remove background

wainism · 18th June 2004

hi ppl,
any ideas how to remove the back ground from a pic?
meaning i foto someone,but wanna place him in a plain coloured background,ie.wanna remove whatever background that was in the original pic,essentially only want the guy.
how to extract accurately esp if the subject is a girl with fly away hair and stuff?
extract filters?lasso?

Witness · 18th June 2004

user eraser.....zoom in and start erasing...then stitch it above the coloured backgrd??

madmacs · 18th June 2004

i usually use extract filter. but quick mask can help too.

wilson · 18th June 2004

I normally use the lasso tool to select the subject. How do you use quick mask?

onlock · 18th June 2004

Use PHOTOSHOP 6, 7 or CS

1. Remove background
Open up ur image. In the Layers palette, double-click on the background & click OK to convert it into a Layer. Now select the Lasso tool and draw a loose selection around ur subject. Go to Select->Inverse and hit Delete to remove the majority of the original background. Remove the marching ants by going to Select-> Deselect.

2. Tidy up edges
Now zoom in tight on ur subject & use the Eraser tool to tidy up the edges and remove the remainder the background - vary the brush size in tight area & reduce the Opacity around the hair.

3. Add background
Use the Zoom tool to zoom out & pull out the bottom corners of the image to free up some working space around your image. Now open up a coloured background & drag it into ur image using the Move tool. To resize it, hit Ctrl+T to bring up the Transform box then click & drag the corners handles to the corners of the image. Hit Enter to apply.

4. Adjust levels
In the Layers palette, click & drag Layer 1 underneath the portrait, which is Layer 0 . Some adjustments to the background r needed to make it sit better with the figure. Hit Ctrl+L to bring up Levels & drag the grey Input Levels slider - found underneath the histogram - to darken or lighten the image.

Though it is very wordy, but hope that this can help you.

kelster · 18th June 2004

In photoshop 7...there's the background eraser function...used it once...was pretty impressed...donno if someone with better experience in this can further elaborate?

EchoGear · 18th June 2004

As for me.. I would use the "Path" tool.

SuRfTeC · 21st June 2004

Originally Posted by EchoGear

As for me.. I would use the "Path" tool.

can elaborate more?

dun quite understand how to use Path tool....

thanks

satan_18349 · 22nd June 2004

zoom in and used the pen tool...the BEST tool in photoshop...

Nicole_SV · 17th July 2004

Hi,

I knoe there's alot way to extract out the background..
but is there any short cut way ?

bigberd · 19th July 2004

The fastest way that I know of is to use the Quick Mask mode and then use the EXTRACT command.

However, as you can see in all the above responses, there is no fix and fast rule, it all depends on the contrast between the background and your subject. There are so many different tools available to make the extraction easier depending on the contrast. So if the contrast is high, you can either use Magic wand or magnetic lasso. On the other hand, if low and complicated, you may want to use the Path method.

rainman · 19th July 2004

Hey I'm keen to know too! In the case that u all mentioned how much time do u all need to complete the procedure? I'm interested to know which is the most efficient and correct way to do it. Thanks.

I already know how to do soft focus...anyone can teach how to do motion blur? Is it the same way as extracting the object and merge it back to the blurred background?

Ansel · 25th July 2004

I have heard there is an easy way you can remove the background if it is of a certain dark blue colour. The technique is similar to the "blue screen" effect used for special effects in movie making. I understand you just remove that particular colour from the image, but I just dont know how to doe it. Can a PS expert here in CS enlighten us on how this is done? Thanks in advance.

sinlg · 26th July 2004

Anyone with experience in using Corel's KnockOut program? How does it compare to the extract feature in PS?

Newman · 26th July 2004

It is designed to 'knock out' objects with complex edge details like hair or fur. Works great but not perfect though. Still easier than using Photoshop's masking or erasure tools.

willyfoo · 26th July 2004

For simple jobs, I just brush transparency on channel mask... for more complex jobs I use individual colour channels to convert to alpha masks and apply to transparency after levelling... note that 2 stages of levelling has to be done... 1 for the hair and 1 for the rest of the body..

Sounds complex?? I know... hard for me to explain.. can only demo..
Will be conducting a photoshop demo on this soon.

khairi · 26th July 2004

Originally Posted by willyfoo

For simple jobs, I just brush transparency on channel mask... for more complex jobs I use individual colour channels to convert to alpha masks and apply to transparency after levelling... note that 2 stages of levelling has to be done... 1 for the hair and 1 for the rest of the body..

Sounds complex?? I know... hard for me to explain.. can only demo..
Will be conducting a photoshop demo on this soon.

I really recommend Willyfoo's method cos most pros will do this alpha channel thingy. in fact, it's not that complex to do...but technically it sounds hard.

willyfoo · 26th July 2004

Arranging for some demo/workshop in this thread.

http://clubsnap.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85076

tunster · 26th July 2004

I always do the hard way, copy out the background and put as new layer. Then use the Layer mask with Paint brush using a tablet (pen shape pointing device).

willyfoo · 26th July 2004

Originally Posted by khairi

I really recommend Willyfoo's method cos most pros will do this alpha channel thingy. in fact, it's not that complex to do...but technically it sounds hard.

Using the alpha channel is just the beginning... how to get the transparency information is the other thing... you can either paint manually opacity/transparency... use selection tools like (lasso, wand, colour range) or combination of all or advanced methods like using colour channel information for manipulation

18th June 2004	#1
wainism Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Beeshan Posts: 1,811	remove background hi ppl, any ideas how to remove the back ground from a pic? meaning i foto someone,but wanna place him in a plain coloured background,ie.wanna remove whatever background that was in the original pic,essentially only want the guy. how to extract accurately esp if the subject is a girl with fly away hair and stuff? extract filters?lasso?

18th June 2004	#2
Witness Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: www.maverickatwork.com Posts: 6,768	user eraser.....zoom in and start erasing...then stitch it above the coloured backgrd?? __________________ w maverick.photography b maverick.blogging

18th June 2004	#5
onlock New Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Jurong West Posts: 17	Use PHOTOSHOP 6, 7 or CS 1. Remove background Open up ur image. In the Layers palette, double-click on the background & click OK to convert it into a Layer. Now select the Lasso tool and draw a loose selection around ur subject. Go to Select->Inverse and hit Delete to remove the majority of the original background. Remove the marching ants by going to Select-> Deselect. 2. Tidy up edges Now zoom in tight on ur subject & use the Eraser tool to tidy up the edges and remove the remainder the background - vary the brush size in tight area & reduce the Opacity around the hair. 3. Add background Use the Zoom tool to zoom out & pull out the bottom corners of the image to free up some working space around your image. Now open up a coloured background & drag it into ur image using the Move tool. To resize it, hit Ctrl+T to bring up the Transform box then click & drag the corners handles to the corners of the image. Hit Enter to apply. 4. Adjust levels In the Layers palette, click & drag Layer 1 underneath the portrait, which is Layer 0 . Some adjustments to the background r needed to make it sit better with the figure. Hit Ctrl+L to bring up Levels & drag the grey Input Levels slider - found underneath the histogram - to darken or lighten the image. Though it is very wordy, but hope that this can help you. Last edited by onlock; 19th June 2004 at 05:05 PM.

26th July 2004	#16
willyfoo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: North Posts: 2,085	For simple jobs, I just brush transparency on channel mask... for more complex jobs I use individual colour channels to convert to alpha masks and apply to transparency after levelling... note that 2 stages of levelling has to be done... 1 for the hair and 1 for the rest of the body.. Sounds complex?? I know... hard for me to explain.. can only demo.. Will be conducting a photoshop demo on this soon. __________________ Singapore Wedding Photographer Willy Foo on Twitter & Facebook

26th July 2004	#18
willyfoo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: North Posts: 2,085	Arranging for some demo/workshop in this thread. http://clubsnap.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85076 __________________ Singapore Wedding Photographer Willy Foo on Twitter & Facebook

18th June 2004	#3
madmacs Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,421	i usually use extract filter. but quick mask can help too.

18th June 2004	#4
wilson Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 92	I normally use the lasso tool to select the subject. How do you use quick mask?

18th June 2004	#6
kelster Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Everywhere where e sun shines Posts: 1,078	In photoshop 7...there's the background eraser function...used it once...was pretty impressed...donno if someone with better experience in this can further elaborate?

18th June 2004	#7
EchoGear Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 82	As for me.. I would use the "Path" tool.

22nd June 2004	#9
satan_18349 Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: hell 極樂世& Posts: 1,505	zoom in and used the pen tool...the BEST tool in photoshop...

17th July 2004	#10
Nicole_SV New Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Woodland Posts: 28	Hi, I knoe there's alot way to extract out the background.. but is there any short cut way ?

19th July 2004	#11
bigberd Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 96	The fastest way that I know of is to use the Quick Mask mode and then use the EXTRACT command. However, as you can see in all the above responses, there is no fix and fast rule, it all depends on the contrast between the background and your subject. There are so many different tools available to make the extraction easier depending on the contrast. So if the contrast is high, you can either use Magic wand or magnetic lasso. On the other hand, if low and complicated, you may want to use the Path method.

19th July 2004	#12
rainman Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In my own world Posts: 1,112	Hey I'm keen to know too! In the case that u all mentioned how much time do u all need to complete the procedure? I'm interested to know which is the most efficient and correct way to do it. Thanks. I already know how to do soft focus...anyone can teach how to do motion blur? Is it the same way as extracting the object and merge it back to the blurred background?

25th July 2004	#13
Ansel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Land Downunder Posts: 2,069	I have heard there is an easy way you can remove the background if it is of a certain dark blue colour. The technique is similar to the "blue screen" effect used for special effects in movie making. I understand you just remove that particular colour from the image, but I just dont know how to doe it. Can a PS expert here in CS enlighten us on how this is done? Thanks in advance.

26th July 2004	#14
sinlg Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 355	Anyone with experience in using Corel's KnockOut program? How does it compare to the extract feature in PS?

26th July 2004	#15
Newman Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: TBC Posts: 948	It is designed to 'knock out' objects with complex edge details like hair or fur. Works great but not perfect though. Still easier than using Photoshop's masking or erasure tools.

26th July 2004	#19
tunster Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,438	I always do the hard way, copy out the background and put as new layer. Then use the Layer mask with Paint brush using a tablet (pen shape pointing device).