Techno Teacher

Photo editing can be useful in most classrooms, but learning how to edit photos using Photoshop can be quite overwhelming. This tutorial will teach you how to select items in your picture that you want to change. There are a few ways to select items in your picture, but I find that Polygonal Lasso Tool to be the most precise and easy to use. Learning how to use the Polygonal Lasso Tool may be a small part of photo editing, but using this tool can make a big difference in the outcome of your picture. While using Photoshop, follow the steps below to learn how to select an item in the photo you wish to edit.  
Step 1: Download the picture you wish to edit.
Step 2: Immediately make a duplicate layer of your picture! This is essential in the editing process. To make a duplicate layer go to the right side of your computer screen. Right click you mouse where it reads “Background”. When you right click on “Background” a selection should pop up that reads “Duplicate Layer”. Click on this option. After clicking on “Duplicate Layer” an additional “Background Copy” should show up just above the first “Background”. The picture below may help to guide you through this process.

Step 3: Now that you have made a duplicate copy of your picture you are ready to begin selecting the items on your picture you wish to change. On the left side of your screen there is a vertical tool bar. This is where the lasso tool is located. Click on this tool and scroll down to “Polygonal Lasso Tool”. Once you select this you are ready to outline the desired item in your picture. Use the screen shot below to guide you to the Lasso Tool if needed.

Step 4: Begin outlining the area of your picture you wish to select. Click and drag the mouse around the item. Once the item is fully inclosed, dashed lines should encircle the object you have selected (note: if you accidentally double clicked your mouse in the outlining process, hold the shift key down on your key board and the part you have already outlined should come up). Once you have dashed lines around the desired item you are ready for the next step. Below is an example image that has been completely selected with the Lasso Tool.

Step 5: Right click on your selected image. A list of options should appear. Select the option that reads “Layer Via Cut” as seen below.

Step 6: Check to see if your item has indeed been selected. You check by looking on the right side of your screen. There should be a “Layer 1″ above your Background copies. It will look similar to the image below.

You have now successfully selected a certain item to edit in your picture! Just make sure that layer 1 is selected when you want to edit this particular part of your picture. Again, there are may ways to edit a picture, but learning how to select a certain part of your picture to edit is one of the main parts of photo editing.