Monday, July 01, 2013

Automatically extend a background in Photoshop

If you need to extend a photo by adding more sky, clouds, grass, snow or other organic "background", here's the easy way, using Photoshop CS5 or later:

1. Choose Image > Canvas Size. Increase the width or height of your image, choose the anchor, set the Canvas extension color to White, and click OK.

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2. Choose the Quick Selection Tool (W) in the tool panel. Be sure that "Auto-Enhance" is selected in the Options bar at the top of the screen. Then select the additional white canvas you added to the photo by dragging through it with the Quick Selection Tool. 

3. Press the Delete key.

4. In the Fill dialog box, select Use "Content-Aware" for the Contents. Click the OK button.

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28 comments:

  1. Thank You - cleanest method I have seen yet

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  2. Very cool. Just what I needed!

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  3. EXACTLY WHAT I NEED!
    Very helpful! Thank you!

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  4. Thank you very much! It was a great help.

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  5. so helpful. thank you!!!

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  6. Perfect! Exactly what I needed and so EASY!!

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  7. Thank you! I really struggled to find a good explanation for how to do this but this method has really worked. Bookmarked for future use!

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  8. Thank you so much. Hands down, clearest technique and explanation.

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  9. Top Tip ! Very simple and prefect solution to my question. Many thanks

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  10. This may be an old post, but I needed to say that it still has value, you just saved me so much time that I'm just annoyed that I didn't think to google months ago.

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  11. Just what I needed! Thank you!

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  12. Thanks - good solution BUT there is a visible seam at the fill point. Any ideas to make it seamless?

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  13. @Tara, this techniques normally won't produce a visible seam. But, depending on what is in the area surrounding the background, you might see a seam. The effectiveness really depends on the content of the photo.

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  14. it's 2017 and just used this method in Photoshop CC. Works great for product and lifestyle shots of models! Thanks so much!

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  15. Involuntary sharp intake of breath! I've been fumbling with the clone stamp and healing brush with awful results until I found this tip. Thank you, this is so simple and so amazing!

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  16. Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much! I can't tell you how important this is to me. :)

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  17. Wow thank you!!!!! I have spent way too long trying to figure out how to do this exact thing, and this is the first time I've found anything like this!

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  18. Fantastic! Thanks a bunch! Worked great!

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  19. It's just what I needed.. Quickest and easiest, Thank you!

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  20. Thanks. A quick reminder for a quick fix.

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  21. Thank you! This is a easy bada*s trick!!!

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  22. such a time saver - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

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  23. Exactly what I needed! Saved a family picture with this :)

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