I am looking for the best method for extracting a person out of a picture to place on a different background. I have played with the extraction tool for hours, following several tutorials on it with no luck what so ever. either I am doing something wrong or that tool isn't as easy and effective as the tutorials let on

just cut him out .. and paste him to other image
Its that simple ..or do i mis something?

Chris

The most precise (tedious but rewarding) way of doing this I find is using the pen tool to set a series of vertices around the item. Using the ctrl key will allow you to edit the points individually while holding down the Alt key will allow you to change the vertex from bezier to corner and back. While laying down the vertices you can also add vertices by hovering the pen tool over a segment line or subtract vertices by hovering over one of the points. Further, while in pen tool mode you can press the “ctrl+space bar” and “Alt+space bar” keys to zoom in and out respectively for closer placement of the points. Once the item is completely within the path go to the path palette and while holding down the ctrl key click on the layer containing the path. This will select the item then press ctrl+J to copy the selected item onto its own separate layer. Or ctrl+shift+J to cut the figure out and onto its own layer.

Quest

Forgot to mention that alternately you can also use the polygon lasso tool to do the same thing faster but with less precision. There are also other ways using different filters in combinations but so far I find none as accurate as the pen tool method.

Quest

@Quest, thanks alot for the tips going to start with them in the morning

I have seen this programme - never used it - cant afford it but it looks interesting

http://www.vertustech.com/fm_overview.htm

Has anyone else tried this programme

Eddie

Here's what I do. It a tedious way to do it, but it gets the best results for me, and I composite a LOT. Try to start out with a reasonably high rez image. This process doesn't work so well when you're working too small. Use the lasso tool to draw a loose line around the object/person you want to cut out. Hit edit, copy Paste the selected area into the photo you want to composite it into. Click on the bottom layer in the layers palette. Go to layers, add new layer. Use the paintbucket to fill the new layer with white, or a color of your choice. This isolates the object you painted on a white background. Zoom in until you can see pixel level. Use the lasso tool to select and delete everything around the object that isn't the object itself, background, etc, so that all you have left is the object. on a white background. Click on the white background layer and drag it to the garbage to delete it. Now ctrl click on the object layer to select it.  Go to select invert. Go to select/modify/expand. Expand the selection by 1 pixel. This selects just the outer edge of your object. Go to filter/blur/gaussian blur. Blur it at about 1.5. This will serve to blur the outer edges of your object, which will cause it to blend in better with the image you're compositing it into. then use free transform to move it, side it, etc.

That's just the beginning, though. To do a seamless job, you have to match the color balance, saturation, lighting and shadows, etc. It gets a little more complex if you have objects in front of the objecdt you're compositing as well. Compositing is an art, it really is.

I tend to use everything from the Pen Tool, the Lasso Tool, Layer Masks, etc. Each job has an "appropriate tool" that works better than others, and it's usually in conjunction with another - so it's not like one tool will always do it.

I know you were looking for something simpler - sorry - but cutting out people is a difficult thing to make realistic (hair is usually the PITA that sticks out), and it'll probably end up being a few tools and techniques.

And then, like Bonestructure said above, you THEN have to mix it into the new environment so it doesn't look like a cardboard cutout.

Good luck-
-Lew ;-)

There are masking programs that purport to do a good job at this, but they're rather expensive and frankly, I like my way of doing it better lol.

Quote - I have seen this programme - never used it - cant afford it but it looks interesting

http://www.vertustech.com/fm_overview.htm

Has anyone else tried this programme

Eddie

Yes, Fluid Mask does a nice job of "removing" parts of images, but as mentioned, it's not cheap.  I use it a lot with good results.  A lot depends on the image.  A seagull flying against a clear blue sky is easy to remove.  But against a white, cloudy sky would be more of a challenge.