How to download photo Backdrops for portraits

[Tammy Snyder]

Hello. I need to remove some folks from one photo and put them on a nice backdrop of another photo. (They want a studio family portrait look.) How do you download backdrops to Paint.net and what is the best way to move people, or any subject, from one picture to another.

Any tips?

Thanks,

[Ego Eram Reputo]

First you need to cut out the family. Here's a useful how-to: Cutting out images the easy way.

Now when you have your family on their own layer and separate from the background. You can import another image to use as the backdrop using the Layers >> Import from file :ImportFromFile: .

Note that this may cause a size conflict if the imported file is larger or smaller than the canvas you're working on (you may wish to resize the background image before actually importing it).

You could also cut and paste the new background into a new layer. Use :AddNewLayer: to create a new layer, open your background image and copy it with CTRL+A and CTRL+C, swap back to your original image (make sure that the new layer is selected) and press CTRL+V.

Once you have the background image in place, check that the 'family' layer is higher than the background layer. Click on one layer and use the :MoveLayerUp: or :MoveLayerDown: icons to adjust the positioning.

[Tammy Snyder]

First you need to cut out the family. Here's a useful how-to: Cutting out images the easy way.

Now when you have your family on their own layer and separate from the background. You can import another image to use as the backdrop using the Layers >> Import from file :ImportFromFile: .

Note that this may cause a size conflict if the imported file is larger or smaller than the canvas you're working on (you may wish to resize the background image before actually importing it).

You could also cut and paste the new background into a new layer. Use :AddNewLayer: to create a new layer, open your background image and copy it with CTRL+A and CTRL+C, swap back to your original image (make sure that the new layer is selected) and press CTRL+V.

Once you have the background image in place, check that the 'family' layer is higher than the background layer. Click on one layer and use the :MoveLayerUp: or :MoveLayerDown: icons to adjust the positioning.

Thank you. I will try this as soon as I get a backdrop downloaded.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Good luck! Please report back if you have problems.

[Tammy Snyder]

Good luck! Please report back if you have problems.

It worked. No problems with this first attempt. Took a lifetime to erase around the family on 200%zoom but got her done.

I do have a question...

What if I want to try many backdrops per photo to give the family options so they can choose the one they want? I don't want to have to do the tedious erasing on each cut out. Can I do it once and save that? Will that save?

Is there a certain technique for doing that?

Thank you,

Edited September 13, 2010 by Tammy Snyder

[Sarkut]

Do the cut-out once, and save as PNG.

Next, go to the saved PNG's folder.

Right-click the PNG file, then Properties > Read Only.

This will prevent the file from being inadvertently overwritten.

Open a new file in Paint.NET, then bring in a new background:

Layers > Import From File...

Next, bring in the PNG cutout that you have saved.

Layers > Import From File...

You can re-use the cut-out PNG file as many times as you like.