4 Replies Latest reply: Aug 27, 2014 12:23 AM by Herbert2001 RSS

    Blend if for adjustment layers?

    Herbert2001 Community Member
    Herbert2001 Aug 26, 2014 8:48 AM

      Today I saw an incredibly useful technique in Photoline where adjustment layers have the possibility to use "Blend If" to adjust how the effect is applied to certain areas in an image.

       

      For example, you could add a curve adjustment layer, and then use the Blend If sliders for red and blue to limit the adjustment to green areas only for that adjustment layer - and blend smoothly into non-green areas! No masking required, and very efficient. No need to create destructive masks based on channel operations.

       

      Unfortunately, Photoshop's adjustment layers do not seem to allow us to edit "Blend If" settings at all (only Blending options for the layer mode exist).

       

      Is there a hidden option somewhere to bring up the "Blend If" for adjustment layers in Photoshop? (Crossing my fingers)

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        • 1. Re: Blend if for adjustment layers?
          twenty_one Community Member
          twenty_one Aug 26, 2014 9:43 AM (in response to Herbert2001)

          I have full Blend If functionality on adjustment layers here. Straight up - no hidden option.

           

          But it sounds as if you misunderstand what it does. You're not targeting areas or colors, but a range of values from 0-255 per channel. It's very similar to a luminosity mask, except you have more control. Setting the blue and red sliders does not "limit the adjustment to green areas only" - that's not how it works.

           

          To limit the adjustment to green areas you still need a mask on one or more adjustment layers. But there's nothing "destructive" about that - it's an adjustment layer. Destructive is pixel adjustments directly on the image layer (and saving over the original).

           

          blendif.png

          • 2. Re: Blend if for adjustment layers?
            Herbert2001 Community Member
            Herbert2001 Aug 26, 2014 3:33 PM (in response to twenty_one)

            I wasn't quite awake yet when I asked the question, and I see now it is possible for adjustment layers - but I was testing this with a smart object and a (for example) Gaussian Blur effect - there does not seem to be an option to use Blend If for those?

             

            What I meant is that I can apply a, let's say, Unsharp Mask effect on a photo with blues and greens, and adjust the strength of the effect for each R, G, and B channel individually. (Photoline offers HIS mode for the blending in addition to RGB and Gray modes which is also useful.)

             

            So is there a way to adjust these for live effects when applied to smart objects?

            • 3. Re: Blend if for adjustment layers?
              twenty_one Community Member
              twenty_one Aug 27, 2014 12:08 AM (in response to Herbert2001)

              Well, I wasn't quite awake when I answered - I didn't notice who was asking . Apologies if I spoke as if to a total newbie, I know you're not.

               

              Can't say what the Smart Object behavior is without trying it, but I suspect I'll get the same result as you do. I don't know of any hidden settings.

              • 4. Re: Blend if for adjustment layers?
                Herbert2001 Community Member
                Herbert2001 Aug 27, 2014 12:23 AM (in response to twenty_one)

                Thanks - I would be (pleasantly) surprised if Photoshop would support that - perhaps an idea for the/a next version.

                 

                It's a shame smart filters do not behave like adjustment layers. Another option that is missing in this regard is that we are unable to add multiple different layer masks to each smart filter effect that is applied to a layer - currently they all share the same layer mask.