique to
>> paint out what I could not effect... without effecting the edges I wanted to
>> keep... oh boy, hope that made some sense.
> 
> Makes sense! I'm sure it's stuff you were doing already, but I like that
> it's in an action.

Me too!  I really like to use actions for batch manipulations. For example I
scanned in about a hundred shots of my son playing flag football at MacMahon
Stadium (pro stadium here). I'm putting them on his web site so his team
mates can choose some shots... the action I created did almost everything!
Wish there was such a thing for housework.

Carolyn