Expert: LizaL - 5/5/2005

Question
Hello LizaL,
I work for a small online retailer selling clothing.  
One of our problems when taking pictures of our inventory is that we cannot cut the background out effectively, leaving jagged edges or a total inability to cut a hat (for example) around its edges.  What do we do?  Weve tried the magnetic lasso tool, the wand and even gave a stab at the filter for extracting images to no abail.  Can you help us out?  Also, what kind of lights should we get to help better our situation.  
Thank you so much for your time, its greatly appreciated,
sincerely,
Alex.



Alex Vigo
alexvigo@gmail.com

Answer
Hi Alex,

You've got several options. Now you've already mentioned a couple of the options I'd suggest using -- like the Extract filter and the magnetic lasso -- but maybe you need some tips on fine-tuning these tools. More on those in a minute.

But have you tried quick mask? Basically, quick mask lets you mask part of an image, delete the rest of the image -- thus isolating your selection. Then all you have to do is clean up the edges around your selection.

The quick mask buttons are located just below your swatches in your tool palette. Double-click on the one on the right to enter quick mask. From there, select the Selected Areas option. Choose a brush from your tools palette, and paint the area you wish to select. When you're finished, click on the exit quick mask button, which is just to the left of the one you clicked on to *enter* quick mask. What you painted will be an active selection. To delete the background, select Inverse from the Select pulldown menu, then Cut from the Edit pulldown menu.

You'll have to go back in and do some fine-tuning, of course. Select your eraser tool, choose the brush option for it, and brush away any ragged edges that remain from your selection. Trim or crop your file, and you're finished!

Take a look at this movie I made, and you'll see how I cut the background out, leaving the dog's "hat":
http://little-works.com/all_experts/quick_mask_hat.mov


-- Also, I'd give some more though to using the Extract filter. It does basically what I just did in the movie, but faster. No, it's not the most precise tool in the world, but it's a start to a selection that you can clean up afterwards.

Another movie, using the same image:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/extract.mov

The thing with the Extract filter is to change brush sizes to accommodate your selection when you're outlining it -- and also to remember that it's not precise, and you'll have to go back and do some cleanup.


-- Magnetic lasso works, but you need to work with it, and be prepared to clean up afterwards. Check this out and see if it helps:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/mag_lasso.1.mov

I think the key to this tool is making sure you have the correct options set for your particular image. The options, at least in Photoshop CS, are in the options bar at the top of the screen.


-- I think the most tedious way of isolating a selection -- albeit the most precise -- is by using the pen tool.

Select the pen tool from the tools palette, and closely define a path all around the object you want to isolate. Then, in your paths palette, go to the flyout menu on the side and choose Make Selection. Then go to the Select menu and choose Inverse. Go to the Edit pulldown menu and select cut, and your background is gone, leaving the selection. You'll still have to go in and clean up, but if it's a really important shot and you need to be very precise, you might want to consider using the pen tool.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/pentool.mov



I hope these techniques help, but bear in mind that no matter what you do, if it's an important product shot, you'll definitely need to go in and clean it up.


About your lighting -- I've directed many photo shoots, but without seeing your products set up, and without seeing your studio setup, I can't say how the shots should be lit. And it all depends on how you want people to see your products, as to how you should light them. But I can refer you to a good vendor for photography tools (i.e., lights), BH Photo:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/


Hope this helps!

Lisa