ABSTRACT
Masks can be used to control which pixels are concealed or revealed on any image layer except the background. If the mask layer that has been used to conceal pixels is then discarded the original pixels reappear. This approach to montage work is termed ‘non-destructive’. in this project we will learn the basics of professional compositing. We will learn how to refine the edge of the mask so that none of the old background pixels are visible and how we can then modify either the background or the subject in isolation so that we can achieve a good match. Forget cutting and pasting – learn the craft of professional montage using advanced masking techniques https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_1_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
The first step is to select either the figure or the background behind the figure using the Quick Selection tool from the Tools panel. The background in this image should be easier than selecting the figure as there are less tonal differences. If the background is complex I would choose to select the figure instead. I have deselected the Auto-Enhance option in the Options bar. With subjects that are easy to select, the Auto-Enhance option can save you time as the edge quality will be refined as you select. The edge contrast of this subject, however, is low in places and no one tool can easily select the entire subject in this image. When this is the case it is better to turn the Auto-Enhance feature off and refine the edge later. After selecting the gold man I have noticed the selection is not perfect. I will need to remove the areas from under the arms and between the legs from the selection. To do this I need to hold down the Alt/Option key and then click and drag over these areas. I have reduced the size of the brush when painting over these regions. I will not spend too long trying to perfect difficult regions of the selection using the Quick Selection tool, as I will use additional techniques to complete the process. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_2_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In this step I will turn the selection into a mask. With the selection still active I have added a Levels adjustment layer from the Create new fill or adjustment layer menu in the Layers panel. The selection is then converted into a layer mask that I can use to perfect the selection. If I hold down the Alt/Option and Shift keys and click on the adjustment layer mask I can view the mask and the image at the same time. The mask is currently indicating the area that is not selected. I have selected the Polygonal Lasso tool from the Tools panel and set the Feather value to 0 pixels in the Options bar. I have clicked around any area where the mask color needs to be extended to meet the edge of the gold man. I have checked that I have black as the foreground color in the Tools panel and then used the keyboard shortcut Alt + Backspace (PC) or Option + Delete (Mac) to fill the selected area with the mask color. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_3_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Note > By unlocking the background layer I could have added a layer mask directly to the subject layer. Perfecting the mask, however, is easier using the technique outlined over the next two steps if the mask sits temporarily on an adjustment layer.
To create the perfect selection it will be necessary to remove any mask color that appears over the subject. To do this I can make a selection and fill it with the background color (Ctrl + Backspace (PC) or Command + Delete (Mac)). When the edge is difficult to see because the mask color extends over the edge of the subject, I can go to Filter > Adjustments > Invert (Ctrl/Command + I). Now I will be able to see the edge clearly and can then make my selection and fill with the foreground color. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_4_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
If you have a steady hand you can also choose to paint directly into the mask using the Brush tool. I have chosen a brush setting of 100% hardness in the Options bar and then painted with black to add to the mask or with white to remove the mask color. I have zoomed in to the image (Ctrl/Command + Spacebar) to ensure the mask is accurate and used the Spacebar to access the Hand tool that will enable me to drag around the image while I am zoomed in. Alternatively I can use the Navigator panel to navigate around the edge of my subject. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_5_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Important > Before leaving the mask view I will make sure that the background is covered in the mask color rather than the gold man (Ctrl/Command + I will invert the mask if required). I can Alt/Option + Shift click the layer mask to return to the normal view.
The edges of the mask will need to be refined before it can be used for a high-quality montage. I have selected Refine Edge from the Select menu and from the View menu chosen Selection to hide the selection edge. I have double-clicked the Custom Overlay Color option in the panel to open the Options dialog and then set the Color to dark gray and the Opacity to 100%. I have selected OK to apply the color change. I have set the Smooth slider to 5 and the Feather slider to 1.0, and moved the Contract/Expand slider to the left to conceal the white edge that surrounds my subject. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_6_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Note > If the subject is gray instead of the background when I enter the Refine Edge dialog I will need to cancel the process and invert the mask before choosing the Refine Edge command. Performance Tip
The fact of life is that some extractions can be as painful as pulling teeth! With this in mind Adobe offers you even more magic – the Magic Extractor (Image > Magic Extractor). This is yet another alternative for getting rid of problematic backgrounds. This tool takes a little more time than the Quick Selection tool and is destructive in nature (it deletes the pixels you select with the Background Brush tool) so I would advise duplicating this layer before proceeding. You make little marks or squiggles to advise Photoshop which regions of the image you would like to keep and which regions you would like to delete. Click on the Preview button to see how Photoshop does the hard math to extract your subject from the background. From the Preview menu choose a matte color to view your extracted subject (choose a different tone from the original background or one that is similar to the new background). https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_7_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In the Touch Up section of the dialog box select a Feather value (usually 1 or 2 pixels) and then choose a Defringe Width to remove any of the remaining background. Not a bad job – if you don’t mind losing the background pixels. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_8_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In this step I will transfer the subject to its new location. I have opened my new background image and clicked on the Arrange Documents icon in the Application bar and chosen 2-up. I have selected both layers in the gold man file (holding down the Ctrl or Command key and clicking on each layer) and then dragged the layers into the new background file to create a file containing all three layers. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_9_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In this step I will transfer the adjustment layer mask to the image layer to hide the old background pixels. I have held down the Ctrl key (PC) or Command key (Mac) and clicked on the layer mask thumbnail to load the mask as a selection. I have selected the layer containing the gold man and then clicked on the Add layer mask icon at the base of the Layers panel. I have then clicked on the Visibility icon of the Levels adjustment layer to switch off the visibility (alternatively I could drag the adjustment layer to the trashcan in the Layers panel to delete it permanently). https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_10_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In this step I will modify the position and scale of the subject to create the best composition. I have selected Image > Transform > Free Transform (Ctrl/Command + T) and used the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Command + 0 to fit the Transform bounding box on the screen. I have dragged a corner handle to resize the image so that it sits nicely against the new background (I do not require all of the man’s legs to replicate the framing in this project). I have then pressed the Commit icon, or Enter key (PC) or Return key (Mac), to apply the transformation. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_11_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In this step I have zoomed in to take a close look at the edges and have noticed a white halo in some regions (from the old background). This can be removed by first selecting the layer mask, then making a selection of the problem area (using a 5-pixel feather if the selection crosses over the edge of the mask) and then applying a Levels adjustment (Enhance > Adjust Lighting > Levels or Ctrl/Command + L) to move the edge of the mask. I have adjusted the central Gamma slider and the black Input Levels slider to the right to remove any of the old lighter background that may still be visible. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_12_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In the following three steps I will adjust the color values of both layers to create the perfect match. To start this process I have clicked on the background layer in the Layers panel and then chosen a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the Create new fill or adjustment layer menu (new adjustment layers are always placed above the active layer). I have selected Reds from the drop-down list in the Hue/Saturation dialog and moved the Hue slider to the right until the red stripes in the image turn yellow. I have then adjusted the saturation to taste. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_13_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
I have now selected the top layer in the Layers panel (the one with the gold man) and chosen another Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon. I have then clicked on the Clipping icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the Adjustments dialog. Clipping the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to the layer below will ensure the adjustments do not flow down and affect the colors on the background layer. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_14_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
I have adjusted the saturation of the gold man to match the saturation of the yellows on the background layer. Notice how the adjustments are only affecting the layer below. The ability to match the color and tonality of a number of different layers in a composite image is an essential skill for montage work. The basic task of replacing the background is complete. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_15_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In the next three steps I will paste a scaled copy of the background layer into the lenses of the dark glasses. To start this process I have selected and then duplicated the background layer (Ctrl/Command + J) and then dragged this copy layer to the top of the layers stack. I have switched off the visibility of this copy layer by clicking on the Visibility icon. I have selected the Quick Selection tool in the Tools panel and then clicked both the Sample All Layers option in the Options bar and the Auto-Enhance option. I have then clicked on each lens in the glasses to select them. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_16_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
I have clicked on the Add layer mask icon in the Layers panel to convert the selection into a layer mask. I have then clicked on the link between the layer thumbnail and the layer mask to break the link between the two components of the layer. I have selected the image thumbnail on the layer and then proceeded to go to Image > Transform > Free Transform and entered in a value of around 20% in either the width or height field of the Options bar. I have then clicked and dragged inside the Transform bounding box to reposition the resized layer over the glasses. I have clicked and dragged on a corner handle to resize further and dragged just outside one of the corner handles to rotate the layer so that the red stripes appear in the lenses of the sunglasses. I have the option to lower the opacity of the layer in the Layers panel if required. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_17_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
To complete the process I have held down the Alt/Option key and clicked and dragged the Hue/Saturation 1 adjustment layer to the top of the layers stack. This action will copy the adjustment layer and change the red stripes to yellow, and it will also affect the color of the golden Viking. I have gone to Layer > Create Clipping Mask to clip this adjustment layer to the transformed background copy layer and limit the changes to the reflections in the glasses. I can also clip a layer by holding down the Alt/Option key and clicking on the dividing line between the two layers. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_18_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
In the final step I will add a drop shadow behind the gold man to give the illusion of depth. I have selected Layer 1 in the Layers panel and then gone to Layer > Layer Style > Style Settings. I have checked the Drop Shadows checkbox in the Style Settings dialog. I have increased the Size to 120 px, the Distance to 80 px and the Opacity to 60%. I will now see a drop shadow appear behind the gold man and when I select OK I will see an ‘fx’ icon appear on the layer. Double-clicking the ‘fx’ icon will reopen the Style Settings dialog. I can move my mouse cursor into the image window and drag the shadow to the right-hand side of the image (the left-hand side of the gold man) to match the direction of the light source in this image. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780240523811/8a6e3c2a-5257-40fa-955f-a091e7e4c787/content/figu3_19_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Note > This project has introduced a non-destructive approach to montage. Any aspect of the composite image can be re-edited as none of the pixels for the old background were permanently changed or deleted during the compositing process.
