Removing a background

[chillman]

Can someone direct me to a tutorial to help change or remove a back ground from a photo? I can remove the unwanted area, but when I create a new background, the people look cut out. I have tried to set the selection feather to about 10, but they still look like I cut them out. The background is a solid color (ugly yellow) and I am trying to change it to look like a studio canvas. You know with what looks like clouds? I have used the clouds filter and the difference clouds. Help please. \:]

Lighting will be another issue, but I can handle that one. BTW, I have also tried a drop shadow in the back, and while that improves it a little, still not the look that it needs to be.

 

[Smashing L]

Here's a link with several tutorials to remove a background:

http://www.heathrowe.com/tuts/knockout.asp?knockout=intro

and this one can be usefull to make clouds/sky (scroll down)

http://www.heathrowe.com/tuts/grassandsky.asp

good luck

 

[chillman]

Thanks! I'll give it a shot tonight. :}

 

[Welles]

Yo chillman

I'm going to describe a technique I made up for taking images from one background and getting them to merge seamlessly on another. For starters, I'll presume that you have created your new background and have your image layers extracted already.

Load the selection of a layer which you wish to blend with your new background by Command (Control) + clicking on the layer in the Layer Palette. Then go to Select > Modify > Contract... and contract the selection by 2 to five or six pixels depending on resolution. Screen needs less, print more. You need to save this selection so go to the Channels palette and save the selection by clicking on the second button from the left at the bottom of the palette. A tool tip will say 'Save selection as channel.'

Now go back to your image by returning to the Layer Palette and making the layer active again. Command (Control) + D to deselect the contracted selection and then Command (Control) click on the layer again to load the original selection. This time Select > Modify > Expand... and expand the selection by two pixels. Leave this selection active and go back to the Channels palette. Click on the Alpha channel which you saved and your screen will turn black and white with your expanded selection still showing. Now hold down the Option (Alt) button and click on the left most button at the bottom of the Channels palette. It will load the saved alpha channel as a selection. By holding down the Option (Alt) key you are subtracting the saved, contracted selection from the active expanded selection, giving yourself a narrow band of 4 or more pixels all around the outside of your image. After going back to the layers palette and activating the RGB image again, you will see the ribbon of selection around the border of the image.

Now all you need to do is use the Blur tool set to 100%, the blend mode Darken or Lighten depending on the fringe color and new background, and check Use All Layers. Make the brush huge and go around the selection a couple of times. After you're through the image will blend with the new background as if it had been there originally.

The description takes more time to figure out the first time that it will ever take again.

Cheers!
Welles

 

[chillman]

Wow. Thanks Welles! Rehersal ran late tonight, but I will definitely give it a try tomorrow. I really appreciate all the help you all have offered. I tried smashing's idea earlier and here is what I got.

 

[Stroker]

Go Welles!
It's good to see destructive methods of extraction.
That is, modifying the subject to match the background instead of being totally anal.
After all, just copy the subject and there's your backup.

Why do so many people miss this idea?
Why is this meme still so prevalent?

Good show.