BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Bindi got comfortable on his driftwood this morning and allowed me to remove the glass for the first time, without her sneaking out, to get about 20 shots. A few regular w/a little zoom, some macro, and some super macro. The last shot on super mac, the lens was 3/4" from his face and he didn't budge.

Can anyone here, who's good with Photoshop, help me understand how I would replace the background in pics like these with a solid even color? The only thing I can do in Photoshop is crop and resize. I can't make anything out the help file in Photoshop 6. I would sure appreciate it. I know it's probably difficult to explain, but I'm just hoping I can get the basics down. I'd like to print a couple of these, with a better looking background, full size (13" x 16") on canvas and stretch frame them.

Thanks in advance for any help!

In Photoshop, you can use the "magnetic lasso" tool to easily select the area you want to manipulate. (Not the "magic wand." "Magic wand" is crap.) After it is selected, you should feather the selection maybe 2-6 pixels depending on how high the resolution is. I think it's Selection > Feather (don't know for sure - I am at work right now with no Photoshop). Then you can fill the selection with a solid color, or manipulate the levels, or whatever.

Before you do that though, make a duplicate of the bg layer under the Layers tab and work on the duplicate just in case you goof up. That way you have an original to start with again. You can click on the little eyeball icon to turn the layer on and off, to see what it looks like with or without the layer showing.

Thank you ladies. I'll give it a look-over again and see what I can figure out.

The shots are great anyway.

JWSR wrote:Bindi got comfortable on his driftwood this morning and allowed me to remove the glass for the first time, without her sneaking out

I dunno about Photoshop, but I could probably help you with pronouns!

Actually, I have a 2 or 3 DVD full tutorial on how to use Photoshop CS. I could send you a copy if you'd like.

I hate video tutorials....it's like the simpson episode on how to fix a leaning house...

First...open your CS and begin with the Shmally Lasso Magnetizer!

Uhh....wait a minute....

...Then hit Control Alt Shift F8 Astertisk f9! Are you following along?

Err....wait a minute!

Now that you have all the proper tools and are feeling confident, test the waters by....buzzzzz.....skip skip skip skip skip, glitch, beep, FREEZE.

WAIT A MINUTE!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!

haha.. its not a DVD that you put in your DVD player! You can pick the lesson that you want to learn, and they are all relatively short. It's actually quite nice. I got it from I think Linda.com or something like that.

russman wrote:

JWSR wrote:Bindi got comfortable on his driftwood this morning and allowed me to remove the glass for the first time, without her sneaking out

I went over this post twice because I used her for him every time! I thought I got them all. Just can't get Shelly or Steves daughter out of my head!!!! I wish I had never seen those reddish, raw looking protrusions sticking out of HIS bodily orifice!!

Could've been hemorrhoids.

Great photos as always Jerry!

Email me the ones you photoshopped and what color backgrounds you want to try and I'll be happy to do it for you on my off days. Just so you don't need it asap.

I appreciate that Shellyjean! There's no rush at all. I'll pick through them in the morning and send you the best two. They will be big files 2592 x 1944, and about 2.5 MB each.

Thanks so much!

great shot! totally as star!

JWSR, you could always get a new set up or a photo tank with changable back drops.Your photo's always look good to me anyway

Good idea Leigh! My wife, at this moment, is out getting me some of the various colors of the foam boards like the black and the white that I've used on some of the other staged photos I've done.

I'm complimented that you like my photos, thank you!

WHat a pretty face!

I agree Diane, she gets that from her mom.

Wow ... the camera sure does love somebody at your house JWSR!

Tattoo wrote:Wow ... the camera sure does love somebody at your house JWSR!

no kidding!