Advanced Masking

The goal of this assignment is to cut an object or person out of a photograph, despite very fine detail. A clipping path would be unmanageable and painting with the brush tool is plain 'ol ugly.

The best way is to leverage the present content of the photo. We need to increase the contrast until we end up with a pure black and white version — without damaging the original, of course. The black and white version will be loaded as a selection and used in a mask.

Your Workspace

For this exercise, it is best to clear the palettes and only show the ones we want. To that end, hit 'tab'. All palettes disappear. Now go 'Window' and select 'Tools', 'Layers', 'Channels' and 'Brushes'.

Now go 'Window', and select 'Workspace' to save the workspace. Name it 'Masking' or some other meaningful name. Now every time you wish to do this type of work, simply select the workspace in question.

Layers

The first step in the process is the simplest way to increase contrast.

• Simply duplicate the background layer and target it in the Layers palette.
• On the new Layer, go "CMD-L" or "Image >Adjustments >Levels"
• Move the Black Point + White Point sliders inward until the subject gets darker.
• Stop before the background gets dark. We're just trying to punch-up the subject a little.
• Click "OK"

Channels

The Channels palette is where most of the magic happens. While still on our new darker layer, go to the Channels palette. Find the channel where the subject has most contrast with the background.

Duplicate that channel by dragging it to the page icon at the bottom of the palette. We'll work on this channel, so name it something meaningful.

Once on this channel, we need to run "Levels". In this case, we want to be way more extreme. Bring the black + white point sliders in until we get the subject as black as possible.

We want to stop with the Levels adjustments before we start to loose detail in the whispy hair, so zoom in to check before you accept.

Now we have a subject which is almost completely black. Some highlights probably still remain. We need to get rid of them. I simply use a big brush and paint with pure black. Make sure you stop before you paint over the whispy edges of the subject. Just fill in the center with black.

Wrap-up

By now, you should have a completely black subject, except for the areas where you can see through the hair.

Now we can go to the "Select" menu and choose "Load Selection". From the dialog, choose your new channel's name. Click "OK". You should see marching ants on your canvas.

1. Go back to the layers palette.
2. Turn off the visibility of the 'damaged' layer.
3. Double-click on the "Background Layer".
4. Name it something meaningful. Click "OK".
5. Add a mask on this Layer by clicking on the "Add Layer Mask" button at the bottom of the Layers palette.
6. Voila!

Put a solid coloured layer behind your newly-masked subject. You may notice that there are some areas of the photo that are transparent and shouldn't be. Simply go to the mask and paint them back with white.

You also have the option of running a Levels command on the mask. This can fine-tune it. But be subtle at this point.

You're done!

Your Assignment

For this assignment, you will mask the provided images to the best of your ability. The goal is to have a completely black and white mask. When you think you are done each image, Option- click on its mask in the Layers palette to make sure the mask is clean. Any grey areas will lead to muddiness in the final product.

For each image, create a new background layer of a different colour. Choose a colour that works. Often, a dark colour brings out a halo effect in the hair of our subjects. This masking process has its limits.

Please make sure to name all off your layers. Save each file as a native Photoshop file (.psd). Don't give me back my original files. Name your folder "lastname_firstname_010" and upload it to my drop box please.