Photoshop Selections - Hemant Kogekar

Understanding Selections in Lightroom and Photoshop

Why they matter, and how to use them effectively
One of the most important ideas in photo editing is the difference between global adjustments and local adjustments.
Global adjustments affect the entire image — for example, increasing overall exposure or contrast. Local adjustments affect only part of the image, such as the sky, a subject’s face, or a foreground element.
Selections are what make local adjustments possible.
If you’ve ever wanted to brighten a subject without blowing out the background, darken a sky without affecting the landscape, or subtly guide the viewer’s eye, you’re already thinking in terms of selections. Why selections are so powerful
Good post-processing is rarely about dramatic changes. It’s about control.
Selections allow you to:

• Adjust tone, colour or sharpness in one area without affecting others
• Emphasise the subject while keeping the image natural
• Correct distractions or imbalances
• Work in a more intentional, creative way

The better your selections, the more precise — and subtle — your editing can be. Selections in Lightroom
Recent versions of Lightroom Classic have significantly improved selection tools, using AI to make local adjustments faster and more accurate.
Key Lightroom selection tools include:

• Select Subject – automatically identifies the main subject
• Select Sky – isolates the sky for tonal or colour adjustments
• People – selects people and even specific features (e.g. face, skin)
• Object – allows you to brush over an object to select it
• Modify tools – add to, subtract from, or intersect selections

These tools are ideal for:

• Fast, non-destructive edits
• Everyday workflow adjustments
• Photographers who want control without complexity

For many images, Lightroom selections are all you need. Selections in Photoshop
Photoshop offers greater precision and flexibility, particularly for complex images or detailed work.
Common Photoshop selection tools include:
Marquee tools
Used to select simple geometric shapes (rectangles, ellipses). Best for clean, defined areas.
Lasso tools

• Lasso – freehand, quick but imprecise
• Polygonal Lasso – straight-edged selections
• Magnetic Lasso – snaps to edges as you draw

These are useful when you want manual control, but they require care.
Quick Selection tool
A fast way to select well-defined objects. Photoshop analyses colour and edge information and expands the selection as you paint. Often a good starting point.
AI-based selections

• Select Subject
• Select Sky
• Object Selection

These tools continue to improve and can often produce excellent results with minimal effort.
Colour Range and Focus Area

• Colour Range selects based on sampled colours
• Focus Area selects what Photoshop considers the sharpest areas

These can be useful in specific situations, though AI-based selections are often more reliable. Practical considerations
No selection tool is perfect. Common challenges include:

• Soft or complex edges (hair, foliage)
• Similar colours between subject and background
• Over- or under-selection

The key is to think of selections as iterative:

• Start with an automated selection
• Refine it
• Don’t aim for perfection — aim for believability

A learning mindset
Selections are not just a technical skill; they’re a way of thinking about photographs. They encourage you to ask:

• What is most important in this image?
• Where should the viewer’s eye go?
• What needs emphasis — and what doesn’t?

Mastering selections takes practice, but even small improvements can make a noticeable difference to your images. This synthesis accompanies the presentation by Hemant Kogekar, originally delivered to Northside Creative Photography in November 2022, and is shared as part of our commitment to learning and knowledge sharing.