Absolute Beginner's Guide to Digital Photography

■ Edge Contrast. If the tool isn’t “sticky” enough, enter a higher Edge

Contrast value. Edge contrast tells the Magnetic Lasso tool how much

contrast must exist between the subject and the background.

■ Frequency. If the Magnetic Lasso is setting too many points, enter a

smaller number in this field. Frequency tells Photoshop how often to set

points.

3. Press Ctrl+D or Select, Deselect to remove the selection.

Single Row and Single Column Marquees

The row and column marquees enable you to create dramatic borders and dividers

within images. These tools benefit from Photoshop’s powerful options toolbar, which

includes icons for creating a new selection, adding to an existing selection, subtract-

ing from an existing selection, and intersecting a selection. The following steps

demonstrate how these marquee tools are used. Photoshop Elements does not

include these tools, but the Rectangular Marquee tool can be used as a last resort:

1. Press and hold down the cursor on the Rectangle Marquee tool until the fly-
   out menu appears.


2. Select the Single Row Marquee Tool.


3. In the options toolbar for the Single Row Marquee tool, click the Add to
   Selection icon (see Figure 11.4).

CHAPTER 11 ADVANCED SELECTION TOOLS 155

FIGURE 11.4
The Add to
Selection icon.

4. Click anywhere in the image several times. Notice the rows that appear.


5. Press and hold down the cursor on the Single Row Marquee tool in the tool-
   bar and select the Single Column Marquee Tool.


6. Click anywhere in the image several times. Notice that several columns of
   marching ants also appear.


7. With several rows onscreen, choose Edit, Fill and fill with either all white or
   all black.


8. Press Ctrl+H (xH for Mac users) to hide the marching ants. Notice what
   you’ve created—black bars (see Figure 11.5).