{"id":4694,"date":"2020-09-30T16:40:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T16:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.la.utexas.edu\/kb\/?p=4694"},"modified":"2021-08-20T19:09:48","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T19:09:48","slug":"cutting-objects-out-in-photoshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sites.la.utexas.edu\/kb\/2020\/09\/30\/cutting-objects-out-in-photoshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Photography | Cutting Objects Out in Photoshop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Not all images are created alike, which means some pictures are harder to cut out than others. This tutorial allows you to cut out more intricate things, like curly hair and feathers with Levels and smoother objects with Quick Selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of this training you will:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Use Levels and layer masks to effectively remove subjects from their backgrounds<\/li>
  • Use quick select tool <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For the Levels section, pick 1 image to edit from Easy, Medium and Hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Note: The Levels method really only works well with high-contrast images. If you want to cut out, for example, a redhead curly-haired girl on a red brick background, you’d need to do some prep work beforehand. See the bottom of this training for how to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Easy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Medium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Hard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    do some brightening for this one first<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Getting started:
    <\/strong>Once you’ve opened your image in Photoshop, go to the “Channels” panel, next to layers. You’ll see some color options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Here, we have red, green, and blue color channels. Go through each one, paying attention to the contrast between the subject you want to cutout and the background. For my image, the highest contrast was in the blue <\/strong>channel, but yours could be in the green or red. Once you’ve picked your high-contrast channel, drag it to the “plus” sign at the bottom of the panel to make a copy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n