The Exclusion blending mode is a challenging one to explain without diving into math. And I won’t do that. Instead, I’ll show you how to use it for color grading.

Difference, as its name suggests, measures differences between two layers. I use this blending mode when I need to manually align layers.

If an ON1 Effects filter shifts color in an unwanted way, try using the Luminosity blending mode. Luminosity deals only with brightness values, protecting your photo’s hue and saturation.

The contrast increase from Vivid Light is a strong one and can overpower a scene. Temper its Opacity - and try it out for color grading (my preferred use for this blending mode).

The Soft Light blending mode has a more subdued touch than the Overlay mode. I like this mode for subtler texture blends.

The Overlay blending mode is one you should know. An excellent way to pop contrast and blend exposures, it is one of the most popular blending modes.

Color Dodge is a useful blending mode for creative and unique color grading. Its results can be harder to predict, so do be prepared for some experimentation.

Take your cityscape photos to a new level with a little field prep and the Lighten blending mode.