I went through the instructions in the manual and created a soft graduated mask. If I apply photo enhanced effects, they appear in a graduated effect over the mask, but don't affect the rest of the photo in any way. I really haven't worked with masks, but what I understand is they are a protected area, so the enhancements to the rest of the photo doesn't affect them, or in the case of the soft mask would only affect that area in the defined manor. I must not be selecting correctly. I would think I should have prominent effects to the unmasked portion of the photo. Thanks.