Reviewing a layer mask

When creating a composite image utilizing the layer mask, it's critical that the …layer mask be as accurate as possible. We want a high quality mask regardless of …what we're trying to accomplish with that mask. …In some cases, your composite image might be intended to be very realistic, and in …other cases, it might be just whimsical or fun such as this exaggerated gradient …behind the squirrel photo. But whatever you're doing, you want to …make sure that the layer mask is accurate. …Let's take a look at some of the ways we can review a layer mask to help make sure …the quality is as high as possible. First off, we can hide the effect of the …layer mask so that we see the image without the mask, and then with the mask.…

This all by itself can make areas that are problematic stand out very clearly. …To disable the layer mask temporarily, you simply hold the Shift key while …clicking on the thumbnail for the Layer Mask on the Layers panel. …So, here is the image without the layer mask, it's been disabled, so we get a …