Adjustment Layer and Background Erase Tool

[PixelHead]

Hi - Firstly, sorry if this is not the right area for this post, please feel free to move,

So question is fairly simple. I have a whiteish hair/fur falling over a whiteish background. If I put an Adjustment Layer (Threshold) I can make the hair stand out from the whiteish background.

What I want to do is use the Background Erase Tool (or suggested other method?) to erase the background out from the new contrasted adjustment layer. But of course if I select the original photo layer and use Background Erase Tool then this won't 'see' the Adjustment Layer, and if I choose the Adjustment Layer and use the Background Erase Tool then this won't erase from the actual photo layer.

As you can see from the photo it should work (at least in my mind) to use the Background Erase Tool remove the white from behind the now pure black hair.

I'm sure this is a fairly standard question - I'm not expert just helping my mum out with some photo editing. The question is, of course, 'How do I erase the bottom layer following the 'rules' of the adjustment layer?' Perhaps I need to learn about a different layer system - or perhaps I am doing it all wrong. I'll Google anyway.

Thanks.

Chris

 

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums @PixelHead,

Removing the background from hair or fur is challenging enough when there's high contrast between them. When there's not much contrast it is really tough to get a good clean selection. There's numerous techniques, some easier than others, which requires multiple steps.

I've tried using a more complex technique requiring intentionally creating a layer(s) in grey-scale or black/white. Then using a curves or levels adjustment to really magnify the contrast as much as possible. From that, I use the selection brush to make one or the other (black or white) selections. Then hide or delete the layer(s) used for getting the contrast. Then ensuring my color main image is visible, open the Refine Selection, and proceed from there. Does not always work on one attempt.

It takes patient, and time, experimentation to find out what works best for you and your project. I'm providing a link to the search results I done on YouTube. You'll see there's plenty to choose from. Make some time to few at least a few of them to get a taste of the way you want to proceed.

Remove Background, Image with Hair

[PixelHead]

Thanks Ron. I just did an edit on the post suggesting the Threshold adjustment layer. For me I think this contrast will be sufficient for the purpose. I'm still a bit confused though what method I would do to basically say 'erase the white from my adjustment layer which also erases this part from the main photo'. Do I have to merge something or use duplicates?

So, as I say, I think using this Threshold is okay for me, but I'm missing that logical step which says 'Okay, here is the Adjustment Layer, I want to remove this part of the adjustment layer from the photo layer below'. Does that make sense?

Thanks

[PixelHead]

10 minutes ago, Ron P. said:

Welcome to the forums @PixelHead,

Removing the background from hair or fur is challenging enough when there's high contrast between them. When there's not much contrast it is really tough to get a good clean selection. There's numerous techniques, some easier than others, which requires multiple steps.

I've tried using a more complex technique requiring intentionally creating a layer(s) in grey-scale or black/white. Then using a curves or levels adjustment to really magnify the contrast as much as possible. From that, I use the selection brush to make one or the other (black or white) selections. Then hide or delete the layer(s) used for getting the contrast. Then ensuring my color main image is visible, open the Refine Selection, and proceed from there. Does not always work on one attempt.

It takes patient, and time, experimentation to find out what works best for you and your project. I'm providing a link to the search results I done on YouTube. You'll see there's plenty to choose from. Make some time to few at least a few of them to get a taste of the way you want to proceed.

Remove Background, Image with Hair

Okay, let me see the vids. Thanks

[Old Bruce]

Once you have your pixel selection made (using the duplicated layer and its adjustment layers) turn off the duplicates and adjsutments (uncheck in the layers panel). Now you have a plain pixel layer ( again maybe use a duplicated layer so as to preserve the original) and a pixel selection which can be used on that layer. The pixel selections are independent of any particular layer.

[PixelHead]

17 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Once you have your pixel selection made (using the duplicated layer and its adjustment layers) turn off the duplicates and adjsutments (uncheck in the layers panel). Now you have a plain pixel layer ( again maybe use a duplicated layer so as to preserve the original) and a pixel selection which can be used on that layer. The pixel selections are independent of any particular layer.

Thanks Old Bruce. Actually this worked quite well (please see photo) and I'll explain what I did.

So, as you said with two bits of advice (First the pixel comment and Second the duplicate layers).

So I duplicated the layer. And then merged the Threshold with one of the photo layers. From the new Merged layer I Marqueed a rectangle around this section and then subtracted out the white and grey with the wand (contiguous setting off) and then pressed the Duplicate layer and pressed the Delete key. This removed all the white and grey from that area according to the original Threshold.

Probably not as cool as the Refine Edges technique shown above (linked in by Ron) but it's fairly simple and suits my purpose well enough.

Perhaps this method could be improved upon but seems to do the job.

Thanks

Edit: Whoops I got this the wrong way round, you have to subtract the Black layer from the Threshold (Merged) and then switch to duplicate and press Delete. (Otherwise you would be removing the bit you want)