Remove background and unwanted items: I'm looking for a simple software to remove/replace backgrounds and unwanted items. I found one called FotoScissiors. I don't have a need for this...

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Remove background and unwanted items

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Mar 17, 2021 09:30:30 #

saminpa2001

I'm looking for a simple software to remove/replace backgrounds and unwanted items. I found one called FotoScissiors. I don't have a need for this often. I try to get it right the when I set up the shot. I'm looking for a simple quick and easy to use software.

Any comments and suggestions I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Mar 17, 2021 09:39:07 #

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I'd recommend Affinity Photo. It's super cheap, might still be on sale for $24 (regularly $50). It has tools to do what you want that are extremely easy to use. Might take a bit to learn how to use them but once you do, it's simple. The best part is once you learn that, you can quickly learn a million other things you can do, because it's a full featured editor, just like PS, but one price, no rental fee and free updates. You will not be able to stop at just doing these simple tasks.

Mar 17, 2021 09:53:59 #

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

A very common question in UHH lately. I have not followed the discussions here, but there are numerous methods described in YouTube. There are lasso tools, scissors, paths tools, selection by color, and quick masks in various different editing programs. Gimp, for example, which is free and a lot like Photoshop has all of these. Photoshop also has a thing called a color mask but that seems like a 'smarter' way to select areas by color. I don't think there is software that is smart enough to always make this task quick and easy if the background is complicated in shape and/or color.

Mar 17, 2021 09:58:11 #

saminpa2001

Thanks BigDaddy, I did a quick search it's still $ 25.00. Looks like that's what will fill my need. Do you know if I can install on 2 laptops. I always have a PC for a back up.

Thanks for the tip.

Mar 17, 2021 10:47:22 #

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I'm just guessing, but probably.

Mar 17, 2021 19:27:57 #

saminpa2001

Thanks all for your help.

Mar 18, 2021 05:50:30 #

Photoshop Elements has a content-aware move tool. You can go even further and replace an entire background using layers in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I use both content-aware move and layers.

Mar 18, 2021 07:06:34 #

rmcgarry331

CO wrote:

Photoshop Elements has a content-aware move tool. You can go even further and replace an entire background using layers in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I use both content-aware move and layers.

Even better is the select subject tool. This will allow you to easily select the subject, use the select and mask tools to refine the selection, and move the selected to a separate layer without the background. It is in PSE 2020 and newer, and has been available in Photoshop for a while. It has taken the time it took me to select and mask for compositing from several minutes down to seconds.

Mar 18, 2021 08:05:25 #

Cameralark Loc: Torrington, CT

If you are running on Mac try Pixelmator Pro. The repair and cloning tools are excellent.

Mar 18, 2021 08:15:56 #

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

These links might help - all online.

https://clippingmagic.com/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/19/18148020/remove-bg-ai-background-foreground-without-photoshop
https://www142.lunapic.com/editor/?action=transparent
http://editphotosforfree.com/photoapps/remove-background-from-image-online/

Mar 18, 2021 10:13:32 #

TucsonDave Loc: Tucson, Arizona

saminpa2001 wrote:

Thanks BigDaddy, I did a quick search it's still $ 25.00. Looks like that's what will fill my need. Do you know if I can install on 2 laptops. I always have a PC for a back up.

Thanks for the tip.

Yes. I think you get up to 5 or 10 free downloads. You set up an account with them when you purchase the software and can always go that account from any computer to download another copy. I purchased Affinity Photo in 2017 and it was worked great for me. There must be 200 or more tutorial videos out there. Affinity comes with a link to about 99 tutorials. It processes RAW files to a limited extent, develops them as JPEGS where you can make hundreds of great adjustments. There is a learning curve but it is easy enough. I am 77 so age shouldn't be an issue

Mar 18, 2021 12:25:25 #

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

saminpa2001 wrote:

Thanks BigDaddy, I did a quick search it's still $ 25.00. Looks like that's what will fill my need. Do you know if I can install on 2 laptops. I always have a PC for a back up.

Thanks for the tip.

You can install multiple copies, but they have to have different KEYS. I have Affinity installed on my main computer and a laptop. You don't have to pay for two copies, just that you can't download a copy then copy to another computer. I had to download the file by using the laptop. Not really a problem.

By the way, I took a wedding a couple of years ago. My girlfriend at the time was helping me. She had no idea what she was doing. She was taking photos of the bride and groom while she was in the middle of the bridesmaids. I wanted to scream. But Affinity photo removed her in 3 or 4 pictures that I shot. With a fireplace and brick background. I couldn't believe how well Affinity photo got rid of her. I thought replacing bricks would have been a problem, but it wasn't.

Mar 18, 2021 12:45:15 #

shirleyhogan

I, too, have been looking for an easy, free software for removing backgrounds. I recently found that Microsoft 3D, which comes free with Windows 10, works well for some applications.

Mar 18, 2021 13:34:50 #

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Kozan wrote:

Not clear to me?
How do you get different keys?
You get your key when you pay.
Do you have to pay for each different key?

Mar 18, 2021 13:52:45 #

TucsonDave Loc: Tucson, Arizona

BigDaddy wrote:

Not clear to me?
How do you get different keys?
You get your key when you pay.
Do you have to pay for each different key?

You get a key, that's placed in your account, when you make your first purchase. That key is unique and always available to you.

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