Say I have my image on a layer....
Copy that layer and create layer mask on the new layer...
Mask out my item.
I can now add adjustment layers in such a way that it lets me adjust only what I masked out. This is fine.
Lets say I have a picture of a duck on the water. I mask out the duck. I can now add adjustment layers "above" the duck and adjust the duck ONLY...and it does not affect the water.
.....now ...I can't find a way to add adjustment layers that will affect the WATER only....I know I can go to IMAGE - then ADJUSTMENTS on the top menu but this is not the same as an adjustment layer...
Can anyone help me get an adjustment layer for my WATER only?
put the mask on the adjustment layers, not the pixel layers.
Puting the mask on the pixel layer makes some of the pixels unavailable from that point on, but putting the mask on the adjustment layer just limits what pixels the adjustment is able to affect (which is what your after anyway).
You can also Ctrl+Click on the mask or layer with the part image and you will find that only what is on the layer or mask is selected. Then go to Select/Invert and everything but that item is now selected.
From there you can go to Adjusment Layers and you will find it will automatically work only on that selection.
As a matter of fact, I don't know how I lived without the ability to use the "alt-click" technique in the past! That one little tip eases my work flow tremdously. (My spelling may be off in the above paragraph!)
