How to remove backgrounds from photos?

[jamoor]

I need to get around 3-4000 products photographed, it doesn't need to be anything fancy, just a picture of the item in question for our reference purposes.

I am thinking of buying a light tent and taking photos of the products, now how do I go about removing the backgrounds??

http://www.ksul.co.uk/pics/ocuk/IMG_0146.JPG
http://www.ksul.co.uk/pics/ocuk/IMG_0147.JPG

These are two sample shots taken on a piece of A3 paper, so nothign special

Anyone explain to me how to do it in photoshop?
Thanks

 

[AtlanticP]

Use something vivid for a background, something like a green screen etc. Makes it easier to remove later. Get good lighting as well to ensure uniform colours. As you have said, a light tent would be ideal too.

 

[The_Abyss]

It depends a lot on what you want the photos for.

If it is some eBay shop with low value items, what you've done already, cut out from the background, will suffice, especially given the huge volume of photos required.

 

[Jotun]

May as well make your own light tent instead.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

Just use lamps instead of flashes if you don't have any. Won't take long to set up and will probabaly be worth the effort for how much it improves the photos IMO.

 

[.one.]

May as well make your own light tent instead.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

Just use lamps instead of flashes if you don't have any. Won't take long to set up and will probabaly be worth the effort for how much it improves the photos IMO.

Nice link great little project

 

[Belly]

Vertus Fluid Mask?

http://www.vertustech.com/

I don’t know if these are still around:

Extensis Mask Pro?
Corel Knockout

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1152105061771#tabview=tab0

Bearing that you can, as has been advised take your pictures against a vivid background, and then in Photoshop select that colour using the magic wand tool, make a selection and delete.

You must make sure that you are working on a layer and not the background. Open your document in Photoshop, click your background layer in the layer pallet, then CTL+J will copy your layer, close your background layer (close the eye) and work on your top layer.

You could also try to use your pen tool to make selections, it takes some getting used to but can be really effective in certain circumstances.

Good Luck

Edit: Of Course Photoshop has the built in Extract Filter but I've found Fluid Mask to be far easier to use

 

[olv]

Use the extact tool under Filter > Extract.

If you use a light tent I imagine it'll be unnecessary though.

 

[_lecro_]

Pen tool