How I Mask a Cinematic Street Shot
How I mask a cinematic street shot
From RAW to final: what the preset does, and what the masks add.
You spend an hour on an edit, and the photo still looks flat. Like everyone else’s.
A preset gives you the base in one click. These 14 masks take it from good to standout, and every value is inside.
Linear darken 01
Exposure −1.05
The bright floor drags the eye to the bottom of the frame.
A gradient from below pulls it back up to your subject.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Linear darken 02
Exposure −1.18
The very bottom edge still glows and steals attention.
A tight gradient sinks the edge into shadow: a cinematic base.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Linear darken 03
Exposure −0.81
The ground looks flat and evenly lit, like a snapshot.
Darkening it in layers adds depth and a moody tone.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Linear darken 04
Exposure −0.44
Bright patches at the edge compete with your subject.
A soft gradient on the right keeps the eye in the middle.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Linear darken 05
Exposure −1.47
The left edge is busy and bright, pulling the eye out of frame.
Darkening it builds a natural vignette that frames the shot.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Subject sharpening
Texture +20 · Clarity +14
Your subject blends into a busy square and looks a bit soft.
A touch of texture and clarity on just them makes them pop.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Subject highlight 01
Exposure +0.44
In the RAW, the subject is dark and sinks into the shadows.
A soft light on them lifts them out of the background.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Subject highlight 02
Exposure +1.14
Even after the first lift, parts of the figure stay too dark.
A second, stronger pass shapes natural light on the figure.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Object highlight 01
Exposure +2.37
The landmark sits dark and flat behind your subject.
Lifting only the landmark gives the scene a second focal point.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Object darken 01
Exposure −0.56
Bright spots near the landmark pull the eye away from the subject.
A light darkening tucks them back so your subject leads.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Sky dramatic
Clarity +14 · Dehaze +13
A flat, hazy sky makes the whole image feel ordinary.
Clarity and dehaze bring out the cloud detail and drama.
Exposure −0.10
Sky darken 01
Exposure −0.27
The brightest part of the sky overpowers the clouds.
Pulling it down gently lets the cloud shapes show through.
Nothing else: every other slider stays at 0.
Sky darken 02
Exposure −0.52
The sky has no mood and clashes with the warm street below.
A darker, cooler tone adds mood and separates sky from street.
Temp −10 · Tint −10 · Dehaze +9
Sky brightening
Clarity +23 · Texture +15
After all the darkening, the sky can feel heavy.
A soft glow in one corner brings the light back and adds depth.
Exposure +0.30 · Dehaze −2
All masks, named
Every mask is named for what it does. The preset is the base; this is the extra work that makes the shot stand out.
Preset = speed.
Masking = control.
A preset gives you a great base, fast, and it is essential. But for an image that really stands out, a little extra work makes the difference: masking.
Each preset has 5 variations which is unique and invaluable.
“These presets are fantastic and Pattakespictures does some thing I’ve not seen anyone else do. … its speeding up my work flow and my client thought I’d bought all new gear as the images were looking so amazing.”
Prefer to read it offline? Download this guide as a PDF.
What should I teach next? Masking, colour or post-building: tell me in a DM.