Change portrait background color (was: Request picture portrait help please)

[JoAnn]

This is probably one of the more difficult things to do in Photoshop, since hair is involved & obviously way beyond my knowledge level.


Would really appreciate it if someone could change the background of this photo to white.


Thanks for any consideration.

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Joanne - Welcome to PSG!

I'm sure someone will come along and be happy to change the background color to white in the photo that you posted. Just give people a bit of time.

However, that being said, may I ask why you want / need a white background? You are wearing fairly dark clothes, and have fairly dark hair and skin. If you use a white background, the contrast will be very large, and, for example, because of this, many people will not be able to see any details of your jacket, hair, etc, especially if they are viewing the image in a bright area, or using an older monitor that has lost some of its contrast or the screen is simply a bit dirty so you get glare. This is exactly one of the important factors that photographers consider when they are selecting a suitable background for each subject.

Anyway, I realize that you might be dealing with a formal requirement for a white background (eg, for a publication or corporate / website photo), but if you have a choice in the matter, give some thought to the background color that will show off YOU in the best possible way.

Cheers,

Tom M

 

[gedstar]

Not really happy with the result, but will this do you?

 

[Eggy]

I tried another approach keeping in mind what Tom Mann suggested. A white background would indeed be way to hard.
I tried with a variaty of blending modes and layer masks to lighten the original background trying to keep as much details as possible.

to

Its a start but I'm not completely happy with it.

 

[gedstar]

I was thinking about this grey gradient BG

 

[JoAnn]

Tom Mann, gedstar, & Eggy, thank you all so much! Beautiful work and I couldn't be happier I'm wishing one of these days I'll know enough to do what ya's all accomplished.

 

[Tom Mann]

So, JoAnn, is there a reason that the background must be white, or can it be one of these colors?

Tom M

 

[JoAnn]

Hi Tom M,, yes, in my excitement on the finished projects, I didn't explain, sorry! The white background is needed for a security badge for a friend who loved that picture and didn't want to risk getting another done with a [white background] and not having it come out as well. She's not vain but us girls like to look our best

 

[Tom Mann]

OK. Now I understand. I thought it probably was some constraint like that.

Tell you friend that she looks wonderful! The photographer did a very good job.

Cheers,

Tom M

 

[JoAnn]

re:

OK. Now I understand. I thought it probably was some constraint like that.Tell you friend that she looks wonderful! The photographer did a very good job.Cheers,Tom M

Will do, thank you

 

[Tom Mann]

Curiosity got the better of me!

I couldn't resist doing a comparison of how the subject comes across when one goes from Ged's gray background to a (quick and dirty - excuse the lousy masking) black background. Although she won't be able to use this for her ID photo, see what you think. BTW, I did lighten her hair slightly from the version Ged produced.

T