Selecting & Extracting Hair - Masking Tutorial - Extraction Tips

Adapted from "Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance" by Mark Galer

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One of the most challenging montage or masking jobs in the profession of post-production editing is the hair
lift. When the model has long flowing hair and the subject needs to change location many post-production
artists call in sick. Get it wrong and, just like a bad wig, it shows. Extract filters, Magic Erasers and Tragic
Extractors don’t even get us close.

Portrait image by Dan Stainsby

The first secret step must be completed before you even press the shutter on the camera. Your number one
essential step for success is to first shoot your model against a white backdrop, sufficiently illuminated so
that it is captured as white rather than gray. This important aspect of the initial image capture ensures that
the resulting hair transplant is seamless and undetectable. 

The post-production is the easy bit - simply apply the correct sequence of editing steps and the magic is all
yours. This is not brain surgery but follow these simple steps and you will join the elite ranks of Photoshop
gurus around the world. Celebrity status is just a few clicks away.

Step 1
The initial steps of this tutorial are concerned with creating a mask that can be used in the final montage.
Start by dragging the background layer to the New Layer icon to duplicate it. Choose ‘Remove Color’ from
the Adjust Color submenu found in the Enhance menu (Enhance > Adjust Color > Remove Color). 

Drag this desaturated/monochrome layer to the New Layer icon in the Layers palette to duplicate it. Set the
blend mode of this new layer (now on top of the layers stack) to ‘Overlay’ mode.

Step 2
From the Layer menu choose ‘Merge Down’ to create a single high-contrast monochrome layer. Select
‘Black’ as the foreground color and the ‘Brush tool’ from the Tools palette. Choose a large hard edged brush
and 100% opacity from the Options bar and set the mode to ‘Overlay’ (also in the Options bar). 

Painting in Overlay mode will preserve the white background and darken the rest of the pixels. Accuracy
whilst painting in Overlay mode is not a concern when the background is white or is significantly lighter than
the subject. Avoid going anywhere near the tips of the hair at this stage.
Step 3
Even the bright tones of the white shirt can be rendered black by repeatedly clicking the mouse whilst using
a large brush in Overlay mode. Again it is important to avoid going anywhere near the hair.

Step 4
Darken the body of the hair near the scalp but avoid the locks of hair that have white background showing
through. Painting these individual strands of hair will thicken the hair and may lead to subsequent halos
appearing later in the montage process.

Performance Tip
Switch the blend mode of the brush in the Options bar to ‘Normal’ mode when painting away from the edge
of the subject. This will ensure a speedy conclusion to the mask making process. The mask is now ready to
use in the montage.

Note > If any of the background has been darkened in the process of creating a black and white mask
switch the foreground color to ‘White’ and choose ‘Overlay’ in the Options bar. Paint to render any areas of
gray background white. It is again important to avoid painting near the edges containing delicate hair detail.
Step 5
With the Remove Color layer selected add a Levels adjustment layer. Without making any adjustment simply
select OK. This Levels adjustment layer has a layer mask that we can use to house the mask that we have
created in the previous step.

Step 6
The next step relocates the mask you have just created into the layer mask of the adjustment layer. From
the Select menu choose ‘All’ and from the Edit menu choose ‘Copy Merged’. Hold down the Alt key and click
on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette. The image window will momentarily appear white as you
view the empty contents of the layer mask. 

From the Edit menu choose ‘Paste’ to transfer the contents of the clipboard to this layer mask. Click on the
layer below to select it and then click on the Visibility icon of this layer to switch it off. This mask layer
serves no purpose now that it has been successfully transferred to the adjustment layer mask.
Step 7
The new background is placed on its own layer above the figure and mask layers. Drag the thumbnail of this
new file into the image window of your project file from either the Photo Bin or the layer thumbnail in the
Layers palette. Group this new background layer with the adjustment layer beneath (Layer > Group with
Previous). Alternatively you can hold down the Alt key and click on the dividing line between the two layers
to group them.

Step 8
Grouping the new background with the adjustment layer will mask the background in the region of the
figure but the quality will not yet be acceptable. Setting the blend mode of the adjustment layer to ‘Multiply’
will bring back all of the fine detail in the hair. The background will be not darkened by applying the
‘Multiply’ blend mode as white is a neutral color. The subtle detail in the fine strands of hair will however be
preserved in all their glory.
Step 9
The accuracy and quality of the edge of the mask will usually require some attention in order for the subject
to achieve a seamless quality with the new background. Make a selection of all of the edges that do not
include any hair detail using the Lasso tool with a small amount of feather set in the Options bar. With the
adjustment layer mask selected choose the ‘Gaussian Blur filter’ (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) and apply a
1- to 2-pixel Radius Blur to the mask. 

Click OK and then from the Enhance menu choose a Levels adjustment from the Adjust lighting submenu.
Move the central Gamma slider underneath the histogram to realign the edge of the mask with the subject
edge (no dark or light halo should be visible). 

Performance Tip 
If the mask is too soft the edges can be sharpened by moving the black and white sliders in towards the
central Gamma slider a little. Select OK when perfect alignment has been achieved.

Zoom in to 100% Actual pixels whilst working to accurately assess the quality of your mask.
Step 10
In most instances the hair is already looking pretty fabulous but to modify and perfect the hair even further
you will need to inverse the selection (Select > Inverse). Choose ‘Levels’ once again and move the central
Gamma slider to the left to increase the density of the hair and eliminate any white halos that may be
present. Moving the White slider to the left a little may help the process of achieving a perfect blend
between subject and background. Select OK and choose ‘Deselect’ from the Select menu.

Performance Tip
Any localized refinement of the mask can be achieved manually by painting with a small soft edged brush
directly into the layer mask. Paint with white at a reduced opacity (10-20%) to remove any fine halos
present in localized areas. Several brush strokes will slowly erase the halo from the image.

Step 11
The true test of an accurate mask for a subject that was photographed against a white background is when
you place the subject against a very dark background. Grouping a Levels adjustment layer with the new
background layer can darken the background image used in this project. 
Hold down the Alt key when you select a Levels adjustment layer from the Layers palette. Click on the
Group with Previous box in the New Layer dialog box and then select OK to open the Levels dialog box.
Move the Gamma slider to the right in order to preview your subject against a darker background in the
image window.

This is an Extract from Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance. Learn more tips and tricks
from Photoshop expert Mark Galer.