Extracting a Subject from a Background

By Liz Ness · Issue: May/June 2011 (V8N3)

· 16 Comments · Add to my favorites · Print

This companion piece to Liz Ness’ “Composite Master Class,” from the May/June issue, shows Liz’s method for creating the quick extraction of a subject from a background.

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This entry is filed under Magazine, Members, Selections and Blending, Video Tutorials.

16 Replies to Extracting a Subject from a Background:

eugen
April 30, 2011 at 10:23 am

Just…..GREAT.
Philip
May 1, 2011 at 1:38 pm

OK until you started creating all those layers. Could not make notes fast enough.
James
May 4, 2011 at 4:07 pm

This Video and “Polaroid-Style out of Bounds Effect” stopped 3/4 of the way thru. Running Win 7.
Christopher
May 18, 2011 at 8:34 am

Great tutorial worked fine on my Windows 7 system.
David
June 27, 2011 at 9:05 am

Works with people hair real good. Not so good with a shaggy dog hair with my dog. Was a little confusing towards the end what with all the layers but I think you can get through the tutorial.
Dave
July 20, 2011 at 12:34 pm

Would like to see this as a printed, step-by-step article in a future magazine issue. I agree with Philip above. It gets too complicated with the layers to follow and take notes. Thanks!
- Rick LePage
  July 20, 2011 at 1:29 pm
  
  Thanks for the feedback – I’ll pass it along to Kelly.
  
  We might also look into just doing a cheatsheet for this video.
  
  Rick
  - Kathleen
    August 4, 2011 at 8:16 am
    
    Have you had a chance to make a cheatsheet for this video? I would love to have one as well.
    
    Thanks. Kathy
Sherry
July 21, 2011 at 7:49 am

Hi,
My daughter has gotten a divorce and we have a great picture with her ex in it. Can I remove him using this technique? How fill in remaining hole? any advice would be welcome as I really want to save the picture. Thank you.
- Rick LePage
  July 24, 2011 at 2:11 pm
  
  Sherry,
  
  You can definitely use this type of technique for removing individuals. I’d also look at the Recompose tool. Depending upon how complicated the background is, and the line-up of people, that might work too.
  
  Elements 8′s Recompose Tool
  
  More on the Recompose Tool
  
  One note – really good compositing does take time and patience. Save often and use lots of layers.
  
  Rick
Rick LePage
August 8, 2011 at 2:21 pm

Just wanted to let folks know that there’s now a cheatsheet with this video. The link is in the ‘Related Articles and Links’ section above. Cheers!

Rick
Robert
September 7, 2011 at 8:09 pm

It didn’t work acceptably on whispy strands of long hair.
LOUIS
September 26, 2011 at 7:50 am

Regarding “It gets too complicated with the layers to follow and take notes…”, I use tutorials like this all the time and simply pause and play for taking notes. Also, I have a 21″ wide LCD monitor, where I have PSE9 open on the left and run the tutorial on the right. With pause & play, I can operate PSE9 and step through the tutorial at my own pace.
George
December 27, 2011 at 8:38 pm

Whe Liz began by saying that she is impatient with making selections, she definitely got my attention, however, I’m not so sure that this method is quicker than some of the alternatives, including zooming in on the edges of the hair when using the Quick Selection tool.

On the other hand, it’s good to know that there are alternative methods available when needed.
George
December 27, 2011 at 8:39 pm

P.S. The Cheat Sheet is VERY helpful.
Selig
December 27, 2012 at 11:42 am

Too rapid, too matter of fact. Works great for someone accustomed to using this on a regular basis. As a tutorial it might as well have been in Chinese.