My article in Digital Life on 26 May 2010 (Choice selections) illustrated the use of the Lasso Tool, the Polygonal Lasso Tool and the Magic Wand Tool for making selections of objects or areas of the image with an irregular outline.
Red telephone booth to be selected and preserved
Surroundings toned down to Black and White
Where there is a fair amount of contrast in colour between the object to be selected – such as the red telephone booth – and the surrounding pixels, you can also use the Magnetic Lasso Tool.
Just click anywhere on the edge of the object move the mouse along the edge of the object, in this case the booth. As the mouse moves along the edge, Photoshop will detect where the edge is by examining the contrast between the pixels on either side of the mouse cursor.
Photoshop will place anchor points along the edge as you go along. You don’t have to click the mouse button.
