As you can imagine, you will not normally completely select your intended subject with one click when you are using the magic wand to make selections. Typically, you will select part of the area that you want and you will then need to add and subtract from the selection, perhaps switching to the other selection tools from time to time. Photoshop offers you two ways of modifying a selection: you can either use modifier keys on you keyboard or activate the modifier icons on the options panel normally displayed below your menu bar.
To add more pixels to your selection, hold down the Shift key while clicking with the Magic Wand on a part of the image which is not yet selected. To subtract from the selection, hold down the Alt key and click on the part of the selection which you wish to deselect. The selection modifier icons are situated on the left of the options panel. There are four of them: new selection, add to selection, subtract from selection and select intersection. These icons effectively allow you to change selection mode on a permanent basis. Thus, for example, you could click on the second of the four icons when using the Magic Wand and click continually on different parts of a subject until it was completely selected.
A simple trick for selecting a subject against a uniform background such as a wall or the sky is to use the magic wand to select the background and then invert the selection by choosing Select – Inverse. A slight variation on this technique is to make a rough selection which completely encloses the subject as well some of the background and then to use the Magic Wand in subtract mode to remove the background from the selection.
You can control the number of pixels which the Magic Wand selects when you click on part of the image by changing a setting called tolerance. Tolerance determines how far a pixel can vary from the pixel that you click on and still be included in the selection. The default tolerance is 32 and the maximum is 255.
Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed
I love to use my digital slr camera to take photos of opportunities throughout the year. After all, some photos are only fun at a certain time of year.
In January, take time to celebrate the New Year with shots of Father Time, even as a cardboard cut out for a table top display. To do this, go to your nearest big box store and buy some New Year’s Eve items. These are especially fun after New Year’s when the discount stores are putting them on sale. Take them home and put them in your table top display and shoot away.
In February, hearts take the forefront. Look for displays around your area that have wonderful heart themes. Try some still life photography with a heart theme.
In March, try a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Again buy the items on sale at a big box store and take them home and play with them in your table top display.
In April, look for baby animals. This is the time of year that animals are being born and they make adorable photos.
In May, try graduation photos. Make sure to take a long range lens. Also as the students are graduating try some unusual head shots.
In June, try vacation photos. Look for unusual angles or unusual items to take photos of.
In July, try 4th of July photos; take exciting fireworks photos.
In August, try summer food photos. The summer harvest is at its fullest. Take wonderful food photos.
In September, take those back to school photos.
In October, try Halloween photos. Make your own pleasing scary photos.
In November, try fall photos outdoors. The fall harvest is bountiful and you can take some wonderful shots of Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.
In December try Christmas photos and don’t forget to get some shots of your favorite lighting decorations around town.
This article has hopefully given you some reasons to get out and use your digital slr camera all year long.