Cut images looking good in another photo

[tmalone893]

I'm in the process of making a sports poster. I understand how to make the backgrounds, text, lighting effects etc... but I have trouble with the images that I want to add to the background.

I've been taking basketball pictures all year. I have a few that I want to extract the player doing various shots. Everytime I use the magic extractor, it looks good on the preview but bad once copied to the new background. I feather 3px and defringe but they don't look good compared to what I've seen made. What I'm I doing wrong?

I have to go for now but I will check back this evening. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v6/p429261881-4.jpg

[Byron Gale]

Beautiful poster!

It looks to me that all that's required is for you to manually clean up the selections before you extract them.

Byron

[tmalone893]

Beautiful poster!

It looks to me that all that's required is for you to manually clean up the selections before you extract them.

Byron

Thanks!

See that is where I need the help. Everytime I try to clean them up I seem to make more jagged uneven edges.

What's the best way to remove the unneeded parts of the extracted image?

[Byron Gale]

Making good selections are one of the keys to great-looking composites.

I don't make much use of the Magic Extractor - I just never got the kind of results with it that I wanted - so I don't have any guidance with how to improve its performance. There are probably some others on the forum who use it successfully. Certainly, you are VERY close to what you need, and probably just need a couple of hints to tame it completely.

If I were doing it, though, I would probably approach the task using the Selection Brush. I'd use a larger brush to do most of the large areas, then zoom in and go over the edges with smaller brush tips. Beyond that, I'd probably switch to the Lasso in "Add to Selection" and "Remove from Selection" modes, as required, to even any gaps or over-spills of my selection edges.

I'll watch, along with you, to see what others may post with regard to using the Magic Extractor and neatening the selection edges.

Byron

[tmalone893]

Thanks for the reply. I'll also give the selection brush a shot.

[Diana]

That'll be a great-looking poster once you get the edges cleaned up. I really like it.

I always use the Polygonal Lasso tool to select subjects I want to extract. I know it's probably unorthodox because usually the subjects consist of rounded edges more than straight lines. But, I just click along in short increments all around the subject.

With this tool, I can control exactly where my selection goes. I usually select just inside the edge where the subject merges with its background so I'm sure I don't have any of the background included. I find taking the time to select exactly what I want is faster than using one of the "quick" selection tools and then having to take more time to clean it up.

Zoom way in on the image, then start at a point on the edge, and click click click. When you run out of space to select, press the spacebar to change the lasso to the Hand tool, then drag the image to view a new area, let up on the spacebar, and continue. If you make a click too far off your intended course, use the Backspace to backup however many clicks you need, then continue on.

When you complete going around the subject, join the selection to where you started. One tip - don't click too fast, if it's perceived by the computer you are double-clicking, it will think you want to connect with the starting point and draw a selection line right across the subject.

After the subject is completely selected, press Ctrl-J to copy the it to its own layer. Turn off the visibility of the background layer and add a blank layer filled with a contrasting color beneath the extracted subject, zoom in to at least 100% and see if any edges need cleaning up.

I clean up with a small hard-edged brush - usually doesn't need much. I don't feather the edges. Once I move or copy & paste the subject to its new background, I use the Blur tool to lightly blur the edge around the subject to help blend it into its new background.

Another method for blending the subject into its new background is to Ctrl-click on the subject's layer to get a selection from it. Go to Select > Modify > Contract - I usually enter 1 pixel, sometimes 2, depending on the image. Then Select > Inverse. Make sure the subject's layer is active. Now from the menu: Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur - enter a very small amount, say, .5 to .8 to blur just the outside pixel of the subject. You can actually do this method before moving your subject to its new background.

Hope this gives you some ideas so you can find the best way for your own workflow.

Diana

[tmalone893]

Hey Diana,
thanks for that info. Sounds like some great advice. I'll give it a try. I didn't even think about the Gaussian Blur.

[ChrisAnn]

Corey Barker has a video on the Quick Selection tool here

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31571

which talks about tidying up the edges.

[christellf]

Don't forget to put a drop shadow on each person & maybe try one of the blend modes on one of them or lower the opacity on one to give them some contrast.
Christell

[tmalone893]

Corey Barker has a video on the Quick Selection tool here

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31571

which talks about tidying up the edges.

Thanks for the video link.

Don't forget to put a drop shadow on each person & maybe try one of the blend modes on one of them or lower the opacity on one to give them some contrast.
Christell

Another great suggestions.

Just wanted to thank everyone that replied. Your help is greatly appreciated.:D

[emkayess65]

Hi Diana, that is a super terrific write up of my favorite selection technique.
Totally complete and detailed.

Why is it so hard to find converts to this technique??

Thanks for the tutorial. I have the link saved and will refer people to it.

mks

[Diana]

Thanks, Marie. I'm glad I'm not the only one marching to a different drummer. LOL:D

Diana

[tmalone893]

Went with the advice that you guys gave me. Thanks! You really helped me out. Here is the cleaned up version.

http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v6/p451754342-5.jpg

[Newtome]

You did a fantastic job. Which suggestions worked the best for you?
Elaine

[tmalone893]

You did a fantastic job. Which suggestions worked the best for you?
Elaine

I went with the Corey Barker video and did the quick selection and then zoomed in real close to erase the edges.

After that I took Diana's advice, "Another method for blending the subject into its new background is to Ctrl-click on the subject's layer to get a selection from it. Go to Select > Modify > Contract - I usually enter 1 pixel, sometimes 2, depending on the image. Then Select > Inverse. Make sure the subject's layer is active. Now from the menu: Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur - enter a very small amount, say, .5 to .8 to blur just the outside pixel of the subject. You can actually do this method before moving your subject to its new background."

[riversidema]

Wonderful job! Even the space between finger and basketball. The lightning bolt was a great touch too. The only spot that for some reason stood out to me was on (my right) there was an area missed between the knee caps. This is going to make a fantastic poster!

[Sepiana]

tmalone893,

What a difference! You did a great job!

[Sepiana]

Diana,

Thanks so much! These detailed instructions are very helpful. You got a convert here.:)

[tmalone893]

The only spot that for some reason stood out to me was on (my right) there was an area missed between the knee caps.
Thanks for pointing that out. I missed it entirely. One more correction.

Diana,

Thanks so much! These detailed instructions are very helpful. You got a convert here.:)

I've just started reading the forum and I can tell by Diana's other post that she is a big help here.

[Sepiana]

I've just started reading the forum and I can tell by Diana's other post that she is a big help here.


Yes, indeed. Your final results are proof of that. You did an excellent job!

[Diana]

Thanks, folks. Always glad to help.:)

Diana

[rewardgal]

Beautiful banner - I enjoy seeing an image go through such improvement successfully!