How Do I change the background - PROFESSIONALLY

[dtzfilms]

The images attached are going to be the slides for a white text on black or "dark" background on a website.
demo2.woothemes.dotcom/unsigned/biography/

I've tried to follow a number of techniques on youtube.
Quick selection tool, etc., but the nature of the director's chair image made for a very messy childish looking product that I'd rather not use.

My goal:
1.Model picture - darken slightly.
2. Turntable picture - darken slightly
3. Director's chair - change background to match Model or possibly darker.

Appreciate any pointers.
I'm using the CS3 I have, bought from the days when I still dreamed of being a photographer.​

 

[dtzfilms]

I've solved the model picture and the turn table. Just need help with the director's chair.

 

[Remote-Medic]

So to clarify, you basically want to change the background on the Directors Chair, so removing the white backgroundlike so:



If So, Quick selection tool around the chair (using the Alt key to replace anything you want to keep)>Select>Refine Edge.

This will cut the chair away so reverse the mask by selecting in it layers and then click Ctrl+i to reverse the mask and reveal the chair and lose the white.

Clean up around the chair (after selecting the layer mask) using back or white brushes depending on what you want to add or remove. I went around the chair with a white brush to bring some of the chair back because it had some transparent area's that needed touching up.

 

[ibclare]

There are any number of methods for selection and removing backgrounds, but as you have found out, most leave undesirable halos of white. These can be dealt with by using refine selection or applying masks and using refine mask; you can simply cleanup around the edges using a mask, but some of these methods destroy edge detail . . .

or you can do it the proper way and make a nice clean selection, define a path, zoom in and check it, if necessary move a few points on the path, then ctl/cmd click, apply layer mask, add dark BG and you've got it. To do this, learn and use the pen tool. That's my suggestion.

 

[AbdulW87]

I posted earlier and my post is not visible now..any ways i am gonna post again



if you want this i have the PSD for you to work on.

 

[dtzfilms]

Wow, wow, you all make it look so easy.
AbdulW87, cheers, man. Yes please.
I think Remote Medic is very close to what I'm trying to achieve except I'd reverse the gradient so it's dark at the top and lighter toward the bottom.

 

[AbdulW87]

OK, so what i did was first duplicate the original image layer in case something goes wrong (my habit).

second use the selective color adjustment layer (dont use the image>adjustments>selective color option from the menus)

select the color white and then play around with the sliders to get the color i want.

now this will change the color of all the whites so select a hard edged brush, select the mask and brush on the places where you dont want the effect (in our case the text on the chair and a few other places)

thats it.

And yes the PSD View attachment PSG-50 screen.psd

 

[dtzfilms]

Mission accomplished. Thanks everyone!