What is the benefit of using image blending through Photoshop over Lightroom adjustment brushes when attempting to balance exposure across an image with strong highlights and shadows?

[dougalhilson]

In landscape photos where you may normally have used an ND grad to balance highlights and shadows across the frame, why would I want to use image blending with layer masks in photoshop when adjustment brushes seem to work alright in lightroom?

[War Unicorn · Accepted solution]

It's all a matter of preference. You can use masks in Photoshop or merge to HDR or adjust exposure, tone, etc. in Camera Raw or Lightroom. The advantage of the last option is that it's non-destructive. (The first is as well, kind of, sort of, but again, a matter of workflow preference.)

[dougalhilson]

Thanks, that seems to be what I've found so far but had wondered if I'd missed something.