INTRODUCTION - Here you will explore the many ways to select an object and a few shortcuts too.

OPEN PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS AND LOAD A PICTURE - Open Photoshop Elements in the Full Edit mode.  Hold the Ctrl key and tap the letter O key (Open) > navigate to a pictures folder and click a picture (preferably with sky, clouds and mountains) > click Open.

THE QUICK SELECTION TOOL - Select the Quick Selection Tool (this tool draws a border based on color and texture similarity) > use Bracket keys to size the tool “[ and ]” > click or click and drag in the sky > if clouds are included in the selection, hold Alt and click to deselect the clouds.

REFINE EDGE - Select the Zoom Tool and drag a rectangle around a part of the sky/cloud selection line >  select Refine Edge (this is available for all the selection tools) > move the Smooth, Feather and Contract/Exp sliders to see the effects > tap the P, F and X keys to cycle through and see a preview of before and after the Refine Edge changes > hold Ctrl and tap number 0 (fit picture to screen).

MAGIC WAND TOOL - Erase the previous selection by pressing the Esc key > select the Magic Wand Tool > click the Add to Selection icon > set tolerance to between 0 and 255 (areas will be selected that are within the set color value of the area you click) set a value of 20 > check Anti-alias  to define a smooth edged selection > check Contiguous to restrict selection to adjacent areas and click a spot in the sky (all sky areas within a color range of 20 will be selected).

POLYGONAL LASSO TOOL TO SELECT EDGE - Erase the previous selection by pressing the Esc key > select the Zoom Tool and draw a rectangle that includes about ¼ of the sky/cloud > select the Polygonal Lasso Tool > click and drag, click and drag along the border between sky and cloud > when you approach the screen edge, hold the Space key (pointer becomes a hand) and drag the picture away from the edge > continue to click and drag to the edge > continue the selection up to cover about ½ of the sky and drag across horizontally to the starting edge and then down to the starting point.

LASSO TOOL TO SELECT MISSING AREAS - Select the Lasso Tool > click the Add to Selection icon > drag a selection from the previous selection line up to the top, around and back to the starting point (the selection expands to include the area just selected) > continue to select the remainder of the sky.

LOAD/SAVE SELECTION - After selecting an area, to save your selection, click Select + Save Selection, give it a name and click OK.  Later the selection can be restored - click Select + Load Selection, choose the saved selection + Add to Selection and click OK.  Also try Invert.

CONCLUSION  - Use these tools alone or in combination to simplify making selections.

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 GARVIN HOEY (PHOTOSHOP LESSONS) http://gavtrain.blogspot.com/2009/09/15-minute-photo-challenge-mount-etna.html