Masking, in retouching terms, is a way to select specific areas within an image; it allows us to make isolated adjustments to selected areas without affecting the rest of the image. Masking works in conjunction with the brush tool where we can choose to either add or subtract masked areas by painting with the brush.

What is the purpose of masking in Lightroom?

Adobe released an enormously important feature for its Lightroom photo editing software on Tuesday, a masking tool that uses AI to select elements in a scene for much more sophisticated changes to color, tone and exposure.

What is masking used for?

When talking about editing and processing images the term 'masking' refers to the practice of using a mask to protect a specific area of an image, just as you would use masking tape when painting your house. Masking an area of an image protects that area from being altered by changes made to the rest of the image.