How to Use Blend If Like a Pro

Learn what blend if is and it’s practical applications in photography.

Since this tutorial involves Photoshop, I recommend watching my video to learn ⬆️

What is Blend If?

In order to understand Blend If, we first need to understand what tonal values are. Tonal values are essentially darkness and light, or luminosity. They are measured on a scale from 0 to 255- 0 meaning pure black and 255 meaning pure white.

Blend If is essentially a "hidden mask" within a layer.

In other words, it allows you to make specific adjustments to set luminosity values within a certain layer. This is achieved by the use of a bar called the “Underlying Layer,” which lets you make changes only to the luminosity values you select, and nothing else.

It’s similar in function to Luminosity Masks, except it’s dynamic (meaning it can change as you make other edits to the image,) and makes for a much smaller file size.

Practical Uses of Blend If

• Applying adjustments to specific selections

• Adding noise or sharpening specific areas

• A dynamic alternative to luminosity masks

How to Use Blend If

Watch the video tutorial above for a step-by-step breakdown in Photoshop.