[Reminiscing]

I know there are different ways to extract people and objects. I have mostly just painstakingly erased pixels with the eraser tool. How do you do it? Does it depend on the object you're extracting and/or the background? I just upgraded from PSE5 to PSE9 a few months ago. Is there a new tool in PSE9 that works really well? Thank you for sharing your knowledge! If I get good at extracting, my kids will be so happy because sometimes they ask me to take a picture of them in a funny pose and then extract them and put them into a different background.

[bjc]

i use cs5 and i mostly use the masking tool so that if i erase by mistake and can put it back and easily redo... i am not sure if you have masking? and sometimes, especially wispy hair i find hard so i will see what others add to this post..good question

[AggieB]

It does depend on what I am extracting and I have a different software, so I can't talk about the tools. I am just figuring out masks, also. However, when I do use an eraser tool (or a selection tool), I hold the shift key down so that I get a straight line instead of just individual points. This makes a smoother edge. Of course the pieces of the line have to be very short around the curves.

[Cheri T]

There are many ways to do this, and it seems everyone has a different favorite method. I have tried several but am not sure which PSE has available as I use PSCS3. Do you have the magnetic lasso tool? It works fairly well if you go a bit slow. My personal favorite method is the pen tool, but I think that is specific to PS.

[April Showers]

I always use a mask when I'm doing an extraction so I can add little bits back in later if I need to. I have a little PS plug-in called re-mask that does a pretty good job with it.

[Belle]

I use PSE7 and use the Polygonal Lasso Tool.

[tiza126]

I extract with a lot of yelling and frustration...a glass of wine helps....

Oh, you mean what tools do I use?? When I had PSE 5, I would use the lasso tool or a large eraser to clear out the area around the object, then zoom in and use a very small eraser to clean up the edges. Now that I have PSE 9, I have layer masks, so I use those to do my extractions.

[SandiC.]

Kinda depends on what needs to be extracted. Often a layer mask works. I've also used the magic selection tool, lasso, and now I'm trying to learn to use the pen tool. I always duplicate the layer first. In CS5 there is a refine edges option which helps with small detail. When I'm photographing something that I know I'll later want to extract, I'll make sure there is good contrast with the background and try to avoid shadows. This is something I've learned takes lots and lots of practice to do really well.

[varanda]

I learned you don't want to enlarge more than 200% so I enlarge the image and tediously go around the edges with my polygonal tool. I tried the pen tool but my dinosaur brain thinks pen tool = Illustrator and I haven't successfully integrated the two concepts. I may never. It works for me but that's the fun part about this MB, everyone has a different way to do things and if it works, it's good but you may add different techniques others offer and then create your own method.

[Reminiscing]

LOL Tiza

Wow, so many possibilities! I can't wait to have a chance to practice them. Thanks everyone!

[PBarnes]

I have found the Extraction Tool in PSE to work pretty well on some photos. You really need a decent contrast between the subject and the background for it to work well. Like many others, I often end up using the eraser tool. You do have the availablity of Layer Masks now in PSE 9 so you can use that like the CS users do.

[teecee]

I see a lot of people use layer masks for extractions. I recently installed PSE9 and layer masks are new to me. I would love to use these for extractions, but I can't quite understand how a layer mask is used to do an extraction . Can someone explain how this is done? TIA

Never mind - I found my answer in Ro's Software Secrets Revealed. Ro to the rescue!

This post has been edited by teecee: 17 January 2011 - 12:06 AM

[Belle]

The layer mask in PSE9 sounds great. I have been trying to decide to upgrade. Think I will have to go for it.

[Eden]

tiza126, on 16 January 2011 - 12:20 PM, said:

I extract with a lot of yelling and frustration...a glass of wine helps....

Oh, you mean what tools do I use?? When I had PSE 5, I would use the lasso tool or a large eraser to clear out the area around the object, then zoom in and use a very small eraser to clean up the edges. Now that I have PSE 9, I have layer masks, so I use those to do my extractions.

Tee hee! Giggle!

[Schwabby]

I use the pen tool in Photoshop CS4, the beauty of this is you can go into the paths palette and save the path for editing later. I always work on a copy of the layer. I also use the channels palette. You choose the highest contrast color (it will be the red, green, blue or alpha layer)duplicate that layer and then use your levels to bring out the contrast so you have a black and white of the layer, sometimes you need to go in with the paint brush and touch up but this is a great technique for wispy hair and such. I am not familiar with Elements so I am not sure if it is in that program as well. From my experience you should be able to do something similar in other programs.