Photoshop Gurus Forum
Welcome to Photoshop Gurus forum. Register a free account today to become a member! It's completely free. Once signed in, you'll enjoy an ad-free experience and be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Background colour change
- Messages
- 23,555
- Likes
- 13,525
Hey Joel. The answer is not so simple. The method employed to remove or change any background will vary from image to image. I can tell you that it will almost always involve making a selection of one or more components in the image.
If you have an image in mind, post it and we will show our methods for that image.
If you have an image in mind, post it and we will show our methods for that image.
Many thks for yr prompt reply. Would like to change the background to the photo of this little girl to a suitable colour. What would you suggest, please? Admittedly, it's not a very good photo, but am using it as a test-case for color change.Renewed thanks.
JoeJ
Eggy
Retired Moderator
- Messages
- 5,313
- Likes
- 5,085
First and you said it yourself, it is a bad photo, its blurred and the top background is almost as dark as the little girls hair making it very very difficult to separate the girl from the background.
Since it is an exercise I presume it doesn't matter what photo is used but make it also a larger one.
Since it is an exercise I presume it doesn't matter what photo is used but make it also a larger one.
Tom Mann
Guru
- Messages
- 7,223
- Likes
- 4,343
First, we have to figure out exactly what you meant when you said, "change the background color".
Here's one possibility: If I change the background to a solid, uniform color, would you like it? I don't think so because it would look like the person was floating in space.
Next, suppose I made the new background have two colors: one to simulate the floor and another to simulate a wall behind them and then added appropriate shadows. My guess is that it would be an improvement over the one-color background, but you probably wouldn't like that, either, because even doing all that extra work on the background removes the context that tells the viewer where she was when the photo was taken.
One possibility for "changing the background color" that you might like is to keep the existing background, but make it more orange or more blue. OK, in some cases this might be an improvement. An example of this might be where the subject is primarily lit by a daylight balanced flash, but the background is lit by the warm (i.e., orange) tungsten lights in the room. It might look better if the white balance of the background was similar to tthe white balance of the subject. However, in this case, different color balances just isn't a major issue.
Perhaps, by "change the background color", you meant something different that the options I mentioned above. If so, tell us.
To be honest, all I would do to help this particular photo is to brighten the background so that it could be more easily seen and so her hair wouldn't blend in to the background. Contrast control like this is something that good photographers spend a lot of time on, but that isn't "changing the background color".
HTH,
Tom M
Here's one possibility: If I change the background to a solid, uniform color, would you like it? I don't think so because it would look like the person was floating in space.
Next, suppose I made the new background have two colors: one to simulate the floor and another to simulate a wall behind them and then added appropriate shadows. My guess is that it would be an improvement over the one-color background, but you probably wouldn't like that, either, because even doing all that extra work on the background removes the context that tells the viewer where she was when the photo was taken.
One possibility for "changing the background color" that you might like is to keep the existing background, but make it more orange or more blue. OK, in some cases this might be an improvement. An example of this might be where the subject is primarily lit by a daylight balanced flash, but the background is lit by the warm (i.e., orange) tungsten lights in the room. It might look better if the white balance of the background was similar to tthe white balance of the subject. However, in this case, different color balances just isn't a major issue.
Perhaps, by "change the background color", you meant something different that the options I mentioned above. If so, tell us.
To be honest, all I would do to help this particular photo is to brighten the background so that it could be more easily seen and so her hair wouldn't blend in to the background. Contrast control like this is something that good photographers spend a lot of time on, but that isn't "changing the background color".
HTH,
Tom M
Last edited:
Thanks again, particularly the very detailed info about the meaning of "colour change" in its professional context.
Of course, I agree with your advice about making the background paler, especially since this photo leaves much to be desired-- blur, and all that.
Shall I first use the Quick Selection Tool to choose the subject? And how then to proceed to render the black background paler, using Levels, perhaps?
JoeJ
Of course, I agree with your advice about making the background paler, especially since this photo leaves much to be desired-- blur, and all that.
Shall I first use the Quick Selection Tool to choose the subject? And how then to proceed to render the black background paler, using Levels, perhaps?
JoeJ
MartinTodorovArt
Member
- Messages
- 9
- Likes
- 5
I don't know if this is still relevant but i think adding a new adjustment layer with exposure and adjusting it till you are satisfied with how the background looks then just grab a brush with black color and select the mask wich is the white box near the layer and paint out the girl. I think its more simple than selecting the girl.
- Messages
- 23,555
- Likes
- 13,525
Brushing out the girl in a layer mask with the Brush Tool is still a form of making a selection. Your specifically 'selecting' the girl. I think it's more about personal preferences.