Lightroom for Dummies: Masking Part 1

8 July 2025

Masks are one of the key tools used after the base edit, to improve the final image. What is a mask? A mask lets you apply edits to just one part of your photo without touching the rest. Think adjusting only the face instead of the entire body. It's for targeted edits. Masks are used after the base edit, to improve the final image.

1. Finding masking tools

   In the Develop module, look below the histogram for a dotted circle icon. Or press Shift and W.

2. Understanding Masking tools

   You will see a couple of options in Lightroom Classic 2025. If you're not on the latest version yet, don't worry. For part 1, I will focus on Linear and Radial Gradient masks. Do note, you do not have to use them exactly as labelled. The Object Mask may select people better than the Subject Mask. Trial and error. Just pick whatever works best.

   I will focus on Linear Gradient and Radial Gradient masks for starters. To use them, just click, hover over the image and drag it to how wide you want it to be. Hold Shift while dragging for a clean straight line or a perfect circle.

3. Masking Menus and Settings

   Don't freak out when you see a new tab appear. The Masks tab is a simple organiser, it let's you see all of the individual positions and area of coverage of where the masks are applied. You have the option to rename, arrange internal masks within the main masks and enable/disable colour overlay. I personally don't rename (due to lag) and identify by clicking around.

4. Colour Overlay Setting

   One of the first setting to check while and during masking is making sure the Colour Overlay works in favour of your image. Colour Overlay displays which area the mask will be applying the effects. The default colour is red and the settings apply to all masks. You may need to switch colours at times because the overlays are not visible in your edits. For colour shows, I stick with the default Colour Overlay.

5. Linear and Radial Gradient masks

   Linear gradients are great for skies or adjusting along the sides of the image. Radial gradients are perfect for faces, light spots, or adding subtle vignettes.

   The benefit both masks has unlike other masks is its feather edge which controls how soft or hard the edge of your mask will be. Linear Gradient edge is controlled by the distance between the mid and end point. Radial Gradient has a slider, 50 is the default. For a smooth, natural blend, raise it. Want a harder edge? Bring the slider down. These masks can also be resized beyond the working image.

6. Lighting enhancements

   Targeted lighting adjustment is the No.1 masking technique to know. It allows control over the intensity of light present in the image. Changes can be done within the Tone tab are needed and there are multiple ways to do this. Here are 2 easy combos you can follow for a more natural change in light and darkness:

   Darken area:

   1. Lower shadows (adjusts finer dark areas)
   2. Lower blacks (adjusts broader dark areas)
   3. Optional - Lower exposure

   Brighten/Expose dark areas:

   1. Increase shadows
   2. Increase blacks (try not to raise too high otherwise blackened areas will turn matt/grey)
   3. Optional - Increase exposure

   To understand why shadows and blacks are tweaked instead of using exposure, I will cover that in Basic editing another time :)

7. Colour Tab

   My favourite masking trick is to add colour. If your sunset completely flopped, mask the sky, warm it up and just pretend golden hour actually happened. I also use it to create colour vignettes that the base vignette settings doesn't have. You could change the colour of any object too! Any of the sliders under the Colour tab can change, add or overlay colour in your image. But, one of these settings is unlike the others and is only available under this tab which is the RGB colour picker. I mostly use this over the sliders.

For colour vignettes, masking gives the ability for self-made vignettes to have colour. Do note, this effect does go above colour graded shadows, not below. Pure black vignette/shadows can make an image muddy but upon adding colour, the vignette/shadows would make the image pop a bit. Think of it as an extension of the base vignette setting. I do use both at the same time. You create flexible vignettes with both Linear and Radial Gradient masks.

8. Sharpen focus and blur

   The preferred use for faces and objects. Also another use case besides the standard Lens Blur setting. A blur mask can run faster than Lens Blur but without the bokeh. You only need to use the Texture, Clarity and the Sharpening sliders for this. It's a subtle trick that really works. Works well with Radial Gradient, Subject, Object and even sky/background mask.

9. Inverting, Adding and Subtracting masks

   A single mask may not provide you with the desired coverage. Maybe you only want to use half of an inverted Radial Gradient mask to create a vignette. Knowing to shape masks gives you increased flexibility in refinement. There is 3 ways to do this: invert, add and subtract. These effect can stack up and is arranged in order, with the mask at the bottom of the active mask in mask tab being the 1st to take effect and top being the last. It can be confusing when you repeat these 3 processes over but this is where the power of masking happens. There is also no limit to how many masks you can stack, just watch out for the lag.

10. Example of Linear and Radial Gradient mask use

    These 2 simple masks are rather powerful tools and it could be a combo you stick with forever if the advanced masks aren't so suitable for your workflow. Below are some notes on how and where I would place the masks and hopefully give masking a shot in your photos!