[Dutchie]

Is there an easy way of changing your background. A few pixalo members have changed a background for me on a photo of me and my nan, but i can't figure out how it is done.

Can anyone tell me please? The only way i can think of is to make new background and cut the people out and paste into new background. But i'm sure that is not how some of you guys have done it.

[Les Meehan]

If you are changing a complicated background, then you have stated the method normally used.

If you simply want to change the colour of a plain background then this is usually easier (the Replace Color command in Photoshop, or try using a Selective Color Adjustment Layer in Photoshop. The Adjustment Layer method allows you to use a Layer Mask to remove unwanted changes to the figures clothing etc.). You may still need to make a selection of the figures though.

[Boofers]

Les basically explained it with layer masking, if you understand layer masking you can do anything by copying from any photo a new layer above your background and using a mask to blend them together using the paint brush tool adding white and black to the layer mask itself. In photoshop open the layer's palette and find the "add layer mask" button on the bottom tool bar of the palette. You can see a new layer mask when you see a white square next to your picture or layer selected in the palette. It will be outlined with a heavier line around it, make sure you watch this because it is one clue that your painting on the mask and not the picture. If you haven't tried it already, layer masking is the main key to PS work. It is easier then you might think.

Boofers

[Rob Barron]

If it's a plain or fairly plain background, you can also use another method:

~ Make a new layer underneath and fill it with the colour you want
~ Use a blending mode to bring the BG colour through the old colour. Experiment because you'll find different modes work well in different situations.

This mode doesn't work so well if there are the same colour tones in the picture as the BG as they get blended as well.

In order to stop the BG looking too clean-cut, you can make a mottled BG first....

~ Select a FG and BG colour that work together, a light and dark cream for instance.
~ Go to Filters > Render > Clouds
~ Go to Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur and blur it to a softer blend as per your own taste.

There you go, a mottled BG as good as using a background in a studio... well, almost

There are hundreds of ways of doing BGs and the one I would use a lot less is cutting the subject out, that is a bit of a fag, even using the Extract tool. But it can be very useful with the mottled BG effect above because you can then apply a drop shadow to your subject which then separates the subject from the BG better and more naturally. Use a very sift shadow, not too harsh.

Have fun playing

Cheers,
Rob

[Dutchie]

Originally Posted by Rob Barron

If it's a plain or fairly plain background, you can also use another method:


Have fun playing

Cheers,
Rob

Thanks very much Rob I will have a play with this. I don't like cutting out as it looks fake as you said. Thats why i asked for another method.

[jusu]

Here you can find also good tutorial Photoshop Tutorial - Change or Remove Image Background

[Dutchie]

Very usefull indeed. I'm gonna try it tomorrow