Channel masking with calculations

[sauron]

When it comes to masking out images/cutting out images, I tend to use channel masking most of the time. Here's how I do it...

Step 1.

Go to your channels and click on each channel (Red, Green, Blue) and whichever one gives the most contrast is the one you will want to go with, in my case this is Blue.

[attachment=44067:channel_mask_01.jpg]

Step 2.

Go to Image -> Calculations, the default settings are fine to use. This will increase the contrast.

[attachment=44068:channel_mask_02.jpg]

Step 3.

Levels. Press Ctrl/Cmd + L to bring up the levels adjustment and adjust the input levels.

[attachment=44069:channel_mask_03.jpg]

Step 4.

Use a black brush to paint all other areas you want to keep and white for any you want to remove.

[attachment=44070:channel_mask_04.jpg]

Step 5.

Ctrl/Cmd + click on the Alpha 1 channel to load the mask as a selection and then create a layer mask.

[attachment=44071:channel_mask_05.jpg]

Above is the finished result with a solid colour background. This image probably wasn't the best one to use as it had a lot of noise in the image.

[Speedz0r]

Nice guide buddy. I've done similar to this a few times before, but never really get the result i want.

[ctaulbee]

Nice tip bud

[VincentLupo]

Good tip.

[bazzah]

Great tip buddy

[sauron]

QUOTE (Speedz0r @ Aug 3 2020, 08:37 PM) Nice guide buddy. I've done similar to this a few times before, but never really get the result i want.

It’s not always the best solution for masking images but works really well for images that have a plain colour background or close to a plain colour background