Selection using channels

[lfbb]

Hi all!

I'm trying a different approach to Russel's Brown video "Masking Basics", where he uses the Refine Edge to change the background of an image. I'm using alpha channels but I'm having troubles retouching the red selected areas in the image:



I'm painting the light areas with the brush in overlay mode but for some reason it deletes the flow hair. Am I doing something wrong?

This is the original image:



Thank you!

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi -

You are trying to select whispy, out-of-focus hair. Even very experienced photoshop pros find that this can be extremely difficult. Because of this, my first suggestion is that instead of expending a lot of time and effort on this image, you simply get a better image to work from. Specifically, one in which there is more depth of field and the hair is sharper. This is a huge time saver, and by far the best approach if you know you are later going to have to cut out the subject / replace the background.

OTOH, if, for some reason, you are stuck using this image, I would suggest you read through some recent discussions of this topic that we have had, e.g.,

http://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum...efine-edge-hard-image-need-help-learning.html .


Another suggestion is to look at the many of the other tutorials available on-line specifically dedicated to the issue of selecting hair. Some, such as the one I cite below, are from manufacturers of 3rd party add-ons for PS, but their tutorials often contain technique suggestions that are much more broadly applicable:
http://www.youtube.com/v/0G4dSJrn9aU?fs=1&hl=en_US&fs=1&autoplay=1 .


Finally, I would suggest you consider circumventing this problem by getting a reasonable initial selection, but then painting in some appropriate whispy hair using Photoshop brushes. If you look up posts on this topic by ibClare on this forum, she is extremely good at this technique.

HTH,

Tom M

 

[lfbb]

You are trying to select whispy, out-of-focus hair. Even very experienced photoshop pros find that this can be extremely difficult. Because of this, my first suggestion is that instead of expending a lot of time and effort on this image, you simply get a better image to work from. Specifically, one in which there is more depth of field and the hair is sharper. This is a huge time saver, and by far the best approach if you know you are later going to have to cut out the subject / replace the background.

I will do that.

OTOH, if, for some reason, you are stuck using this image, I would suggest you read through some recent discussions of this topic that we have had, e.g.,

I'm not stucked with it, I chose the image randomly just for practicing purposes. And thanks for the link, very interesting thread!

Another suggestion is to look at the many of the other tutorials available on-line specifically dedicated to the issue of selecting hair. Some, such as the one I cite below, are from manufacturers of 3rd party add-ons for PS, but their tutorials often contain technique suggestions that are much more broadly applicable:

I downloaded a trial version of Topaz ReMask and I find it very interesting!

Finally, I would suggest you consider circumventing this problem by getting a reasonable initial selection, but then painting in some appropriate whispy hair using Photoshop brushes. If you look up posts on this topic by ibClare on this forum, she is extremely good at this technique.

I will do that, thanks!

 

[Tom Mann]

You are quite welcome. Please let us know how it goes.

All the best,

Tom M

 

[lfbb]

Topaz Remask is an awesome plugin, this is the result I got with it:



Thanks!

 

[Tom Mann]

Nice result! I'm glad u like ReMask, but every approach has its limitations, so don't give up on "Refine Edges" or disregard other selection plugins such as "Fluid Mask". They each shine in different situations and often work best in combination. Also, don't forget techniques that benefit all of them. One that I'mspecifically thinking of is developing a mask based on a copy of the original with greatly increased saturation and contrast.

T