I see that there are books and DVD's that help you learn PSE 3, but since I'm using the trial version I don't want to invest in any of those yet. I'm just trying to see if it is something I would find useful. Please help. I'm trying to learn how to remove blemishes from a photo and how to extract a person or object. Can somebody please give me some easy directions to do this to help me decide if this is something I'd want to purchase.

TIA,
Cathy

I haven't gotten this tut posted yet but you can check out the PDF version of how to extract someone from a picture. I also talk about using the cloning tool which can be used to deal with blemishes. Also in PSE3 there's the new healing tool (its icon looks like a band-aid). With it you just use the healing tool to select the blemish and PSE uses information from the surrounding area to fix the blemish. I haven't quite gotten really comfort with that tool yet.

HTH!

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Stacy
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avatar photo by Marja Flick-Buijs downloaded at sxc.hu

Hi,
I printed out your instructions. I tried the cloning technique. I removed the person, but it looked like I had replaced the person with a bad paint job.
I couldn't really figure out how to use the magnetic lasso technique. If I did figure it out, that technique would leave a blank spot in my picture, wouldn't it?
As of now, this PSE 3 is totally frustrating. If it were golf clubs and I played golf, I would have already pitched them. Don't want to pitch my computer, though.
Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Cathy

I dont think that there is an 'easy' way to take a person out of a picture.. using the cloning tool, you really need enough of a background to use to fill in the gap of the removed person.. if the picture isnt about the background but just one person, I would suggest cutting out the person you want in the picture using the lasso and pasting them on a new background..

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~Renate

Usually when you extract an image from a photo you actually want the image to use in another photo or by itself in a LO. Like CheetahBaby mentioned using the cloning tool does mean that you need enough background to copy into your photo or the "bad paint job" can result.

Are you trying to fix a particular picture or just trying to get a handle on the techniques?

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Stacy
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avatar photo by Marja Flick-Buijs downloaded at sxc.hu

That's what I figured. I tried the lasso tool but couldn't figure out what to do once I 'lassoed' my subject. And I certainly don't know how to get another background. Thanks for your help.

Hi Stacy,
I'm trying to learn the ropes to see if it's something I would definitely find useful. The photo I've been working on is a photo of my son holding his newborn daughter. There's a person in the background that I wish wasn't in this particular picture. They are in the hospital room with a little bit of wall, door, and curtain. I didn't just want a cropped out picture of him. If I knew how to put it on another background, that might be all right.

Cathy

For the picture you've described I'd try blurring the background unwanted person and all. Or try blurring it after you've cloned the person out. Your "bad paint job might not look so bad then.

To do this I'd duplicate the photo layer. Then on the top photo, use the magnetic lasso and select your son and his daughter. Right click and select Invert selection then hit Delete. It's not going to look like you did anything unless you hide the bottom unedited photo. Then you'll see that you extracted or cut the two of them out of the photo. Now make the bottome photo the active layer and select the edges of the photo (hold down the CTRL key while you click on the layer in the layer palette). Then click Filter> Blur> Gaussian and try different amounts of blur to get a result you like.

HTH! Are you wanting to get in to digital scrapbooking or just fix some photos?

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Stacy
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avatar photo by Marja Flick-Buijs downloaded at sxc.hu