Background removal and masking hair with Photoshop

There are a few ways to remove backgrounds from images. Photoshop now has some great automatic AI features for doing this, including hair masking. This is great for personal use, but for more accurate hair removal in print and professional application you still need some advanced training in Alpha channels, layer masks, adjustment curves and levels. This will allow a bit more fine tuning in your retouching.

Photoshop and retouching on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane

Photoshop expert versus newbie

There is a big difference between knowing PhotoShop and mastering Photoshop. Many people use photo editing software to do basic retouching or photo editing of their photography and artwork. But if you choose to do advanced illustration, complex layer art, masking and high-end retouching, it can take many years to get the level of being what is considered a retouching expert.

25 years of retouching

I’ve been using Photoshop for retouching and illustration for as long as its Macs have been around, but I am always amazed at the newest upgrades and features of Adobe Photoshop.

Photoshop upgrades and improvements

Some of the more recent upgrades include neural filters which allow you to use AI technology to do things that would be nearly impossible to do manually..

Neural filters

By using the latest neural filters you can turn old Black and White portrait photography into colour images.

You can change images that have a perspective and give them a depth of field blur and haze.

Combining Photoshop with Illustrator

The fun really begins when you combine other Adobe products into the mix. Combining Adobe Illustrator with Adobe Photoshop allows you to really open up the illustrative and retouching possibilities.