Master the Adjustment Brush in Camera Raw and Lightroom
Mastering the Adjustment Brush in Lightroom and Camera Raw
One of the most powerful and underrated tools in Lightroom and Camera Raw is the Adjustment Brush. Most people only scratch the surface of what it can do, but once you understand how it really works, it gives you incredible control over exactly where and how your edits are applied. Watch the video to really see the sin action.
In this tutorial, we’re starting from the basics and covering every major feature of the Adjustment Brush, so by the end, you’ll understand it in a completely different way.
We will be using ACR for this tutorial, it works identical in Lightroom, so this tut is good for both.
Opening the Image in Camera Raw
Start in Adobe Bridge,Right-click the image and choose Open in Camera Raw.
If you open a RAW file directly from Photoshop, it will also open automatically in Camera Raw, skipping the main Photoshop interface. A jpg can be opened by choosing Filters>Camera Raw Filter
Creating Your First Brush Mask
Open the Masking panel.
Choose the Adjustment Brush.
A new mask is created, and now you can paint directly onto the image to define where your edits will apply.
Paint over an area
and then adjust sliders like Exposure, Shadows, or Highlights to affect only that painted region.
If you continue painting, you’re adding to the same mask, meaning all painted areas receive the same adjustments.
Tip: Turn on the mask overlay while painting so you can clearly see where the mask is applied (the red part).
Brush Size and Keyboard Shortcuts
Open the brush settings.
Adjust the brush size using the slider, or use the left and right bracket keys to resize the brush visually on the image.
Use the Shift + bracket keys to adjust feathering and see the edge softness change live. The feather changes the softness of the brush.
Using Auto Mask for Cleaner Edges
Enable Auto Mask in the brush settings to detect the edges and stay in them. The + on the overlay determines the color you are masking.
Paint along edges like buildings or mountains, and the brush will try to stay within similar tones.
Start with Auto Mask turned off and paint broad areas first.
Turn Auto Mask on and use a smaller brush to refine edges afterward.
Keep the inner circle of the brush inside the object when using Auto Mask to avoid spillover.
If mistakes happen, use the eraser with Auto Mask to clean things up.
Tip: Auto Mask works best when there’s strong contrast between edges.
Erasing Parts of a Mask
Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key to temporarily switch to the eraser.
Alternatively, click the Eraser option directly.
Use Auto Mask with the eraser to clean up edges precisely.
The brush and eraser remember their last settings, making it easy to switch back and forth while refining a mask.
Understanding Feather, Flow, and Density
Feather controls how soft or hard the edge of the mask is.
Flow controls how quickly the adjustment builds up as you paint and allows gradual buildup, similar to an airbrush.
Density sets the  strength of the mask, no matter how many times you paint over an area.
If density is set to 50%, the mask will never exceed that strength, even with repeated strokes. A Cool feature of density: if you have the density set lower than the area you are painting over, the mask lightens.
Tip: Density limits the mask’s intensity, while flow controls how fast you reach that limit.
Final Global Adjustments
Once all local edits are done, click Edit to exit masking mode.
Now any adjustment applies to the entire image, which is ideal for color temperature, contrast, and overall balance.
This helps unify the image so the local edits feel cohesive rather than pieced together.
Final Thoughts
The Adjustment Brush is far more powerful than it first appears. Once you understand how brush settings, flow, density, and Auto Mask work together, you can shape light and tone with incredible precision—often without ever needing Photoshop.
Which feature of the Adjustment Brush surprised you the most, or changed the way you think about local adjustments?
It’s great to see you here at the CAFE
Colin
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