Question about layers and gradients

NN636020955913715283UL

• November 24, 2019 15:57

So I'm still somewhat "test driving" CaptureOnr Pro 12 and have a question about gradients on layers. See that you can obviously create a gradient on layer, but when you go erase part of the gradient (say over some mountains or other objects) CO says that it must rasterize the gradient and that you won't be able to edit it after that point.

Is there any way around this? I know in LR (which is what I sometimes use for now) lets you erase part of a gradient without having to rasterize it into the image, thus you can change the aspects of the gradient (Exposure, tint, etc) while maintaing the outline (area that is masked vs. not masked) maintained after the fact.

For the most part, I like how C1 is setup and operates, but this is something that if there is no workaround, may be a deal breaker for me as I use gradients quite a bit in my landscape shots and the aqbility to go back and tweak the settings on a gradient after I adjust the mask is somewhat important to me.

0

• 

  SFA

  • November 24, 2019 16:17

  You can change settings.
  
  You can edit the mask.
  
  However the "gradient" functionality will have to be overwritten by your mask edits (in effect) so the gradient functionality is no longer viable unless you recreate is and then repeat your other mask edits.
  
  Does that make sense?
  
  Just try it. It's only a layer ...
  
  
  Grant

  0
• 

  NN636020955913715283UL

  • November 24, 2019 21:00

  A little I guess. I'll have go in and try it. I sort of figured there had to be a way and that since I haven't played with gradients in C1 that much yet, it could have been an overlooked thing as many programs let you do this.

  0
• 

  NN636020955913715283UL

  • November 25, 2019 05:12

  So yeah I did try this, and it's not really an issue as I had thought. And I even tried the same thing in LR, and it basically behaves the same (if you erase a portion of the gradient and then try to repaint it back in, it can't really duplicate the same gradient and usually will repaint or reapply the mask at a static level).
  
  So I guess in the end, the only difference is C1 warns you about this, LR doesn't.

  0
• 

  SFA

  • November 25, 2019 09:09

  [quote="NN636020955913715283UL" wrote:
  So yeah I did try this, and it's not really an issue as I had thought. And I even tried the same thing in LR, and it basically behaves the same (if you erase a portion of the gradient and then try to repaint it back in, it can't really duplicate the same gradient and usually will repaint or reapply the mask at a static level).
  
  So I guess in the end, the only difference is C1 warns you about this, LR doesn't.

  
  
  I can't see there is any other way to do it logically.
  
  One option might be to leave the entire gradient mask on its own layer and then use a separate layer and mask to apply the adjustments to "undo" the gradient adjustments where you want them undone. However as the tools in many cases will have limits on how much adjustment can be applied whether it would be easy to make the additions and subtractions work readily together might well depend on what adjustments you are trying to apply and with which tools.
  
  2 or more gradient layers as also possible of course.
  
  In photo processing some fairly general adjustment options, often without too much need for great precision, can give the most realistic results.
  
  However, if you know you known you need something with extreme precision and delineation to achieve a particular graphically influenced style then you may well need something more akin to a pixel manipulating application like Photoshop or Affinity to finish the job.
  
  
  Grant

  0

Post is closed for comments.