More photo software, the hard to do white background

[jamesp]

Not as difficult on small items like jewelry, but big dirty items are hard to tent w/white backdrop.
Pixelz is a service for about $1.50/photo. some kind of discriminator program that edges out the white.
Even PhotoPad did not seem to have an answer for this project.

White background required by some web based marketing sites.

rockjunquie does them somehow.



Not exact photo, but before:

[rockpickerforever]

I had a website bookmarked that did a good job explaining how to do that. I still have it marked, but the content on the page has changed.

Google "isolating image on white background" and so many options come up. Not so hard to do. I have "whited out" background before, and placed image onto other backgrounds. You can put yourself into the picture without ever having gone there!

[Pat]

I used to get a white background with Photoshop Elements (about $80), the simplified version. Just moved the Levels lighter or darker. Don't have that anymore. Going to try out Jean's suggestions. Glad you brought this up!

[rockjunquie]

It's no mystery how I do it. I use a white back ground and a white foreground. My picture will have some variation of white depending on the light. To get pure white, I use PS levels dropper. I think other programs have it now, too. Gimp does, and it is free. It has a helluva learning curve, but you don't need to learn all of it, just some of it.

[jamesp]

Dec 15, 2015 15:06:51 GMT -5 rockjunquie said:

It's no mystery how I do it. I use a white back ground and a white foreground. My picture will have some variation of white depending on the light. To get pure white, I use PS levels dropper. I think other programs have it now, too. Gimp does, and it is free. It has a helluva learning curve, but you don't need to learn all of it, just some of it.

Uploaded Gimp this morning Tela. It throws windows up all over the place. Looking forward to a headache wrestling with it.
Like you said, you usually only need a small portion of such a program's capabilities. Are you Windows or Mac, Gimp goes both ways.

LOL, get fighting mad trying a white back drop with a dirty fire pit. Talk about leaving smudge marks on a white sheet.
You nail the white background, and it is an eye catcher for marketing jewelry, no doubt.
Black background easy.

rockpickerforever you must have very steady hands if you can paint the border for a white background. I think that is what you are suggesting.
Can't do it. Ole dark metal probably makes it hard to do.

Pat, I have used a program to do the white background but it had a fuzzy edge. probably my low skill level/lack of knowledge.
I did upload Gimp, I searched 'free Gimp download for Mac'. I know you have a Mac. I shut down everything to download it.
I hope I can figure it out.

[Pat]

jamesp I downloaded and installed Gimp for Mac today. Haven't had time to check it out. Looks similar to Photoshop Elements. Eager to play with it.

I hope I can figure it out, too! I am not interested at this point in all its tricks, but would find several tricks useful. Thanks for the heads up.

[jamesp]

Dec 17, 2015 1:14:23 GMT -5 Pat said:

jamesp I downloaded and installed Gimp for Mac today. Haven't had time to check it out. Looks similar to Photoshop Elements. Eager to play with it.

I hope I can figure it out, too! I am not interested at this point in all its tricks, but would find several tricks useful. Thanks for the heads up.

I found it to be a real challenge Pat. Maybe too complicated for comfort. So many functions, and some very unique.
As if for a high tech photographer.
Please keep me posted on what you think about it.

[Intheswamp]

Gimp's target audience is for people who would use Photoshop but like the open source concept or who don't/can't pay the price for Photoshop. It is confusing but a powerful program for shareware/freeware.

You may have seen this simple link that I found but I'll post it in case you haven't... docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tutorial-quickie-separate.html

Or, go here and see lots of results for Gimp instructions for isolating images... Google Search Results

Also, many commands and techniques used in Photoshop will work in Gimp...and some won't.

[rockjunquie]

My husband uses Gimp, I use PS. I tried to use Gimp, but the commands were different enough that it bugged me to use it. Plus, I really don't like how it crops. I like PS crop much better. I use an old PS- PS6. It does all that I need. I don't do anything fancy. Even the old ones are really more program than I need, but I have it, so I use it. I must say that I love it for what I do do with it.

[jamesp]

Dec 17, 2015 8:37:57 GMT -5 Intheswamp said:

Gimp's target audience is for people who would use Photoshop but like the open source concept or who don't/can't pay the price for Photoshop. It is confusing but a powerful program for shareware/freeware.

You may have seen this simple link that I found but I'll post it in case you haven't... docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tutorial-quickie-separate.html

Or, go here and see lots of results for Gimp instructions for isolating images... Google Search Results

Also, many commands and techniques used in Photoshop will work in Gimp...and some won't.

wow Ed. Nice tuts. In downloading Gimp I got a lot of other programs. Tried to pick what looked to be the most reliable download.

It downloaded 'PremierOpinion' along w/Gimp. Took me a while to trash it, and it messed w/computer(Mac) bad.

Thankfully I only needed 7 photos with white background to post(qualify) on Houzz, so I paid Pixelz $1.45 EA =~ $10.

[jamesp]

eCommerce photo service:

www.pixelz.com


James' fire pits to be listed on Houzz, a couple need to be redone:

www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157662291236231

Pixelz asks if you want photo formatted for most e Commerce sites. Could be a difficult question to answer for many...
Looking at photo specs, they sized the photos at 200KB to 300KB from 1000 X 1000 to 1500 X 1500 originals.
Must be a fast loading size with enough clarity for good definition to ave shopper's computer.

[Intheswamp]

Dec 18, 2015 6:38:11 GMT -5 jamesp said:

wow Ed. Nice tuts. In downloading Gimp I got a lot of other programs. Tried to pick what looked to be the most reliable download.

It downloaded 'PremierOpinion' along w/Gimp. Took me a while to trash it, and it messed w/computer(Mac) bad.

Thankfully I only needed 7 photos with white background to post(qualify) on Houzz, so I paid Pixelz $1.45 EA =~ $10.

Jim, where'd you download Gimp from?  It's getting to where folks are dumping all kinds of trash/junk/malware into downloadable software.  Usually it's not the developers, but rather the download sites that do this (I guess they must get paid for packaging them with the desired software).  It used to be bad, but now it's gotten a lot worse.  No matter what software you're installing it pays to go *really slow* and read all the prompts, scroll down, look for any buttons checked that designate you want to install any unwanted "XYZ" software and uncheck it.  The problem is a lot of this crap is auto-installing and can get hooks deep into your system.

I'd suggest you run something like CCleaner and some type of anti-malware program like Malwarebytes or something.  Naturally, you want your anti-virus running.  I'm curious...are you on a PC or Mac? (I don't know much at all about non-pc computers).

At $1.45 to get the isolation done...it can be worth not having the aggravation and time expense involved...doesn't seem like a bad price.  Now, if a person was skilled at Photoshop or Gimp, it'd be a different matter as it wouldn't take long to do.  You did good, in my opinion.

[jamesp]

Dec 18, 2015 8:39:56 GMT -5 Intheswamp said:

Dec 18, 2015 6:38:11 GMT -5 jamesp said:

wow Ed. Nice tuts. In downloading Gimp I got a lot of other programs. Tried to pick what looked to be the most reliable download.

It downloaded 'PremierOpinion' along w/Gimp. Took me a while to trash it, and it messed w/computer(Mac) bad.

Thankfully I only needed 7 photos with white background to post(qualify) on Houzz, so I paid Pixelz $1.45 EA =~ $10.

Jim, where'd you download Gimp from?  It's getting to where folks are dumping all kinds of trash/junk/malware into downloadable software.  Usually it's not the developers, but rather the download sites that do this (I guess they must get paid for packaging them with the desired software).  It used to be bad, but now it's gotten a lot worse.  No matter what software you're installing it pays to go *really slow* and read all the prompts, scroll down, look for any buttons checked that designate you want to install any unwanted "XYZ" software and uncheck it.  The problem is a lot of this crap is auto-installing and can get hooks deep into your system.

I'd suggest you run something like CCleaner and some type of anti-malware program like Malwarebytes or something.  Naturally, you want your anti-virus running.  I'm curious...are you on a PC or Mac? (I don't know much at all about non-pc computers).

At $1.45 to get the isolation done...it can be worth not having the aggravation and time expense involved...doesn't seem like a bad price.  Now, if a person was skilled at Photoshop or Gimp, it'd be a different matter as it wouldn't take long to do.  You did good, in my opinion.

Lesson learned, reputable download sites copied by capable criminals, hard to discriminate LOL.
always take a chance on downloads, me aware and thanks Ed.

i am Mac.

Yes, I looked at lots of white backgrounds, Pixelz has a great discriminator that really does a great job. And me busy.
Especially since less than 20 photos for many years. thanks Ed.

[rockjunquie]

I wouldn't call CCleaner an anti malware program. It's better for junk files. Spybot used to be the best at malware. Not sure if it still is, but it has saved me a few times.

[rockpickerforever]

Dec 17, 2015 12:23:50 GMT -5 rockjunquie said:

My husband uses Gimp, I use PS. I tried to use Gimp, but the commands were different enough that it bugged me to use it. Plus, I really don't like how it crops. I like PS crop much better. I use an old PS- PS6. It does all that I need. I don't do anything fancy. Even the old ones are really more program than I need, but I have it, so I use it. I must say that I love it for what I do do with it.

I've always used (and like) Photoshop. I bought a copy from Costco several years back, was about $40, when I got my new HP (not Highland Park, lol!) from them. It is version 9, actually called Adobe Photoshop Elements 9. Looks like they are up to version 14 now!  I have never learned/probably have no use for all the things 9 can do.  I have no intention of getting the newest version, and not learning it, either.  I'm big on shortcut keys, if those have been changed around, I'd be lost.  Nope, not going to upgrade.

I still have an antique version on my old XP laptop (also and antique), version 4!  But it did everything I needed to do, and so easy to use.  Plus it starts up much faster.  It is still useable, but haven't used it in some time.

And you thought PS6 was old, Tela!  Simpler is usually better, in my book.

[Pat]

Dec 18, 2015 14:50:45 GMT -5 rockpickerforever said:

Dec 17, 2015 12:23:50 GMT -5 rockjunquie said:

My husband uses Gimp, I use PS. I tried to use Gimp, but the commands were different enough that it bugged me to use it. Plus, I really don't like how it crops. I like PS crop much better. I use an old PS- PS6. It does all that I need. I don't do anything fancy. Even the old ones are really more program than I need, but I have it, so I use it. I must say that I love it for what I do do with it.

I've always used (and like) Photoshop. I bought a copy from Costco several years back, was about $40, when I got my new HP (not Highland Park, lol!) from them. It is version 9, actually called Adobe Photoshop Elements 9. Looks like they are up to version 14 now!  I have never learned/probably have no use for all the things 9 can do.  I have no intention of getting the newest version, and not learning it, either.  I'm big on shortcut keys, if those have been changed around, I'd be lost.  Nope, not going to upgrade.

I still have an antique version on my old XP laptop (also and antique), version 4!  But it did everything I needed to do, and so easy to use.  Plus it starts up much faster.  It is still useable, but haven't used it in some time.

And you thought PS6 was old, Tela!  Simpler is usually better, in my book.

Jean, I had Photoshop Elements 9 on my old computer. New computer wouldn't transfer it. I used the Levels eyedropper to whiten the background. Gimp sounds good, so will try it out. Trying to avoid buying another THING!