need help with extraction

[Andy]

hey gang,

i have a group photo here, and i need to extract the people from the background. i'm after a) how do you do it, and b) if anyone is really good at it (and if it's not a huge effort) and can do me a solid by doing it for me, i'd really appreciate it. i'm trying to get something done for a website for tomorrow.

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/14486343-L.jpg

the original is here (http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/14486343-O-jpg)

the shot is not yet processed, only converted from the raw file and saved as jpg. thanks.

i'm very grateful in advance for any help you folks can give me.

[DoctorIt]

andy, i'm having trouble downloading the original image... i got the first part of it, about 5 of the highest heads, but that's it, then it hangs up.

:dunno

but looking at the smaller one here in the post, it doesn't look like something the extract tool couldn't handle. the edges appear to be fairly well defined.

[Andy]

andy, i'm having trouble downloading the original image... i got the first part of it, about 5 of the highest heads, but that's it, then it hangs up.

:dunno

but looking at the smaller one here in the post, it doesn't look like something the extract tool couldn't handle. the edges appear to be fairly well defined.

it's 6megs doc... maybe have to try again? i just tested it and it works...

[Dee]

hey gang,

i have a group photo here, and i need to extract the people from the background. i'm after a) how do you do it, and b) if anyone is really good at it (and if it's not a huge effort) and can do me a solid by doing it for me, i'd really appreciate it. i'm trying to get something done for a website for tomorrow.

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/14486343-L.jpg



the original is here (http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/14486343-O-jpg)

the shot is not yet processed, only converted from the raw file and saved as jpg. thanks.

i'm very grateful in advance for any help you folks can give me.

Select as much of the background as you can -- make mask.

Zoom into 100% view and use brushes to paint black on mask.

You can easily get rid of the main background, it's just around the people that will be a little painstaking.

But if image is being reduced to web size, little imperfections will NOT show up, believe me....

Dee

[Dee]

But I don't want to duplicate efforts.

What size do you want the final file to be?

I can just send you the mask layer so you can adjust your RAW image too.

Let me know...

Also you can use the "magnetic" lasso, make mask, then fine tune... This photo is ideal for it.

[DoctorIt]

6 megs... i figured it was huge. I did one like this the other day, came out well - with the extract tool, like I said. But, even if I do get it downloaded, it will take me close to an hour to upload over this crappy satellite dish!

Sorry Andy. Dee, all yours!

[Andy]

But I don't want to duplicate efforts.

What size do you want the final file to be?

I can just send you the mask layer so you can adjust your RAW image too.

Let me know...

Also you can use the "magnetic" lasso, make mask, then fine tune... This photo is ideal for it.

thanks dee.... pm ing you now..

[Andy]

ok thanks big thanks to pathfinder and dee!

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/14326025-L.jpg

now, would each of you mind explaining how you did it? full details please, becuase i'm an idiot when it comes to this type of ps work, i think i need to learn it!

pathfinder's:
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/14491591-L.jpg

dee's:
http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/14508287-L.jpg