It is only when I got into Landscape and Adventure photography that I started to value the necessity to work with luminosity curves or masks. I used to do it the traditional way, the way we all learnt to do it in Photoshop, using "Channels" to create masks.

A while ago I came across Jimmy McIntyre's Raya Pro (see first image below), which not only simplifies working with luminosities but also wish blending images of different exposures.

Jimmy recently introduced InstaMask (see second image below) for PS CC which really makes it simple to create and perfect a luminosity selection.

Using Jimmy's tools, together with Nik software, not forgetting PS as a whole, I feel I am starting to create the landscape images I have been searching for, and doing so quicker and easier.

Click here to check out Raya Pro and InstaMask