How to Add Backgrounds to Digital Photo Files
Depending on the original background of your digital photos, you might want to insert a different background to spice up the original photo or make it look more professional, such as a sunset, ocean or city. No matter what kind of background you want to use or for what reason, adding a background to digital photos can be quite a simple task. However, a digital imaging software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Illustrator, GIMPshop and Corel Paint Shop, is needed. All of these programs offer the same tools, such as the magnetic lasso, which can assist in replacing the current background.
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Instructions
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Open the digital imaging software you will be using. Click on "File," then "Open" to open your digital photo file. Click on the "Magnetic Lasso" tool in the "Tools Palette." Depending on the size of your original photo, you might have to zoom in so you can get up close to the edges. To zoom, simply press the zoom icon on the tools palette. Zoom in as much as you need to.
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Outline the edges of the subject in your digital photo with the magnetic lasso. Using your mouse, simply click where you want the outline to begin. You will notice an anchor point where you clicked. Outline and click to add more anchor points around your image. Once you reach the anchor point that you started from, you will want to close it by clicking on top of the anchor point. You should have a dotted line surrounding your image, showing that it's selected.
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Inverse the selection by right-clicking on top of your image. Choose "Select Inverse." This will select the background that you want to remove. Press "Delete" on your keyboard to remove the original background. Deselect the image by right-clicking and choosing "Deselect."
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Open the new background image by clicking on "File," then "Open." Click on the digital picture that you want to place the new background into and create a new layer by clicking on "New Layer" in the layers palette. The layers palette is located in the right-hand corner of your screen, near the bottom. This layer is where you will place the background image.
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Move the background image into the digital picture canvas by clicking and holding "Shift." While holding down "Shift" and clicking, you will notice the "move tool" is automatically selected. Click and drag the background picture to your digital picture document. The background image should now be placed behind the image in your digital picture.
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Size the background picture to fit the length and width of your digital photo by pressing "Ctrl" and "T." Adjust the size by clicking and dragging each side to fit the width. Do the same for the length. Once the background fits perfectly, select the "move tool." Once you select the move tool, a box will pop up and ask if you want to "Apply Transformation." Click "Apply." Your background image should now be placed behind your digital picture file. If by chance it is covering the picture file, you will need to go to the layers palette and click and drag the background layer above the image layer.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit floral background on red background image by Anna Telnova from Fotolia.com
