crop a head from a picture and save it

[Eclecticats]

I want to be able to crop a head from a picture that ends up the shape of the head and not a square box.

The type of head that newspapers and magazines put on different bodies.

I have included pictures of famous people that shows only their heads. The background is black. If I take one of these heads and place it on, say, my husbands body, it will not look like a real head. You see the black square around Rush's head. It does not look real. How do I cut around and get the exact shape of his head?


Do you understand what I mean?
I have Photoshop Elements 6.0 and Photoshop CS3 and cannot for the life of me figure out how to do it.
I tried using the lasso, but I cannot keep it straight and their heads come out crooked and uneven.

[Tina_B]

I am afraid that you will have to select just he head and then place it on a transparent layer. Take your time and zoom in and you can do the selection. It just takes some practice.
Tina B

[frank abramonte]

Select the head using any one of a number of methods.
Chances are you would be best suited in using the brush or magic extractor.
I find using the brush gives more control. Begin with a small diameter brush to isolate the details, then switch to a wider brush to delete the remaining background.
After isolating the head continue to paint away the rest of the photo so that the head is the only item left.

You can drag the head onto a smaller document size, thereby, making a smaller file.
Just make sure the new document is that same resolution as the one the head is coming from.

In the future you can select the head using the magic wand.
Using the magic wand with a tolerance of 5 click on the white background of the head photo.
Then go to Select>Inverse (this will allow you to move only the silhouetted head)
Using the move tool drag the head onto any other photo or document.
Now you can position and adjust the size as you wish.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1SVUkeVIFJc6Ek7g8VytFcFXbjsRc_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1SVUkeVIFJc6Ek7g8VytFcFXbjsRc)

[Brent Stone]

Frank...after the desired object is selected...could you go into more detail on the process of placeing that object onto the second photo? Ie. placeing it in a layer, adjusting pix 1. size in the context of pix2., etc. Thanks a bunch!!! Brent

[frank abramonte]

Brent:
Once your head is silhouetted on a white background you can select it by using the magic wand.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1gGon8kJjgoin2cvwgvYeFmbGgoPv_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1gGon8kJjgoin2cvwgvYeFmbGgoPv)


You can go to Select>Feather and apply a feather of 1 or 2 to help soften the edges and make it blend better.
Click on the white background then go to Select>Inverse.
You will now be able to drag the head onto any other open photo.
Make a new layer on the receiving photos and drag the head onto it.
If the head and the receiving photo are not the same size and resolution you will have to scale (resize) the head to the same scale (size) as the receiving photo.
Note that the head I dragged over is too small for the receiving photos, therefore I will have to scale (enlarge) it.
Go to Image>Resize>Scale.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1iSRrhG2e1MQ75plKiUJv1SZoHevXt_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1iSRrhG2e1MQ75plKiUJv1SZoHevXt)

A little 2 pointed arrow will appear. This indicates that you can reduce and/or enlarge the selection.
Proceed to place the arrows in any of the corners and while holding down the shift key and mouse button begin to drag outward. You will see the head getting larger. When you have reached the desired size release shift key and mouse button.
Now with the move tool gradually move the head into the final position.
You can also rotate the head by going to Image>Rotate, or any other adjustment listed under image.
Your only problem here is if the new head does not quite cover the old head.
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/10HaGqK2k70JU8IGTy6NQk3f7N7Jl_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=10HaGqK2k70JU8IGTy6NQk3f7N7Jl)


Depending on what's in the background will determine the next step. There are too many to explain at this time.
Perhaps you can get to this point and post a photo so we can see which is the best solution for you.
One thing you can try is using the smudge tool to blend the background into the new head, thereby.

NOTE: If possible cover the old head by copying some background over it, this way when you move the new head in position non of the old head will show only the background you copied.
Post back with your progress.

[Brent Stone]

Frank...thanks for your help. Could you go into more detail on the process of overlaying one pix onto another. I have the object selected but I don't understand the process of putting it on it's own layer, sizeing and moveing the overlay, etc. Thanks again for your info...Brent