Things have changed when it comes to removing objects from their backgrounds, extracting, masking or whatever you would like to call it. It’s time to get new school. This tutorial shows you how to use the quick select, refine Edge tools. I know that I’m using a white background here (woudn’t you shoot against a simple BG if you knew you were going to remove the model from her background?) These techniques work exactly the same with more complex backgrounds, and they work really well. If you get stuck with htis technique, then do the Masking Impossible Images in Photoshop tutorial.
The refine edge tool is very powerful for tweaking and cleaning up the edges of any selection. Most people don’t know how to use this powerful tool. Watch the video and get an idea on what you can do. I use RE on almost every selection because of the options that it provides. Here is a little tip. Once you make your selection using the lasso, magic wand, pen tool, quick select, color range or whatever tool you like, you can use refine edge to make it better. Sometimes you won’t see the option to launch it at the top, what do you do? Very simple, with your selection active, choose any of the selection tools and the refine edge button will appear at the top of the menu bar. Now, use it like normal. The best option when you are finished is the New Layer with Mask option because it offers the most flexibility when you are done.
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Thank you for this – very helpful 🙂 🙂
Grace to you all.
When watching these tutorials online, it seems to me that the subjects are almost always on a plain background. So my dilemma is having the subject in a room full of stuff that I don’t want there. The select tool seems to capture everything.
This is under our recommended posts on the sidebar 😉
Masking difficult images
https://photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/masking/masking.htm
The tutor’s base accent sound like its from New Zealand?
correct you are
Is it possible to download this video onto my pc?
It is great to me that Refine-Edge is very special to final my works. Thanks
This tutorial is very informative and helpful for me. Thanks.
Hello ,
Can I use magic tool for remove background?
Good and helpful
Thank you, worked well for me!
Excellent tutorial, Colin, and great to hear a Kiwi accent creeping in every now and then. Only a New Zealander would describe an edge as ‘daggy’!
Thanks Colin, excellent tutorial, and great to hear a Kiwi expression creeping in every now and then – only a New Zealander would describe an edge as ‘daggy’!
Honestly Mate your superb ! Thanks many times over… Everything of the best to you and you loved ones. 🙂