PaulDalex
Dilettante artist
I like to make composite images.
So I need a background removal tool
In PS I have been working manually pixel by pixel because I have never been able to remove a background using PS tools.
This is very time consuming and, since sight is aging, my eyes start quickly to burn, and I have to work for say non longer than 20 minutes per day (in the rare days I have time to edit my photos).
I would like to automate this process.
My first attempt has been a loss of time. I downloaded fluid mask, but the installer crashed.
I would greatly appreciate suggestions
No on line tools
Windows for me, so no Mac only stuff
No toys (I have files from 6x9 film that are close to 1 GB)
Support for psd files 16 bit/channel
Any Help?
Thank you so much in advance for any tip
Paolo
So I need a background removal tool
In PS I have been working manually pixel by pixel because I have never been able to remove a background using PS tools.
This is very time consuming and, since sight is aging, my eyes start quickly to burn, and I have to work for say non longer than 20 minutes per day (in the rare days I have time to edit my photos).
I would like to automate this process.
My first attempt has been a loss of time. I downloaded fluid mask, but the installer crashed.
I would greatly appreciate suggestions
No on line tools
Windows for me, so no Mac only stuff
No toys (I have files from 6x9 film that are close to 1 GB)
Support for psd files 16 bit/channel
Any Help?
Thank you so much in advance for any tip
Paolo
retinax
Well-known
Sorry I can't really answer your question except referring you to YouTube, it's full of PS tutorials. But I don't think any automated tool is 100% satisfactory unless pictures were shot specifically for this purpose, with a strongly contrasting background, otherwise pixel-level work is always needed.
Might glasses for screen distance help with the eyes? Also, make sure your screen is not too bright (very common problem) or too dark or has something bright behind it. Sorry if that's too patronising.
Might glasses for screen distance help with the eyes? Also, make sure your screen is not too bright (very common problem) or too dark or has something bright behind it. Sorry if that's too patronising.
Ronald M
Veteran
Look for u tube videos on how to select hair. Best process out there and it is near perfect. Select the easiest thing and invert mask if required. Process involves making a rough selection and fine tuning for detail.
Have the background on a layer under and you get the new background. The two layers need to be same ppi and size.
PS is not something learned in a day. be patient and go one step at a time.
Have the background on a layer under and you get the new background. The two layers need to be same ppi and size.
PS is not something learned in a day. be patient and go one step at a time.
peterm1
Veteran
I have not done this for years and so have forgotten the finer details of technique.
One way I could approach it today though, is to use a combination of software - if that is required to get the edges right which, as I am sure you know is the difficult thing. You need software that is good at edge selection and auto masking plus software that has layers and the ability to "stack" images. Maybe Photoshop or something else cna do these two things. But for me that is two pieces of software though if you have software that does both in the one package, then that is great. I am assuming you are dealing with a complex image not a simple one say where you want to get rid of a uniformly bright blue sky (which is easy to select in most editing programs) to replace it with a more dramatic sky.
I often use Adobe Lightroom for basic edits (tone, white balance etc) then drop into another program which runs effectively as a plugin under Lightroom. The program I have in mind there is Corel Paintshop Pro but Photoshop would work too as both can be installed under Lightroom in this manner so images can be edited partly in one then partly in the other program where that is needed.
The point of using Lightroom is that it has a very effective auto mask feature that runs in conjunction with the adjustment brush. But it does not handle layers (needed to stack multiple images)
Lightroom's adjustment brush is great at selecting complex edges within a photo and doing it more or less automatically. Here is the video explaining it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSo_DuGC_a0
It is then possible to apply an edit in Lightroom to the selected area. One edit you could apply is a radical color change - say make the selected area bright red. The with that color change added you can click on the option to drop into Paintshop Pro or Photoshop (running as a plugin under Lightroom) and open the image with those edits in it. Because you now have an image with a bright red area that is easily selected by almost any selection function within editing software, you can use that program's native selection brush to select the bright red components (or whatever color you have chosen).
The point of course is to use the now brightly colored parts to make selection easier. You then have at least two options. You can either use the eraser brush to make the newly selected area transparent (which means if you insert a new layer below it that portion of the layer will then be visible through the partially transparent top layer. Or you can invert the selection and you now have the cut out image that you want to use in conjunction with some other background. Open the other image that you wish to import and combine with this image in Paintshop Pro or whatever editor you are using and size it to match the size of the other image. PSP has an option to open that image as a layer which you can then import as a layer of the first image. As long as the first image layer is on top you will only see the parts of the second image that you wish to see.
All a bit complex I am afraid - which is probably why I do not much bother. Also I can do it as I have both editing programs already, I imagine most would not bother buying two pieces of software just for this purpose.
There may be easier/ cheaper ways and if so I would like to hear it.
One way I could approach it today though, is to use a combination of software - if that is required to get the edges right which, as I am sure you know is the difficult thing. You need software that is good at edge selection and auto masking plus software that has layers and the ability to "stack" images. Maybe Photoshop or something else cna do these two things. But for me that is two pieces of software though if you have software that does both in the one package, then that is great. I am assuming you are dealing with a complex image not a simple one say where you want to get rid of a uniformly bright blue sky (which is easy to select in most editing programs) to replace it with a more dramatic sky.
I often use Adobe Lightroom for basic edits (tone, white balance etc) then drop into another program which runs effectively as a plugin under Lightroom. The program I have in mind there is Corel Paintshop Pro but Photoshop would work too as both can be installed under Lightroom in this manner so images can be edited partly in one then partly in the other program where that is needed.
The point of using Lightroom is that it has a very effective auto mask feature that runs in conjunction with the adjustment brush. But it does not handle layers (needed to stack multiple images)
Lightroom's adjustment brush is great at selecting complex edges within a photo and doing it more or less automatically. Here is the video explaining it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSo_DuGC_a0
It is then possible to apply an edit in Lightroom to the selected area. One edit you could apply is a radical color change - say make the selected area bright red. The with that color change added you can click on the option to drop into Paintshop Pro or Photoshop (running as a plugin under Lightroom) and open the image with those edits in it. Because you now have an image with a bright red area that is easily selected by almost any selection function within editing software, you can use that program's native selection brush to select the bright red components (or whatever color you have chosen).
The point of course is to use the now brightly colored parts to make selection easier. You then have at least two options. You can either use the eraser brush to make the newly selected area transparent (which means if you insert a new layer below it that portion of the layer will then be visible through the partially transparent top layer. Or you can invert the selection and you now have the cut out image that you want to use in conjunction with some other background. Open the other image that you wish to import and combine with this image in Paintshop Pro or whatever editor you are using and size it to match the size of the other image. PSP has an option to open that image as a layer which you can then import as a layer of the first image. As long as the first image layer is on top you will only see the parts of the second image that you wish to see.
All a bit complex I am afraid - which is probably why I do not much bother. Also I can do it as I have both editing programs already, I imagine most would not bother buying two pieces of software just for this purpose.
There may be easier/ cheaper ways and if so I would like to hear it.
PaulDalex
Dilettante artist
Retinax and Ronald, thank you.
After so many years of using PS I have a complete distrust. Anyway you never know, and I will take a look at those tutorials, although tutorial normally use toy problems and are not that useful.
Peter
The process seems to me complex and beyond my skills. I look for simplification and automation. Like draw a green line on the background and a red one on the foreground. Then the software does the rest.
Ultimately I am back to the plain eraser, 200% enlargement, and manual work. Fortunately, at least for the moment, I am left with a couple of cases, not the most difficult I have ever made (No hairs!).
Thank you all
I will let you know if I discover an useful plugin
Cheers
Paolo
BTW I have a semipro EIZO (Flexscan) which is certainly among the most forgiving monitor
After so many years of using PS I have a complete distrust. Anyway you never know, and I will take a look at those tutorials, although tutorial normally use toy problems and are not that useful.
Peter
The process seems to me complex and beyond my skills. I look for simplification and automation. Like draw a green line on the background and a red one on the foreground. Then the software does the rest.
Ultimately I am back to the plain eraser, 200% enlargement, and manual work. Fortunately, at least for the moment, I am left with a couple of cases, not the most difficult I have ever made (No hairs!).
Thank you all
I will let you know if I discover an useful plugin
Cheers
Paolo
BTW I have a semipro EIZO (Flexscan) which is certainly among the most forgiving monitor