Technique Tuesday: That Looks Too Easy - Way Easy Background Fix

Good Afternoon Everybody,
Yep, I know - another late post. Since we've returned from our travels, it seems the projects continue piling up. But, no problem, we are getting through all of them - they've just been taking a bit more time that usual.

I'm currently looking for ways to enhance and streamline DigitalProTalk's daily posts from a production point of view. I just picked up Nuance's Dragon's Naturally Speaking software which let's me dictate the post directly to the computer. It's like really cool, but it does flub a word now and then. Hey, it still seems to be faster than my 15 wpm typing speed;~)

So one thing lead to another and I thought I would really "Geek Out" with this entire project - I even ordered the optional Plantronics Bluetooth microphone. Now I feel like Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard when he was part of the Borg. Next on the shopping list was one of those new Netbook computers - I opted for the Acer One from Acer for a whopping $259. I downloaded Open Office - free, and Windows Live Writer which PC World Magazine said was a great blogging tool.

I got Naturally Speaking up and running on the Acer One computer, attached the Plantronics headphone, and started dictating into Open Office. Man, it worked like a charm. Last evening I was just sitting outside on our deck and quickly dictated two drafts for two upcoming posts. And, that was with a jet flying overhead from the Cincinnati airport.

Man, think of the possibilities - now I can blog while driving, drinking, walking - just about while doing anything. LaDawn is saying something to me right now about not having a life, but maybe DPT is my life. Wait, Wait LaDawn - don't call the shrink, please put the phone down. I promise to start going back to the Blogging Anonymous meetings again real soon;~)

How about we get on with this week's episode of Technique Tuesday: A Way Easy Background Fix. Hit the "Read More..." link below for the rest of the story.

Here we go...

That Looks Too Easy - Way Easy Background Fix
Well folks, I'm off the road for a while and get a chance to get back to some leisurely Technique Tuesdays. Today's lesson is really quite easy. It's a short and sweet Photoshop tutorial on how to easily disguise distracting background elements within the image.

Remember last week's post, "Looking Up To Dad" [link]? I mentioned in that post, that the image was taken during the wedding ceremony. In the original image the boy and his dad were surrounded with other wedding guests. And even though they were out of focus, they still distracted from the moment I wanted to capture in this image. I was able to quickly improve the image in Photoshop with the Quick Selection tool. Hit the PLAY button below to see how easy it was to make this image a lot stronger than it appeared originally.



Hey gang, that's it for me today. I'll see everybody tomorrow for the continuing saga on "Booking, Shooting, and Selling the Family Portrait." See ya' then, -David