Masking after the fact

[AHuntley]

The Two/Three Zone Adjustment transformations don't have a masking feature similar to the other transformations. Let's say I use the Two Zone Adjustment transformation to affect the shadow areas in a certain part of my image, but I don't want it affecting other areas of similar tonality. In PS, I would simply add a mask and brush with a black brush to hid those image areas that I don't wanted affected. Can I do something similar in PWP 8 after the Two Zone Adjustment transformation has been applied?

[jsachs]

The simplest way is to use the Blend transformation to combine the original and the adjusted versions of the image using a mask. You can either paint the mask with a brush as in PS or, use the method I prefer -- circle the area you want to change using the freehand mask tool and then soften it using the mask blur tool.

[AHuntley]

Works great! Thank you, Jonathan.

[Marpel]

This thread has prompted me to investigate the three zone adjustment, which I have never used. And I quite like it so looks like I will be using it a lot in the future.

And, another method that I have used often in version 8 as well as prior versions, is to make global changes to the base image, which generates a new image, then use the clone tool (with size, opacity and blur set to choice) to clone from that new image, only those areas you wish to keep, into the base image and save that image as the result image. If you use a low opacity, you can gently "paint" to build the effect anywhere in the image.

Marv