Any Photoshop gurus around?

[Defiant]

What is the quickest way to remove everything other than the people in the foreground of an image using Photoshop? I have used the Quick Mask (which is not very quick) and the Extract filter with fairly decent results, but I know there has to be a way to accomplish the same thing quicker, with a cleaner end-result image. I am using Photoshop 7 and Photoshop CS2. Any assistance on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Newton]

Quick is not good man .. The best way is to place the image on a new layer above the background, then make the background/or previous layer something like lime green and as vibrant as you can bear. Go to the layer with the image in it and start using the paintbrush on 5 pixel soft edge and the mode drop down set to Clear .. then proceed to trace around the edge of the image carefully, changing the brush widths as required.Just remove the rest of the background with either the magic wand or with the marquee tool/paintbrush of larger size to leave just the image. Once it is all done you will be left with an image you can place on any background.

[Dravyk]

I usually use the lasso polygon tool, close trace the outline of the person. Where there's a sharp angle I go close, when it comes to hair and other things of a "fuzzier or busier" nature, I go a few pixels outside. Then paste to a white background and take out the extraneous with a white paintbrush. Finish with a small diameter blur tool for any minor bumps, and then copy that onto the image I'm "chopping".

[Serenity]

Originally Posted by Dravyk

I usually use the lasso polygon tool, close trace the outline of the person. Where there's a sharp angle I go close, when it comes to hair and other things of a "fuzzier or busier" nature, I go a few pixels outside. Then paste to a white background and take out the extraneous with a white paintbrush. Finish with a small diameter blur tool for any minor bumps, and then copy that onto the image I'm "chopping".

Whatever he said. Actually, I've been using Photoshop for years and for me the easiest way has been with the Polygon tool. Just be careful to select smaller pieces, because sometimes it slips. I also then throw it on a colored background, just to make sure I have deleted everything. It is time consuming, but you get the best silhouettes this way.

[Weg Cory]

I am a huge fan of the Quickmask, but Newton just changed my strategy. Excellent post.

[WickedTemptress]

I usually just use the extract tool to get the bulk of the background(as close to the edges of the part of the picture that I want to keep) removed, then I go in with the erase tool to do the detail work around the edges...

[Newton]

Thanks Cory its more time consuming, but you get a lovely soft edge without those random pixels on the edges ..

[ThrobX]

Big suggestion... Wacom Tablet. Here's a sufficient one for most any use:

http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/6x8.cfm

Kind of expensive, but very worth it, both for fluid Photoshop work and just for switching off between mouse and pen occasionally, to prevent repetitive motion problems. If you want it cheaper, look for it (or the equivalent sized version from their Intuos 2 line, which is the one that I have) on eBay.

[Inabon]

Originally Posted by ThrobX

Big suggestion... Wacom Tablet. Here's a sufficient one for most any use:

http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/6x8.cfm

Kind of expensive, but very worth it, both for fluid Photoshop work and just for switching off between mouse and pen occasionally, to prevent repetitive motion problems. If you want it cheaper, look for it (or the equivalent sized version from their Intuos 2 line, which is the one that I have) on eBay.

woe you really know your shit


go with this suggestion man it is worth it. trust me it saves you a shit load of time.

[ThrobX]

Originally Posted by Inabon

woe you really know your shit


go with this suggestion man it is worth it. trust me it saves you a shit load of time.

Thanks for the ups. I find new ways to save time with the Wacom tablet all the time, even in non-graphics software. It's the shit!