Object Extractor

[carl365]

On most photos with complex backgrounds, extractor leaves fragments and transparent areas around the image, plain background subjects are OK. Is this just the nature of object extractor?

Thanks!

[JoeB]

On most photos with complex backgrounds, extractor leaves fragments and transparent areas around the image, plain background subjects are OK. Is this just the nature of object extractor?

Thanks!

Basically, yes. It all depends on the complexity of the object you're trying to extract and the complexity of the background you're trying to extract it from. There a quite a software programs and plugins available to extract objects and some work better than others as well as some working better on some types of images and others working better on other types of images. As I understand it (and I stand to be corrected) these things use algorithms that attempt to identify various elements of the object to be extracted such as color, edge contrast, contiguity of elements, etc. These programs also have varying abilities to use anti-alias and/or feathering to try to make the object extract with a smooth rather than jaggy look. When the background is relatively uniform and the object to be extracted "stands out" (to put it simply) from the background then most of these programs have no trouble discerning what is object and what is background. And most of them have some degree of difficulty with very fine parts of an object like strands of hair, etc.

[brucet]

Most times it involves a lot of work to get it right. I've tried many approaches. In the end I settled for Freehand Selection using Point to Point. Feather and Smoothing on 1 or 2. Anti Alais selected. Yes it's slow going but it's quicker than cleaning after the automatic/easy ways.

rgards

[carl365]

Thanks guys, yes I've gone back to selecting, or maybe using a mask. I guess extractor is ok for some applications but trying to fix what it did is not worth it.