#Topaz mask ai manual how to
#Topaz mask ai manual software

Rather than sacrificing your background by cropping it to center a subject, use masking software to extract it and place it somewhere else.I'm always conflicted about AI in photography, preferring to make my own adjustments.

You can then use other available tools in Photoshop to help the masked layer blend in better…such as the blur, smudge, burn and dodge tools.Īlthough not perfect, hopefully you get the general idea of how masking software can be used help remove smoke or other distracting elements. Be sure to reduce the opacity of the clone stamp brush, especially around the edges of the fireworks. With the background layer selected, I then used the Clone Stamp tool (shortcut key: S) to clone sections of the pure black sky in the right side of the image (hold down option/alt key to sample) and stamp it to the other side. I then made a few refinements and reduced the mask’s hardness.Īfter pressing OK to bring this selection back to a new layer in Photoshop, I then duplicated the original background layer. Here’s what I did in ReMask using the Blue Primary brush to create an outline and then the red fill tool to fill in the background (cut). New to this type of editing technique, I decided to bring the image into Topaz ReMask to isolate the fireworks and then use the clone stamp tool in Photoshop to blend in the pure black sky into the smoke. With a brush at a reduced opacity you can make the blur as strong or light as you’d like.

To toggle between the white (keep) brush and black (remove) brush, simply press the X key. So the white brush will be painting in the blur effect, while the black section of the mask will remove the effect. Just remember, white = keep & black = remove. When painting in the effect, you’ll see white appear in the vector mask in your layers panel. I then inverted the mask (ctrl/cmd + I) and then used the brush tool (B) to paint in the blur on the right side of the image, and at a lighter opacity to the left side.

For a quick background blur, I applied a tilt-shift blur as shown, focusing specifically on the right side of the image.īack in Photoshop, I added a vector mask to the layer. Once the flower was extracted, I then brought the background (original) image into Topaz Lens Effects, which contains several blur options including selective bokeh, tilt-shift and creative blur. I therefore extracted the sunflower from its background using Topaz ReMask 4. The tree was then enhanced with Topaz Clarity and Clean, while the background was manipulated with Topaz Lens Effects.

#Topaz mask ai manual how to

She claims, “Working selectively with light on different areas of the image lays at the core of my processing workflow, thus selections and masking are among the most vital tools I use to create a photograph.”Īs you can see above, Gospodarou was able to isolate the subject with Topaz ReMask so that she could specifically work with the sky and background, without affecting the architecture.Īnother example of selective adjustments that may spark some ideas can be found in this tutorial, covering how to transform your image into a surreal piece of art, where ReMask was used to isolate a tree. It is an epitome of control in the editing workflow.įine art architectural photographer Julia Anna Gospodarou also uses masking software in her post-processing workflow for selective adjustments. Selective adjustments are an excellent way to enhance or edit particular areas of your image without affecting other areas. “There is one in every crowd” by Gary Lamott