# Make a more accurate selection in photoshop



## bleeblu (Mar 12, 2012)

I'm not sure whether it's my not so great camera or it's my photoshop technique that's at fault here. Below is an image I'm just playing around with and I am not liking how the outer parts of the branches were not selected. I am using a single channel and adjusting it with levels to separate the trees from the sky. I adjust the levels about three or four times.

Is there a more effective way of doing this?


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## KmH (Mar 12, 2012)

What version/release level of Photoshop are you using?

What tool/function/feature are you doing the selection with?


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## Bossy (Mar 12, 2012)

I usually use color range and/or refine mask edge. You can brush out the background stuff in CS5​


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## Big Mike (Mar 12, 2012)

CS5 has a greatly improved 'Refine Edge' tool.  Trying to mask/cut out trees like this, is still going to be a very hard task though.


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## bleeblu (Mar 12, 2012)

KmH said:


> What version/release level of Photoshop are you using?
> 
> What tool/function/feature are you doing the selection with?



I'm using CS5. I'm not sure how to answer your second question. I go to channels and select the color that has the most contrast between the trees and sky. I duplicate it and go to levels and try my best to make the trees pitch black and sky white. I change the levels a few more time for more accuracy. Then I click load selection and choose my duplicate layer and load it. It'll make the selection and then I add a white mask to the sky and fills it in.

I've never heard of refine edge. I'll give that a try sometime.


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## Big Mike (Mar 12, 2012)

Yes, after you have your basic selection, click refine edge and it opens up a whole new dialog, it's pretty powerful.

Also, you might check out Topaz Remask.  It's a great plug-in for masking, although the 'refine edge' in CS5 seems to be very similar.


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## KmH (Mar 12, 2012)

bleeblu said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > What version/release level of Photoshop are you using?
> ...


Refine edge is an option in a selection tool's Tool Options panel. http://tv.adobe.com/search/?q=refine+edge

CS5 has a handfull of different selection tools and masking techniques that can be used.

Investigate the CS5 feature called "Color Range". http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adobe-evangelists-russell-brown/the-secret-life-of-color-range/


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