You don’t need a travel budget to find new backgrounds for your photos. See how graphic artist Erica Larson uses Adobe Photoshop’s background editing tools to place the subject of a photo in an entirely new environment, perfect for travel images, portraits, and product photos popular in India.
You can follow these steps using your own images, whether portraits, product shots, or travel snaps, or choose any images of your choice for practice. This guide is ideal for anyone learning how to change the background of a photo in Photoshop.
Larson’s first step is hiding the plain grey wall. Use the Quick Selection tool to isolate the shape of the model. Choose Select Subject and then choose Select And Mask to enter the Select And Mask workspace, the starting point for most Photoshop background change workflows.
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 you exit Select and Mask, the original background will reappear, a common step when doing Photoshop background editing or learning how to change the background of a photo.
With the model layer selected, click the Add Layer Mask icon. Since Larson had output the model as a selection from the Select And Mask workspace, Photoshop automatically masked (or hid) everything that wasn’t selected. The grey wall disappeared, and only the selected model remained. This step is essential in Photoshop background editing, especially when you want to change the background of a photo precisely.
Larson wanted to match the lighting of the model with that of the background, which is a key step when aiming for realistic Photoshop background change results. To do this, duplicate the New Background layer, move it above the model layer and choose Filter > Blur > Average. Then, Option-click (or alt-click) between the green layer and the model layer to create a clipping mask for a seamless blend.
With the green layer selected, set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and reduce the Opacity setting. To create a polished effect for the new background, Larson applied a dark blue Solid Colour adjustment layer, giving each layer below it a consistent colour cast. This is a subtle but effective way to refine your Photoshop background editing and ensure the final image looks cohesive after you change the background in Photoshop. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light for the adjustment layer as well, and reduce its Opacity accordingly.
With a new background, you can take your photos’ subject anywhere, from iconic Indian landmarks like the Taj Mahal or Gateway of India to imaginative digital landscapes. Whether you're learning how to change photo background for fun, business, or content creation, Adobe Photoshop gives you the tools to explore unlimited possibilities.
"In addition to traditional tools, you can change a photo background using Generative Fill in Photoshop, which uses Adobe Firefly AI to make the process quicker and more intuitive. Here's how to use it:
It’s a quick and creative way to give your image a brand new look."
"Changing the background of a photo in Photoshop is a versatile skill that serves a wide range of creative and professional needs across India. Whether you're working with portraits, product photography, or marketing visuals, here are some of the most popular use cases:
Learning how to change the background of a photo in Photoshop opens up creative opportunities in both personal and professional settings throughout India. From improving image quality to aligning with platform requirements, it’s a skill with widespread impact."
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