Combining local adjustments

I was playing around with local adjustments and just discovered it is possible to create a single local adjustment that contains two types of local adjustment. I started with a set of control points to help reduce exposure on some hot spots in the image. Then I think I just selected control line directly and started configuring an exposure gradient in the lower right corner of the image.

Once it was set up I noticed that it was associated with all the control points and not a separate local adjustment. There is only one local adjustment (Control Point) listed under Local Adjustments but the mask clearly shows the area affected by the control line which I also added.

Perhaps I am just stating something obvious, but I was not expecting both local adjustments to be listed this way on the right hand side of the screen.

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Yes, that’s true for certain “types” of LAs (such as Control-Point & Control-Line, Hue-Mask & Brush) - but not for some others (such as, say, Graduated-Filter & Hue-Mask).

When they are created as “combo” LAs they share the same adjustment sliders … That is, an adjustment of, say, the Exposure slider is shared by both LAs.

To force a completely new LA with its own slider controls (such as a new Control-Line that’s NOT combined with a previously created Control-Point) use the “New Mask” button (+) that appears to the far-left of the little toolbar beneath the LA-list.

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You can also create a new mask by first deselecting all masks then create a new mask as you did to create your first mask.

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Yes, this eliminates the need to duplicate a mask if you want to add multiple LA settings to the same selection (mask).

As mentioned, use the + button to create a new selection (unless you deactivate the others).

Keep experimenting to get the hang of it. :slight_smile: