QUICK START BEGINNERS

QUICK START WORKFLOW BEGINNERS

This quick start workflow is not meant to replace the PDF Manual that's also available on this Knowledge Hub but is meant as an additional workflow overview for Beginners. If you want to know more or want to know the Why behind a step, then please refer to the manual, the Masking Tips, or videos on Youtube. This is meant as a quick reference if you've never worked with Quick Mask Pro before.

First and foremost let me state something clearly here that is also mentioned in the manuals: after clicking a preset, you get 3 channels to choose from. You don't have to adjust all 3 channel masks. You just pick one and adjust it, if needed. You can even try out all presets and generate 50 different masks for 1 photo subject. You just pick the one you prefer as a final mask or as a mask to further refine.

Workflow:

1. Assess the photo first: if it doesn't have enough contrast or too many varying contrasts, or the photo isn't exposed correctly, or is blurry, or has other technical flaws then masking will always be an issue. We can't make gold out of lead.

2. If you need to create a sky mask, then just click Sky Mask. Then assess if it needs more black or white. If more white, then select Reveal more and create another Sky Mask. If it needs more black, then select Conceal more and create another Sky mask.

3. Still not good enough? Fine-tune and add even more black or white with Enhance black or Enhance white, while standing on the channel.

4. If you need to create a mask of a subject or an object: decide if you want to use Manual Object Detect and indicate the object to be masked yourself. Or decide if you want the software to automatically detect the subject. The latter doesn't always work especially when there are multiple subjects in the frame. In that case, always go for Manual Object Detect.

5. Decide if there's a Sky behind the object/subject or not. Go to the correct submenu with Sky behind Subject if there's a sky behind the subject. Else go to the submenu titled No Sky Behind Subject.

6. If there's no sky behind the subject, decide then if it's the default of a dark object/subject on a light background or the exception of a light object/subject on a dark background. For more detailed explanations of why this is important, see the PDF manual.

7. Select the correct preset. The differences between the Low Key presets and High Key presets are small and subtle. Therefore, it is wise to start with one of the middle zones: Mid High or Low Mid. And then move your way from there.

8. Three channels are generated now. Look at all three channels. Select one channel as the best possible channel. Remove the other channels. Or try out the other zones to see if there's an even better mask as a starting point.

9. Adjust the selected 'best' channel if needed with Quick Refine (for only darkening/lightening) or with Advanced Refine (for adding missing details). Of course, you don't have to adjust all 3 channels if it has been made clear that you have to select the best channel.

10. Don't adjust the mask if you're happy with the mask created. You can now use the mask for editing.

For detailed explanations on how to adjust the masks and what presets to use and how to make it better: have a look at the manual, videos, and (not to be overlooked!): the Masking Tips.