How To Remove Complex Background in Photoshop | Photoshop Tutorials

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to effectively remove complex backgrounds in Adobe Photoshop. This skill is essential for graphic designers, photographers, and anyone who wants to create professional-looking images by isolating subjects from intricate backgrounds.

Step 1: Open Your Image

• Launch Adobe Photoshop and open the image from which you want to remove the background.
• Use the shortcut Ctrl + O (Windows) or Cmd + O (Mac) to quickly open your file.

Step 2: Select the Subject

• Use the Quick Selection Tool or the Magic Wand Tool to outline the subject you want to keep.
  • Quick Selection Tool: Click and drag over the subject to select it.
  • Magic Wand Tool: Click on the area you want to select. Adjust the tolerance in the options bar if needed.
• For more accuracy, you can hold down the Shift key to add to the selection or the Alt (Option) key to subtract from it.

Step 3: Refine Your Selection

• Go to Select in the menu bar and choose Select and Mask.
• Use the following tools within the Select and Mask workspace:
  • Refine Edge Brush Tool: This tool helps smooth out the edges around hair and complex areas.
  • Smooth: Adjust the smoothness of the selection edges.
  • Feather: Softens the edge of the selection by blurring it.
• Adjust the sliders and preview the changes in real-time.

Step 4: Create a New Layer Mask

• Once satisfied with your selection, click OK to return to the main workspace.
• In the Layers panel, click the Add Layer Mask button to create a mask based on your selection. This will hide the background while keeping your subject visible.

Step 5: Clean Up the Edges

• If there are still remnants of the background, select the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
• Use a soft brush with black color to paint over areas you want to hide and white to reveal areas again.
• Adjust the brush size and hardness for more precise editing.

Step 6: Final Adjustments

• If desired, add a new background layer underneath your subject for a complete composition.
• You can also apply filters or adjustments to enhance the final image.

Conclusion

You've successfully learned how to remove complex backgrounds in Photoshop. This process involves selecting your subject, refining the selection, and using layer masks for non-destructive editing. Practice these techniques to improve your skills, and consider exploring additional Photoshop tutorials for more advanced techniques. Happy editing!