[How to Use the Refine Edge Tool in Photoshop (Step by Step)

You can see a halo of sorts around the hair of my subject. Make doubly sure to change it back when finished! Or, you can cut out your subject and place them onto an entirely different background:. Having the option to use Refine Edge in Photoshop CC is a big deal for those of us who like to do composites or exposure blending. Just like everything in Photoshop, the Refine Edge tool will take some practice to really master.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments. Usnea Lebendig is a travel and landscape photographer who loves trekking in the wilderness, exploring other cultures, and using photography for social activism. Enter your email to be sent today’s Welcome Gift: 19 Photography Tools. Twitter 26 Facebook 2 Pinterest Share It can refine the selection, but it can’t create one.

So, we first need to make an initial selection using one of Photoshop’s selection tools. Here, I’ve used the Color Range command to make an initial selection of the woman and her hair photo from Adobe Stock :. With your initial selection in place, here’s the secret trick to access Refine Edge. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard as you go up to the Select menu in the Menu Bar and choose Select and Mask :.

Instead of opening the Select and Mask workspace, Photoshop opens the Refine Edge dialog box, just like we had before Adobe pretended to take it away. This step is necessary when your subject is against a contrasting color background.

Select one of the output options to finalize the selections. Usually, New Layer with Layer Mask is the best option. It allows you to edit the section even further without losing the original photo. Using the Refine Edge tool in Photoshop for busy backgrounds requires the same steps. The only issue is that your selection tools will have a difficult time selecting the edges of your subject.

Practice with subjects on different backgrounds. The background affects how difficult making the selection will be. Start with uniform backgrounds and then move on to busy and colorful ones.

Try our Effortless Editing with Lightroom course to become an editing expert! Leaving your camera on its default settings will produce blurry results. Here, I’ve used the Color Range command to make an initial selection of the woman and her hair photo from Adobe Stock :. With your initial selection in place, here’s the secret trick to access Refine Edge.

Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard as you go up to the Select menu in the Menu Bar and choose Select and Mask :. Instead of opening the Select and Mask workspace, Photoshop opens the Refine Edge dialog box, just like we had before Adobe pretended to take it away. Remember, though, that you need to make an initial selection first, otherwise Photoshop will still open Select and Mask. And there we have it! In the Output As menu at the bottom of the Control panel on the right, choose the desired output setting for the modified selection.

Buy now. Use the Object Selection tool and Refine Edge to create precise selections and masks. What you learned: Refine Edge lets you improve selections to get even complex edges looking just right.

Start with the Object Selection tool With the Object Selection tool you can draw a rectangular or freeform marquee around a subject, and Photoshop intelligently determines which pixels to select. The Object Selection tool works best in scenes with good contrast between the subject and the background.

How to Use the Refine Edge Tool in Photoshop (Step by Step).Guide to the Refine Edge Tool in Photoshop | Envira Gallery

 
For light objects use a black background On Blackas it better shows all the details of the object. If you’re a die hard Refine Edge fan, good news! Здесь to Use Butterfly Lighting for Beautiful Portraits When it comes to portrait lighting, the options for gear and setup can adobe photoshop cc refine edge tool free download overwhelming. If this is your first time using the tool, chose to work on a photo with a person in front of a solid background.

How To Access Refine Edge In Photoshop CC

 
But many Photoshop users remain upset that Refine Edge was taken from them, still convinced that Refine Edge worked better. Send Email. A white transparent layer mask will appear over the image with the selected area clear. In the Refine Edge workspace, choose a View Mode menu to preview the selection and the refinements you make. Best Photo Editing Apps for Android.

[How to Use the Refine Edge Tool in Photoshop

 
 
These instructions apply to Adobe Photoshop CS5 and later.