The controls in the image adjustment tabs of Camera Raw affect the color and tone of an entire photo. To adjust a specific area of a photo (or make local adjustments, such as dodging or burning) use the Adjustment Brush tool , the Graduated Filter tool
, or the Radial Filter tool in Camera Raw.
With the Adjustment Brush tool, you can selectively apply Exposure, Texture, Clarity, and other adjustments by “painting” them onto the photo.
With the Graduated Filter tool, you can apply the same types of adjustments gradually across a region of a photo. You can make the region as wide or as narrow as you like.
With the Radial Filter tool, you can draw an elliptical area around the subject and selectively apply adjustments to either outside or inside the selected area. For more details, see Radial Filter in Camera Raw.
You can apply both types of local adjustments to any photo. You can synchronize local adjustment settings across multiple selected images. You can also create local adjustment presets so that you can quickly reapply an effect you use frequently.
Getting local adjustments “right” in Camera Raw takes some experimentation. The recommended workflow is to select a tool and specify its options, and then apply the adjustment to the photo. Then you can go back and edit that adjustment, or apply a new one.
As with all other adjustments applied in Camera Raw, local adjustments are nondestructive. They are never permanently applied to the photo. Local adjustments are saved with an image in an XMP sidecar file or in the Camera Raw database, depending on what’s specified in Camera Raw preferences.
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Choose the type of adjustment you want to make in the Adjustment Brush tool options by dragging an effects slider.
Note:
The effects that are available depend on whether you are working in Process Version 2012, 2010, or 2003, as noted. To update a photo to PV2012, click the exclamation-point icon in the lower-right corner of the image preview.
Temp
Adjusts the color temperature of an area of the image, making it warmer or cooler. A graduated filter temperature effect can improve images captured in mixed-lighting conditions.
Exposure
Sets the overall image brightness. Applying an Exposure local correction can achieve results similar to traditional dodging and burning.
Texture
Enhance or reduce the appearance of texture in your photo. Move the slider to the left to smoothen details; move it to the right to accentuate details. When you adjust the Texture slider, the color or tonality does not change.
Color
Applies a tint to the selected area. Select the hue by clicking the color sample box to the right of the effect name.
Note:
Click the Plus icons (+) or the Minus icons (–) to increase or decrease the effect by a preset amount. Click multiple times to select a stronger adjustment. Double-click the slider to reset the effect to zero.
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The cross hair indicates the application point. The solid circle indicates the brush size. The black-and-white dashed circle indicates the feather amount.
Note:
If the Feather is set to 0, the black-and-white circle indicates the brush size. With very small feather amounts, the solid circle may not be visible.
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- Drag any of the effect sliders in the Adjustment Brush tool options to customize the effect in the image.
- To toggle visibility of the mask overlay, use the Show Mask option, press Y, or position the pointer over the pin icon.
Note:
To customize the color of the mask overlay, click the color swatch next to the Show Mask option. Then, choose a new color from the Color Picker.
- To undo part of the adjustment, click Erase in the Adjustment Brush tool options and paint over the adjustment.
Note:
To create an eraser brush that has different characteristics from the current Adjustment Brush tool, click the Local Adjustment Settings menu button
and choose Separate Eraser Size. Then, specify the Size, Feather, Flow, and Density you want for the eraser.
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(Optional) Click New to apply an additional Adjustment Brush tool adjustment, and refine it as desired using the techniques in step 6.
Note:
When working with multiple Adjustment Brush adjustments, make sure you’re in Add mode to switch between them. Click a pin icon to select that adjustment and refine it.
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Choose the type of adjustment you want to make in the Graduated Filter tool options by dragging the slider for any of the following effects:
Note:
The effects that are available depend on whether you are working in Process Version 2012, 2010, or 2003, as noted. To update a photo to PV2012, click the exclamation-point icon in the lower-right corner of the image preview.
Temp
Adjusts the color temperature of an area of the image, making it warmer or cooler. A graduated filter temperature effect can improve images captured in mixed-lighting conditions.
Exposure
Sets the overall image brightness. Applying an Exposure graduated filter can achieve results similar to traditional dodging and burning.
Texture
Enhance or reduce the appearance of texture in your photo. Move the slider to the left to smoothen details; move it to the right to accentuate details. When you adjust the Texture slider, the color or tonality does not change.
Sharpness
Enhances edge definition to bring out details in the photo. A negative value blurs details.
Color
Applies a tint to the selected area. Select the hue by clicking the color sample box to the right of the effect name.
Note:
Click the Plus icon (+) or the Minus icon (–) to increase or decrease the effect by a preset amount. Double-click the slider to reset the effect to zero.
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- Position the pointer over the green-and-white or red-and-white dotted line, near the green or red dot, until a double-pointing arrow appears. Then, drag to expand or contract the effect at that end of the range.
You can modify Graduated Filter masks using brush controls. Once you've added a mask, to access brush controls select the Brush option next to New/Edit. Alternatively, with a Graduated Filter instance selected, press Shift+K.
As appropriate, use the + and – brushes.
For a video description of the brush controls, see Filter Brush in Adobe Camera Raw.
Note:
The add/remove functionality is available only to Photoshop CC customers using Camera Raw 8.5 or later.
Apply local adjustments with Color, Luminance, or Depth Range Mask
Updated in October 2018 release of Camera Raw
Using the Color Range Mask, Luminance Range Mask and Depth Range Mask controls, you can quickly create a precise masking area on your photo for applying local adjustments.
You begin by creating a quick initial masking selection with Adjustment Brushes or Radial Filter/Graduated Filter. Then, refine your selection using the Color Range Selector to sample colors within the mask area, Luminance Range Selector or slider to set the luminance range endpoints of the selection mask, or Depth Range Selector or slider to set the depth range endpoints of the selection mask.
Note:
Depth Range Mask is available only for photos that have embedded depth map information. As of now, this is limited to HEIC photos that are captured on Apple iPhone 7+, 8+ and X, XS, XS MAX, and XR (see the list of supported Apple iPhones) using the Portrait mode in the built-in iOS camera app. If there is no depth info for a photo, the Depth masking option is disabled in the Range Mask drop-down list.
After you make an initial selection mask with Adjustment Brushes or Radial Filter/Graduated Filters, you can refine the mask area based on the depth range of the selection. To use Depth Range masking, follow these steps:
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In the toolbar of the Camera Raw dialog box, select the Adjustment Brush tool, Graduated Filter tool, or Radial Filter tool. Then create an initial selection mask over a specific area of your photo that you want to correct.
Initial mask area created using Graduated Filter that covers the whole photo. -
To select a depth range within the mask area, do the following:
- Adjust the Depth Range slider to set the endpoints of the selected depth range. Alternatively, select the eyedropper tool
(above the Depth Range slider). Click+drag an area on the image to set the depth range. It is recommended to select a smaller area when you use this tool to narrow down on a specific depth range.
- Use the Smoothness slider to adjust the smoothness of the falloff at either end of the selected depth range.
Note:
For a more precise view of the mask area, press Alt (Win)/Option (Mac) key area while moving the Depth Range or Smoothness slider to get black and white visualization over your photo.
- Adjust the Depth Range slider to set the endpoints of the selected depth range. Alternatively, select the eyedropper tool
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Select the Visualize Depth Map check box to view the depth information of the photo in black and white representation. The part of photo in white represents the foreground, while the part of photo in black represents the background. The red color shows the actual area masked which is an intersection of depth and local adjustment applied.
Select Visualize Depth Map to view the depth information of the photo.
After making an initial selection mask on your photo with Adjustment Brushes or Radial Filter/Graduated Filters, you can refine the selection mask based on the colors that you sample within the mask area.
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In the Camera Raw dialog box, select the Adjustment Brush tool, the Graduated Filter tool, or the Radial Filter tool from the toolbar. Then, create an initial selection mask over a specific area of your photo that you want to correct.
Initial mask area created using a Graduated Filter that covers the whole photo -
Use the eyedropper (near the Range Mask option) to sample color within the mask area. Do any of the following:
- To sample a single color within the mask area, click the eyedropper at the required location on your photo.
- For more accurate color selection, click+drag an area around the colors in the photo that you want to adjust.
- To sample colors from multiple selections, hold the Shift key while selecting a single color (Shift+click) or while selecting an area (Shift+click+drag). You can add up to five color samples.
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Note:
For a more precise view of the mask area, press Alt (Win)/Option (Mac) key area while moving the Color Range slider to get black and white visualization over your photo.
Local adjustments applied to the color mask. Decreased Exposure, Highlights, and Saturation in the Effects menu to darken the background and make the leaves stand out more.
After refining the mask area, you can now make selective adjustments to create precise photographic edits.
Using Adobe Camera Raw 10.1 and later, you can remove a Color Range Mask sample. To do this, press Alt (in Windows)/Option (in Mac) and click the Color Range Mask sample.
After making an initial selection mask on your photo with Adjustment Brushes or Radial Filter/Graduated Filters, you can refine the mask area based on the luminance range of the selection.
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In the Camera Raw dialog box, select the Adjustment Brush tool, the Graduated Filter tool, or the Radial Filter tool from the toolbar. Then, create an initial selection mask over a specific area of your photo that you want to correct.
Initial mask area created using a Graduated Filter. -
- Adjust the Luminance Range slider to set the endpoints of the selected luminance range. Alternatively, select the eyedropper tool
(above the Luminance Range slider). Click+drag an area on the photo you want to adjust. It is recommended to select a small area to narrow down on a specific luminance range.
- Use the Smoothness slider to adjust how smooth the falloff is at either end of the selected luminance range.
Note:
For a more precise view of the mask area, press Alt (Win)/Option (Mac) key area while moving the Luminance Range or Smoothness slider to get black and white visualization over your photo.
Apply Local adjustments to the Luminance Range Mask. - Adjust the Luminance Range slider to set the endpoints of the selected luminance range. Alternatively, select the eyedropper tool
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Select the Visualize Luminance Map check box to view the luminance information of the photo in black and white representation. The part in red color shows the actual area masked which is an intersection of depth and local adjustment applied.
Select Visualize Luminance Map to view the luminance information of the photo.
After refining the mask area, you can then make selective adjustments to create precise photographic edits.
You can save local adjustments as presets
so that you can quickly apply the effects to other images. You create,
select, and manage local adjustment presets using the Camera Raw
Settings menu in
the Adjustment Brush or Graduated Filter tool
options. You apply local adjustment presets using the Adjustment Brush tool
or
the Graduated Filter tool
.
Note:
Local adjustments cannot be saved with Camera Raw image presets.
Only one local adjustment preset can be selected at a time.
When applying a local adjustment preset with the Adjustment Brush tool, you can still customize the brush options, including Size, Feather, Flow, and Density. The preset applies the effect settings at the specified brush size.
After a local adjustment preset is applied, you can refine it as desired.
The same effect settings are available for the Adjustment Brush tool and the Graduated Filter tool. As a result, local adjustment presets can be applied using either tool, regardless of which tool was used to create the preset.