CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I probably will not remember all the steps, but it goes something like this:
Send it to NIK Silver Efex Pro to convert to B&W from that crappy low-contrast beige. While there increase contrast and deepen blacks and increase whites.

Back to Photoshop - use the Quick Selection Tool and Lasso to select just the people - this is easy, but it does take some practice to be able to do it quickly. Use Refine Edge to tweak the selection.

Cmd-J to place the selection on its own layer. Duplicate THAT layer. Apply High Pass filter until edges look distinct, Then change the blend mode to whichever mode looks best: Overlay, Hard Light, or Soft Light. This is to increase some contrast and sharpen the image. Merge the two selection layers - NOT the background layer.

Open the image you want to move the selection TO. I converted that image to B&W. Size that target image to Closely match your selection - both PPI and inches.

Drag the selection (the people) to the new background. Select the Background layer and apply a slight Gaussian Blur to make it look a bit out of focus just like it would if shot that way.

Use the Blur Tool to soften edges of people - sharp edge from extraction is one thing that makes extractions LOOK like extractions.

Use that same Blur Tool to go into the faces and soften JUST the skin - not any edges (like eyes) - this helps mitigate some of the graininess caused by the High Pass filter.

I could have changed it back to a better sepia look, but I liked the B&W as it is nice and crisp.

I am doing this from memory, so I may have missed something or have a step out of order. But you get the idea. It sounds a bit complicated, but once you do a few of these, much of it is second nature. I don't think it took me more than 3-4 minutes.

I should add that while this is how I did it, other methods with other software could work. Lightroom will NOT work as it is not designed for pixel-level processing.

chuckwh

Just a quick adjust with Corel Paintshop Pro. Cut it out and went sepia to keep the general color and look of original. With a little extra time and it could look a lot better.

Chuck

DaveK

You people are so good that it's freaking me out a little bit!

Old Redeye Loc: San Mateo, CA

I'm not the best at Photoshop, but you're welcome to this effort. Sorry to hear the story!

rps Loc: Muskoka Ontario Canada

Use the magnetic lasso to outline the two people, setting a fairly low feathering value so that the edges of the image remain sharp. Then invert the selection. You then can eliminate or replace the background. I would be inclined to just blur it with Gausian blur and darken it and/or reduce contrast.
I also think you could "goose" the image a little with more contrast and a shift from the near sepia to crisper blacks

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Pretty good effort, but if you are going to use a vignette, don't run it over the face - and make the transition longer.

Old Redeye Loc: San Mateo, CA

Thanks for the suggestions.

Chet Loc: Louisville, KY

catgirl Loc: las vegas

fantastic job Captain C I have such trouble cutting out hair, but carefully watch what everyone else is doing and try to copy, thanks for such a beautiful photo conversion

Nikonuser Loc: South Dakota

Selectively use gaussian blur in the background.

BSpillane Photography Loc: Vernon, NJ

Fantastic job Capt. I like the straight B&W over the Sepia toned. That plus losing the vignetting, I think it is an excellent job.

Ken W Loc: Long Island Ny

Captain C, You are a good man. Ken

PhotoGator Loc: Florida

Hail to the Master!

phillsam Loc: De Queen Arkansas

I feel so inadequite after seeing what the Captain and others can do. A newbie in Hedgehog, but what a wonderful group of people, so helpful. And what a wonderful story about this beautiful couple on their 60th. A picture for the future generations in this family.
Time is not on my side in learning the ins and outs of editing, but thanks for all the enlightment in this forum.
The old one, phillsam

mooseeyes Loc: Sonora, California

I have been putting off doing this sort of thing, so I figured this would be a great test to see if I could pull it off. When I was selecting and testing backgrounds, I was wishing that I knew a bit more about these fine folks. So, after looking at about a hundred different options, I grabbed this one for no particular reason.

This 5 images are first your original with just the background changed, no other work. Then I did 4 "tweaks", where I took out the lower reflection on the lady's glasses (left the upper reflections), and gave each to bit of a vibrance boost.

Feel free to use any and all of these, as you wish. This was lots of fun for me, having never done this before. Likely not plum perfect; however, I should think that I would get better with practice.

Background Change only


Stark B&W Treatment


More Real Contrast Treatment


HDR Treatment


A Hyper Real Treatment (this one is fun)