Does the select and mask feature, actually work for anybody out there?

[glennv50787424]

Do you have the same problem that I have? Does the select and mask feature really work. When I open an image into select and mask, make my selection, and I use the refine edge brush around problem areas like hair. It does not do the same type of job that I see in any instructional video. If anybody can help me with this, I would be very pleased. Thank you.

[kglad]

what program?

[glennv50787424]

Photoshop Version 19.1.2

[kglad]

[ moved from Adobe Creative Cloud to Photoshop]

[glennv50787424]

Thank you

[Derek Cross]

Have a look at this: Learn how to use the dedicated Select And Mask workspace in Photoshop CC.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Can you provide an image and a screenshot of the disappointing result you achieve with the feature including the pertinent dialog and Panels?

Naturally the quality of the result depends on the source material so it would be helpful to see what you are working with.

[glennv50787424]

I am new to this forum. To tell you the truth, I am shocked that anybody would take the time to respond to my question. I thank you all for your help. Since this was my first post, I do not know how this reply and point system works for my posted question. I was ready to throw in the towel today, trying to use select and mask, and having no luck. Well as luck would have it, (especially this being Friday the 13th), I got an email from Matt Kloskowski today. He is releasing a new composite course that will be released on the 19th. He included one preview video in that email message, that I watched, and I think his new course will actually work for me. He details some composite methods that are new to me, that actually works when I tried the steps that he goes through on his sample images. I hope that I properly marked everybody's response as helpful. Thank you community.

[davescm]

Good to hear that you have found a way forward. I would still recommend you post a couple of images. We love a challenge here

[glennv50787424]

Here is one image that I was just trying to put on a different background. I tried just a white background, but it didn’t work, so I deleted it. I could not get a clean cut out around the woman's hair on the white background. Is this something that you would like to tackle? Thank you.

[davescm]

There is no image attached to your post.

You need to join the forum from a desktop/laptop browser (not mobile or Email) to attach images

Dave

[glennv50787424]

This is one of the images that I am trying to extract the subjects from the background, and put on a white or a different colored background. The difficulty that I am having is, trying to get a clean cut out of removing the woman's hair from the background. If anyone would like the challenge of trying this, and could help me out with a good way to approach this, I would be very happy. Thank you.

[davescm]

Hi

I did the following

1. You said white background so I put a white layer underneath. The point made well by Trevor - make the mask good enough for the intended background, no more.
2. In select and mask used Select subject

3. Changed to the refine edge brush and painted around the hair edges. The brush I used was 16 pixels, 100% hardness, 1% spacing , smart radius off and 0px radius

By pressing J (Show Edge) I can see where I've asked refine edge to work

Finally I output to New Layer with Layer Mask and left Decontaminate colours unchecked

Dave

[glennv50787424]

Thank you Dave for your explanation and example. It is very much appreciated. Yes I totally agree. My problem is that I am way too obsessive about having everything perfect. It's just the way that I am wired. I need to change that. I am going to copy and paste your suggestions, so that I can learn from them. I never expected such a tremendous response of help. Thank you all.

[davescm]

It works for me - but may not be the best approach for every image.

Please show the image you are wanting to mask (full resolution not a tiny compressed jpeg) along with the image you want to composite onto. The second image is important as it affects the approach to edge decontamination.

Dave

[glennv50787424]

Thank you for helping me with this. No matter what image that I use, I can not get a clean cut out from the background to composite the image into another background, using select and mask. There is always fringing around the edges that I have to spend an enormous amount of time cloning in the area, or by using another tool to correct it. I have watched countless hours of every tutorial out there to remove the background, but I have yet to find a video that actually works. I watched a Scott Kelby video, where he is practically having an orgasm as to how this tool works for him, but he doesn’t show his cut out against a different background. I will attach an image for you. I just want to use any other color of background, but I can’t get a clean enough cut out around the woman's hair to have it look nice. This select and mask tool gives me fits.

[Trevor.Dennis · Accepted solution]

I wouldn't call its results a 'clean' selection.  What I do is turn on Smart radius and set the radius to 1, and only use the refine edge brush on soft edges like Hair.  I stay well away from other edges, because I know they'll turn to custard.  Set the output to new layer with layer mask, and use other tools to clean up the mask.

The Shift click trick with the brush tool is useful for straight edges, and I tend to drag our an elliptical selection to help with curved edges.  keep moving the selection into place so you can use the brush tool in the layer mask.   Good hard edges are best done with clippings masks.  Then join the various mask segments into one. 

If there was one bit of advice I'd give, it is not to be too obsessive with the mask.  It needs to be _just_ good enough for the end use and underlying layers.  This is a discipline I've had to force on myself, because you can waste an awful lot of time fine tuning masks way beyond what anyone is going to notice.

If you are doing this professionally, and do it often, you could consider using a clipping mask service out of places like India.  I have feeling this could be very cost effective.

[davescm]

Trevor.Dennis  wrote

If there was one bit of advice I'd give, it is not to be too obsessive with the mask.  It needs to be _just_ good enough for the end use and underlying layers. 

Exactly that !  That is why I've asked Glenn to post the image plus the background on which it is to be placed. It is also why S&M can work well in that you can see the image against the new background whilst you mask.

The other "biggy"  would be , take the photo with a view to it being masked. Ideally if it is to be used against a dark background photograph it that way (and vice versa) and always light it to give contrast between subject and background. Lots of work in Photoshop can be avoided at the time before the shutter is released.

In addition a couple of pointers on S&M:

- Only use refine edge only on the edges to be refined. That means a small hard brush 10-20px at 100% hardness. I tend to leave smart radius off and press J to check where I am asking refine edge to operate (you can paint with the Alt key pressed to remove areas from refine edge.
- Decontaminate colors in Select and Mask rarely works well and you are better using a clipped layer set to color blending mode.

Happy to show both, if Glen can post the images.

Dave

[c.pfaffenbichler]

That is why I've asked Glenn to post the image plus the background on which it is to be placed.

Alas, sometimes it seems popular to skip over these requests the first couple of times they are made …

[glennv50787424]

I very much appreciate the responses that I have gotten thus far. We are having constant internet interruptions, and the big rain and snow storm just started. We won’t get the big snow dump for another day yet. I will try and post the images later. Thank you everyone for your help. Glenn