Changing a background completely in Photoshop 4

[pam2]

Does anyone know if I can cut the subject from a picture, add a totally

different background...let's say solid black..and add back the cut out subject

in photoshop 4? THanks a bunch. Pam Vasquez

[steve_dunn2]

<p>Sure. There are a number of ways to do it, but they all boil down to finding some way of tracing the outline of the subject, then either erasing the background or copying the subject into another layer. There are a number of selection tools which you could use to assist in this task.</p>

[pam2]

Hi Steve...I am using the magnetic lasso tool and then trying to get the edges to not look so obvious so that it blends when I cut and paste...but I don't know how to do that. Also, I am creating another layer with a solid color and I can't seem to transfer the image to it. I am really very new to photoshop. Any tips would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks, Pam Vasquez

[austinphoto]

Pam: I use cs2, but I would think it's the same. Use the Magnetic lasso tool and carefully trace around the subject. With lots of practice, you'll really get better at it. It took me a while to be able to cut properly. Anyway, after you meet the ends of your lasso and the image to be cut is defined, the easiest way to do this is edit-cut-open new bacground photo and hit paste onto new photo. If the image is too large or too small, control t will put handles around it for you to resize, or on top, you can increase or reduce percentage. With practice it gets easier. Good luck!

[pam2]

Thanks for your response Abe...I know what you mean about the lasso tool and I think I have that down pat...my problem is that the edges once cut and pasted to a different background still look a little harsh and I thought there must be a way to make them softer so they blend wherever they are pasted? Maybe not...but I was wondering.

 

Also...creating a seperate layer and pasting into it is posing a problem for me. I know I am missing a step somewhere. THanks again. PAM

[steve_dunn2]

<p>You might try feathering the selection to soften up the edges a bit. It is indeed tough to get it to look at least somewhat natural, at least for someone like me with very modest Photoshop skills. If you don't feather, you get harsh-looking edges. If you do feather, sometimes you'll get a bit of colour from the old background bleeding into the new one. One thing that's sometimes worked for me is to copy the subject into a new layer, then view only that layer at high magnification (200% usually works well for me) and, very carefully, go at it with the eraser tool to trim unwanted bits off the edges of the selection. Also, I often use multiple tools to create the selection in the first place - for instance, using the magnetic lasso to get it mostly right, then adding and subtracting little bits with the regular lasso to get the selection just right. Remember that some selection tools, including the magnetic lasso, have controls to adjust how they work, such as how high the contrast has to be in order for the magnetic lasso to consider it an edge. There's no one-size-fits-all approach here so if you're like me, you'll just have to play with it until you figure out what works.</p>

 

<p>As for putting the layers back together, it's not that tricky once you get the hang of it. When you copy the subject into a new layer, it will be on top, with the original image (the background layer) underneath. You can then work on the background layer to turn it into whatever you want it to be. Or you can create another new layer and place it above the background but below the subject layer. If you accidentally get a layer in the wrong spot, don't worry; you can drag and drop them to rearrange them. Make sure that each layer above the background is at 100% opacity, which is the default, and anything on that layer will obscure anything on a lower layer.</p>

 

<p>When you're finished, you can save the whole thing, layers included, in some formats such as TIFF or PSD, which lets you retain the layers in case you want to fix something up later. Or, if you're all done, flatten the image and save in whatever format you like.</p>

[jim mucklin]

Pam I use ps 7, I am not sure about 4 an this is by no means a turorial, but make sure your palletes are open and duplicate your image, that way you still have your orginal, then minimize this image so there is room on your screen for: File>new document> set the size,color,etc that you want. Now you have two image boxes on the screen at the same time.Go back to your first document and use extract(do a search here) then get your move tool and move it onto the second document.Like I said I don't know if this will work in 4 and there are many ways, but this way you have the backround you want and you are sliding the cutout(extracted) image on to it. Check out Russell Brown's site on extraction.

Jim

[debwire]

Has anyone ever tried this alternative:

 

1. Copy image to new layer.

2. Go to Image > Adjustments > Curves

...and then move the top or bottom to your desired background color (white or black)

3. Use your eraser to outline and completely erase any blowouts on your object, leaving the background at its new color

4. Flatten image so that the object remains in its original state but now the background has changed.

 

This method seems almost easier than the lasso tool -- but is it as effective/good? Other thoughts.

[paul -]

Pamela, it sounds like you could greatly benefit from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735712794/qid=1152191007/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-6800025-5915020?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"Photoshop Masking & Compositing" </a>by Katrin Eismann. It covers <I>everything</i> you need to know (and more!) about the subject.

[tim_biehn]

This a link a video tutorial that might help.

http://www.radiantvista.com/workbench/

It's the tutorial with the horses in the fore ground.

[bill koenig]

Follow this link, it will tell you step by step, how to do this.

 

http://www.radiantvista.com/archive/photoshop_workbench/34/