Masking for white background

[D Fosse]

This is something we see all the time. Product shot or portrait, and the spec is that it needs to be on a clean white background.

OK. It's shot against a white wall or a white cloth/paper - but it doesn't look clean enough out of the camera. Maybe it comes out of the camera like this (a common scenario with auto exposure):

So, what's the first instinct? Right: cut it out, select and mask. We need that white background! The hair takes a lot of work, but let's say it gets reasonably clean:

But this still doesn't look good, does it? In fact it looks exactly like what it is: a cutout. There is a better way.

Work globally! Get the whole image right. Work with the white point and the white balance. In this third example, there is not a single brushstroke of masking. No magic wand, no Select and Mask, no edge detection to get the hair right. It's all done with global adjustments all over. Looks much better, right?

If the background isn't perfectly even, or still falls slightly short of pure white, this can easily be handled by raising the white point further locally, but no intricate masking is needed for that. A large soft brush will do just fine.

Those of us who grew up with analog photo learned all this the hard way. But today, there is this idea that anything can be fixed in Photoshop later. So no need to start with a good photo - it can be as sloppy as you like, nothing that a little Photoshop magic can't put straight. And strictly speaking that's true - if you're prepared to put in hours of work.

Bottom line: Get the whole image as good as it gets first. Then, only then, start with masking and local adjustments. You may need a lot less of that than you think.

Thank you. I just had to get this off my chest.

[JJMack]

Human learn by doing and reflecting on what they have done.  The next you will do better.  So I guess your human not some AI device.

Masking is Art the are so many way you keep on learning all the time then find more ways.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Is that you in the pictures Dag?  It's not very nice giving us nightmares just before Christmas matey.

[D Fosse]

Not me, just a random pick from a series of portraits I did a couple of years ago. But I couldn't resist the stern look, it felt fitting

I apologize for "the sermon of the day", which I suspect it comes across as - but I really feel strongly about this. With the latest thread on the subject I could no longer sit still.

[davescm]

Oops .....may have overdone it !!

Dave

[D Fosse]

Next time, Dave, insist that people take off the sunglasses before a portrait shoot. To avoid overexposure, the neutral density filter needs to sit on the lens, not the subject.    <where's the "rolls eyes" smiley?>