Convert selection to layer mask

Take the current selection for the landscape composite and convert it into a layer mask on a duplicate layer, preserving the original pixels. Name the layer Background Replace, link the mask to the layer, and save a version with masks intact before any destructive edits. Confirm the mask is non-destructive and show me the saved filename.

Before I commit the selection into a mask for the client proof, make the mask easy to audit: put a temporary solid-color fill layer under it, apply the mask on a duplicate layer so the original stays untouched, and add a short note on the layer like 'Mask created 21 Jul — check edges at shadow A.' Flag any areas where the mask inverts or clips critical highlights.

I just turned a selection into a layer mask and bright highlight detail disappeared against the sky. I can’t tell if the mask is inverted or if I lost luminosity. Explain the two most likely causes and the immediate steps to restore highlights without redoing the whole mask.

Every job I end up with flattened files or destructively edited masks and I can’t revert to original pixels. I need a standard that prevents losing originals across hundreds of composites. Recommend a minimal file and layer-naming routine plus two non-destructive habits that ensure I can always hand a reversible file to another retoucher.