STEP BY STEP BETTER BACKGROUNDS

Create a cut-out of your chosen shot and change the background for a studio-style result

01 PICK BACKGROUND AND PASTE SUBJECT

Download the Virtual Background Pack to your computer, then select the one you want to use. (You can change your mind later.) Right-click on the backdrop and select Open With>photoshop CC. Now open your portrait (or use Loretta.jpg for practice); when it’s on screen, press Ctrl/cmd+a to select it, then Ctrl/cmd+c to copy it, then Ctrl/cmd+w to close it. Back in the Background image, press Ctrl/cmd+v to paste in your picture as a new layer. Now press Ctrl/ Cmd+t and drag the corner handles to size your subject within the frame. Press Return when done.

02 SELECT YOUR SUBJECT

Click on the Quick Selection tool; in the Options bar at the top, click Select Subject. Photoshop does its best to isolate the subject, but it’s unlikely to be perfect. For a better result, include areas that are missing by dragging the brush over them. To remove areas, hold Alt and drag the brush. You can adjust the brush size with the square bracket keys [ and ], so take your time and get the best selection you can. If some areas don’t work, select the Lasso tool, and add (hold Shift) or subtract (hold Alt) by drawing around the area. Once you have a your selection, click Select And Mask in the Options bar.

03 REFINE YOUR SELECTION

In the Select And Mask panel, choose Onion Skin under View, and move the Transparency slider to the left and right to see the old and the new background, and check how well the cut-out is working. Pay attention to the edges of the subject; if needed, select the Refine Edge brush and click on Refine Hair in the Options bar before painting over problem edges. To clean up and add or subtract solid areas, use the Brush tool in its + or mode in the Options bar. You need to do more manual work with tricky selections. Using the Black & White mode in View enables you to see your mask to keep track of where you are.

04 OUTPUT YOUR MASK INTO LAYERS

With a good mask made, try ticking the Decontaminate Colors box under Output settings. If it gives a better effect, leave it ticked, but if not, you can untick it to revert. Once you’re happy, go to the Output To dropdown box and select New Layer With Layer Mask. Click OK and you return to your layered document. If needed, you can further refine your mask by painting black or white into the mask with the Brush tool. If you want to change the background to a different one, simply drag and drop a new background image directly into the image, and place it above the current background in the Layers panel.