Cut it out! How to make accurate and easy selections in Photoshop

If you've ever had to make difficult selections in Photoshop, such as with fur, hair, or other fine details, you're likely aware of just how difficult it can be to get a good selection. Photoshop's built-in automatic tools can do a great job with simple shapes and high-contrast selections, but complex selections typically require more work and advanced techniques.

Chris Spooner of Spoon Graphics has made a tutorial video that covers all of the major methods that you can use to make a selection in Photoshop.

The techniques covered in this video run the gamut from simple selection tools such as the Magic Wand to more advanced tools such as using the pen tool or making channel-based selections.

For another perspective on making cut outs in Photoshop, photographer Glyn Dewis has a great video showing how to quickly cut out a tree from a background.

For this sort of situation, Dewis typically opts for using a color range selection (Select -> Color Range in Photoshop). After using the color range tool, Dewis has some nice tips and tricks for refining the selection. Check out the video below to see his method.

Ultimately, which tool is right for a selection depends on the kind of selection that you're making. Between Spooner's large overview and Dewis' approach, the above videos should give photographers an excellent starting point.

(Seen via Digital Photography School)