Editing Portraits and Recomposing Images - Beginning Photo Retouching and Restoration Using GIMP - page 200

Recomposing Images
Recomposing portraits or important photographs is common part of image editing. People become very
emotionally attached to certain photographs, but they may contain an ugly background or an in-law,
ex-spouse, or some other unwelcome person or element that the owner of the photograph finds unpleasant.
The two most frequently requested services I receive are replacing backgrounds and removing people
from portraits. On occasion, I'll receive a request to add someone to an image.
Recomposing an image consists mainly of covering up unwanted image data with replacement data
and working with it to create a realistic outcome. The tutorials that follow demonstrate two background
replacement methods and one involving removing someone from a snapshot.
Replacing Backgrounds
In my line of work as a retouch artist, replacing backgrounds is one of the most frequently requested editing
services I provide. Sometimes it's because there's only one existing photograph of a certain person, and the
client would like a “studio” version of the image, such as a muslin background behind the subject. Other
times, the client desires a reimagined version of a photographic scene. Sometimes, it's just a busy, cluttered,
and distracting background spoiling the photo.
Tutorial 31: Replacing a Background (No. 1)
The image shown in Figure 8-19 is scanned from a photograph that I shot in 1993 (in the days few people
could afford Photoshop). It has a great subject, but the elements in the background (the open garage, orange
road construction barrel, street, etc.) detract from what is otherwise a good portrait.
Figure 8-19. A cluttered background detracts from an otherwise good image
In the following tutorial, you'll extract the young woman's image and place it on a more suitable
background, resulting in a much better portrait.