First post and help request:low contrast Bg cut

[ste.vidali]

Hello guys!

I just discovered this fantastic website, and it took just a moment to see how much knowledgeable people there are!

Im 23 years old, im from italy and im currently studying for a graphic design degree. Im sure i can learn a lot here.

I have a question. Im interested in making glamour collage like this http://flylyf.com/wp-content/uploads.../80-future.jpg for my portfolio.

Problem is, im new to the field, like i said i have not graduate (im at the end of the first of three years), so i dont have connection with any photographer, and i have to work a lot with stock photos.

A lot of stock model photos i download have models against low contrast background (for example: blonde hair with almost white reflections, white underwear, and white background, or dark hair and clothes and blacck-dark blue background).

In all honestly i find difficult to extract those people body and hair with the techniques learned at school. I even bought pohoshop cs5 masking and compositing fundamentals from lynda.com, which is a wonderfull course, but how to extract from a low contrast bg remain a mistery for me.

Im sure someone here can help me! Thanks in advance.

P.S: i put two attachments with some stock i would like to work

[Flotsam2]

There are some useful tutorials here:

http://russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html

[ste.vidali]

Thanks! But those seems the standard basic techniques i saw also in the videos i have. I specifically search techniques and workflow that could work in low contrast image like the two i attacched, that are giving me problems! Thanks aniway

[Natalie007]

Did you try the refine edge method in CS5? It seems to work fantastic on fine hairs.

[Flora]

Something like this?

SNAP-121-s.jpg

[ste.vidali]

Yeah Flora, that's it How have you managed to do it? The right shoulder of the model was very similar in color to the bg. However i managed it with curves, calculations and multiplied layer under the calculated mask.

But the real pain is the second photo, with the spot light background and that shadow, with the calculation i manage to remover either the dark or the light parts. How can i proceed?

[Flora]

Hi again ste.vidali, and welcome to RP!

The problem with Dr. Russell Brown's Tips page is that there are so many of them so you might miss the great, advanced Updates he made on his "standard basic techniques!!!"

The technique Natalie007 was referring to, is very well explained in this Tutorial which is exactly what I followed for isolating the model from the low contrast background in your pictures.. (below the 2nd one!)

SNAP-122-s.jpg

Due to the file size limit here at RP, the resolution of the images attached to your post is only 72 ppi, so, after the refine Mask/Edge procedure I still had to adjust the Mask using first the Levels to correct the areas of flying hair and very low contrast background (here is 'How To') and finally the 'Quick Mask' mode to better define the edges of the mask...

Hope this helps ... and you know where to find us should you need further help.