Here’s how to Speed-Mask and why it changes everything.
But with the new object to select Lightroom Ai masks everything goes up a level. And with the new Elegance 4.7 Speed Mask update and with Ai masking coming to Capture One soon, who knows what’s next!
First, the video, and I’ll show you how to be a mask power user.
You can get Elegance 4 for LR here and there’s a great bundle combo with Natural HDR. If you have V4, just login and update. This also all works in Camera RAW masks and LR CC.
You don’t need to use object masking most of the time.
As you’ll see in the video using the extra time to add an object select mask on a thing the AI already has covered like a portrait project usually results in a worse selection.
So I’ll start with a Speed Mask and then add object select as an extra layer when needed. Honestly not that often, but when you need it it’s amazing.
Use the most specific mask for the job and the main list of Ai masks covers it. IE, subject mask, us that first because it can be used in a speed mask, copied and pasted to over images, and is more accurate.
Watch how your masks combine.
As you build up all these masks much like layers in Photoshop, things can start to get strange.
This is why even with one or two mask edits, saving as a speed mask will not just be faster it will give better results if you optimize those mask layers to be versatile on all image types.
So… Develop, then Speed Mask, then Details.
I recommend starting with a base development process. That means I’ll use Filmist, Silver, etc then tweak the main process.
Aftet that I add my masks. Then copy all those finals to other images as needed and let it render. Then if needed use object selection masks.
You find specific speed masks across my preset packs like in Filmist but the important masks are all included in Elegance 4. If you want to make your own just keep the tips I give in the video in mind.
Doing masks last speeds you up because even when you’re not actively editing a mask having a mask on the photo uses more system resources and can really slow down the development module.
If you’re having speed problems check out my recent video about Making Lightroom Faster.
Have fun with this and I hope you like Elegance 4.7 to make it easier.
Gavin Seim
