Removing Background in CS2

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal.

My daughter’s future mother in-law had sears take a few photos of the two. The problem being the color of the background and what they are wearing are very light. Almost white, Very little contrast. Can anyone give me a tip? The extract tool is just not cutting it.

rutt

Need to see the image.

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal.

rutt wrote:

Need to see the image.

Sorry it is now there

rutt

Now, what exactly do you want to do with this shot? Extract the couple and paste them onto a new background? Or just make it the best it can be as is? Before you set out to work on this, it's best to have some clear goals in mind.

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal.

all I want to do is get a clean selection of the couple

rutt wrote:

Now, what exactly do you want to do with this shot? Extract the couple and paste them onto a new background? Or just make it the best it can be as is? Before you set out to work on this, it's best to have some clear goals in mind.

rutt

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal. wrote:

all I want to do is get a clean selection of the couple

Yes, but why? Do you want to clean up the background? Replace it? Perform some sort of corrections on the couple and not the background? What is your final goal here?

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal.

Yes I'm moving it to another background

rutt wrote:

Yes, but why? Do you want to clean up the background? Replace it? Perform some sort of corrections on the couple and not the background? What is your final goal here?

rutt

FWIW, there is quite a lot that I'd do to with image before I considered changing the background. I followed Dan Margulis' recipe (with some variations of my own) from the final chapter of his new LAB book (see http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=18203, or just goolgle "Dan Margulis") and arived here:



Your result will be a lot better starting with a high res original (or RAW, even better.)

The steps of the recipe:

1. Copy the green channel into a new layer. Change to blend mode to luminosity. Flatten. This greatly increases fleshtone detail and contrast.
2. Shadow/highlight to restore highlight details:
   
3. Convert to LAB. LAB curves to correct blue cast and add L contrast:
   
4. Make two duplicate layers.
5. In topmost duplicate layer, apply image A channel to A channel in overlay mode. Similarly in second layer, but B channel to B channel in overlay mode. This is like a not quite linear curve steepening to enhance fleshtone color differentiation.
6. Change blending opacity of topmost layer (with A channel overlay) to 68% to 68% to get realistic fleshtones (yellow >= magenta in CMYK). Flatten
7. Sharpen L channel conventionally to enhance sense of focus and sharpness The values for this will be very different on a full res original. See my sharpening tutorial.
8. Sharpen L channel again, this time High Radius, Low Amount, to enhance facial contrast and contours. Again, you will need very different values than I used with full res. Set Amount to around 50 and experiment with Radius between 10 and 30 (say). Keep threshold < 10.
9. Take to CMYK and steepen L curve a bit deepen shadows.
   
10. Voila

I know this seems like a long list, probably overwhelming. But the thing is it only took me a few minutes. Most if it can just be a PS action, it works with almost all portraits. The image started out in need of some correction before the overlay blends, the cast removal and contrast enhancement. That took a little judgement. Finding the right opacity for the A channel blend was nearly automatic, based on color sampler measurements.

I know I got quite a bit off topic here, but I've been playing with this recipe since I got my book and skipped ahead. Now about your selection... Well, I'be been known to outsource this particular step before. See: http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=39490&postcount=17

JetJockey

Something like this?
Are you looking for something like this? This took me about 5 Minns in Abobe CS2. if i was to send it to tablet it could be 100% perfect, i am just not sure what you are after

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal. wrote:

My daughter’s future mother in-law had sears take a few photos of the two. The problem being the color of the background and what they are wearing are very light. Almost white, Very little contrast. Can anyone give me a tip? The extract tool is just not cutting it.

JetJockey

or like this?

JetJockey wrote:

Are you looking for something like this? This took me about 5 Minns in Abobe CS2. if i was to send it to tablet it could be 100% perfect, i am just not sure what you are after

rutt

Please explain how you did it. Thanks. And what's "tablet"?

JetJockey

Here is the link for the Watcom Tablet http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm
The rest was done simply using quick mask mode in Adobe CS2

rutt wrote:

Please explain how you did it. Thanks. And what's "tablet"?

Adelphi03

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal. wrote:

all I want to do is get a clean selection of the couple

If you're struggling with the methods suggested so far you could always try the free Fluid Mask Demo discussed here. I've had great success with it in the past working on exactly this kind of thing.

john_k_rondeau@sbcglobal.

That’s incredible, great job!



Now I need a lesson in Quick Mask mode

JetJockey wrote:

Here is the link for the Watcom Tablet http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm
The rest was done simply using quick mask mode in Adobe CS2