01
COPY A CHANNEL
Go to the Channels Panel (Window
Channels) and click through the channels
to ind the one that gives the best contrast
between subject and background- the Blue
Channel here. Drag it to the New Channel
icon to make a copy.
02
BOOST CONTRAST
Press Cmd/Ctrl+L for Levels. The
aim is to make the subject black and the
background white (although this can be the
other way around if it suits your image).
Squeeze in the black and white points to
add contrast to the channel.03
PAINT TO TIDY
Now we need to inish of by painting
over the image so that the subject is a solid
black block and the background is totally
white (or vice versa). Grab the Brush tool and
set the Blend Mode to Overlay in the Tool
options. Paint black over the shadows and
white over the highlights.
04
MAKE A CUTOUT
Hold Cmd/Ctrl and click on the Channel
to turn the white areas into a selection. If
you need to, invert the selection with Cmd/
Ctrl+Shift+I, then click the RGB Channel.
Click the Add Mask icon in the Layers Panel
to complete your cutout, then drop in a new
background if you like.