A model in front of a leafy background which demonstrates how replacing a background can look

PHOTOGRAPHY

5 easy steps to changing a Photoshop background.

You don’t need a travel budget to find new backgrounds for your photos. See how graphic artist Erica Larson uses Adobe Photoshop to place the subject of a photo in an entirely new environment.

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Step 1: Hide the background

Step 2: Remove rough spots

Step 3: Delete the wall

Step 4: Create a consistent look

Step 5: Add a new background

Take your photos places

Learn how to change a background in Photoshop.

Practice with your own pictures before you begin. When you’re ready to get started, the five easy steps below show you how to add a background to a photo.

Step 1: Hide the background

Larson’s first step is hiding the plain gray wall in the background. Use the Quick Selection tool to select just the shape of the model. Choose Select Subject and then choose Select and Mask to enter the Select and Mask workspace.

Use Quick Selection tool to select model, choose Select Subject and Select and Mask in Adobe Photoshop

Step 2: Remove rough spots

In the Properties panel of the Select and Mask workspace, move the Shift Edge slider to the left to refine the edges of the selection, and choose Output To Selection. Note: when leaving Select and Mask, the original background comes back; you’ll fix this in the next step.

Move the Shift Edge slider to refine edge and choose output to selection

Step 3: Delete the wall

With the model layer selected, click on the Add Layer Mask icon. Larson had output the model as a selection from the Select and Mask workspace, which meant that Photoshop masked (or hid) anything that wasn't selected. This action made the gray wall disappear while leaving the selected model in place.

Add layer mask in Photoshop to hide background and display model

Step 4: Create a consistent look

Larson wanted to match the lighting of the model with that of the background. To do this, duplicate the New Background layer, move it above the model layer, and choose Filter > Blur > Average. Option-click (or alt-click) between the green layer and the model layer to create a clipping mask.

Apply filter blur and clipping mask in Adobe Photoshop, the shape of model is filled with green

Step 5: Add a new background

With the green layer selected, set the Blend Mode to Soft Light, and reduce the Opacity setting. Larson applied a dark blue Solid Color adjustment layer to give each of the layers below it a finishing color cast. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and reduce the adjustment layer’s Opacity setting.

Green layer is selected, set Photoshop blending mode to soft light, add blue solid color adjustment layer to apply color cast

Take your photos places.

After you replace your background in Photoshop, you can take your photos’ subjects anywhere in the world (or even out of this world). Start exploring today.