PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 107
3
UsetheRectangleToolto subtract
Withtheoutlineof yoursubjectselected,youmay
notice some areas have been included in the selection
in error. To fix this, go to the Mode menu in the Toolbar and
choose Rectangle. This works in the same way as Lasso, but
si nce you don’t have to rely on freehand, it’s easier for covering
la rger areas, or any sections where you don’t need to be as
pr ecise. Hold down the Alt key, which will allow you to subtract
ar eas from the selection, then click and drag over any areas
th at you don’t wish to be included, such as the space between
our subject’s arm and leg. Repeat this as required around the
su bject’s outline, ensuring you hold Alt to subtract, or the Shiftkey
to add to your selection where necessary. Once you’re happythat
yo ur selection is as accurate as possible, move on to Step4.
4
RefineyouredgewithSelectandMask
Torefinetheedgesof theselection,go toSelect>
Select and Mask. In the palette that appears, set the
View to Overlay to make it easier to spot any errors. In the Global
Refinements section, set Smooth to 15 and Contrast to 10%.
Leave Feather at 0 for a sharp edge, or move the slider to the right
if you want a softer edge. Click on the Refine Edge Brush Tool (R)
and brush over any fine detail areas, such as hair, to include them
in your selection, then click OK. Open your new background
image. Press Ctrl+A to select it, Ctrl+C to copy it, then go to
your original image of the subject and hit Ctrl+V to paste in the
new background. In the Layers palette (Window>Layers), click
your subject layer and drag it above your new background layer.
Use Free Transform (Ctrl+T) to resize and reposition as required.