Image Retouching 101: How To Remove The Background Of An Image In 3 Easy Steps

A picture is worth a thousand words. This phrase has never been truer as it is in today’s society. The drive for perfection means that every angle is scrutinized. This is why it is important for any company to ensure that their media portfolio has undergone polishing to help create a professional image and make their brand stand strong in the industry. That said, availing of professional photo editing services can be expensive and for startup companies, it would affect their budget. One way to get around this is by using Photoshop which is a convenient and affordable way to do photo editing. Below is a quick tutorial on how to remove the background of any photo using Photoshop.

Choosing an Image

The first step in editing is choosing the image you want to edit. For beginners, it is best to choose an easy image to work on. Avoid any images that have fine details such as hair or fur as it is difficult and time-consuming for beginners to do this task. Opt for a large subject matter such as a fruit or any inanimate object.

Removing the Image

Once you choose an image, open it up in Photoshop. There are 3 ways to choose the subject in your image. You can either choose the “Quick Selection Tool”, “Magic Wand Tool” or the “Lasso Tool”. The Quick selection will allow you to select the background that you want to remove. A “+” will add the area to what you want to remove and a “-“will remove it from the selection. Once you choose the area you want to remove, right-click and then select “inverse”. By choosing “inverse” you will remove the background and retain the main subject on the layer.

Refining the Image

After removing the background, you will see that there are some rough edges on your main image. You can refine this by clicking the “Refine mask” tool. The tool will help you to smooth the edges as well as change the contrast of the output. A preview is provided so you will be able to determine if the resulting image is to your liking. If you have an image with plenty of hair or other tricky areas, the tool will also pick up these areas when you click on “Show the radius” button. Click and drag the button to make changes to your image. Once you are happy with your image, save the file as a .JPEG or a PDF.

Practicing will make you feel more at ease with working with photo editing; however, if you are working on a complex project, it is important that you consult a professional photo editing provider. This will help make your images look professional and world-class.