1. First open the image

2. Auto fix layers – Control+shift+L

Enhance-auto levels

This is a great way of fixing up a photo and can make an average photo great in seconds

3. Check brightness/contrast controls

Enhance-brightness/contrast-brightness/contrast

Play with the sliders until you’re happy with the look. I generally go for an image that has a close to white background as possible. As a result, this has already had a great impact on the image

4. Add a new working layer

Control+A –select all

Control+C – copy all

Control+V - paste new layer

This just adds an exact copy of the image on top of the one you already have

5. Select white background

The next step is to select the area for removal. Select the magic wand tool (W). Choose add to selection and a tolerance of 30 from the options bar at the top of the screen. Then click on a white area of the image. This will select most of the background you want to get rid of. Keep adding areas of background until it is all selected. If you make a mistake, use Control+Z or undo to go back a step. Don’t forget to do inside the legs!

6. Remove background

Once you are happy, hit Control+X to cut away the background. If it looks like nothing has happened, don’t worry, if you look at your layers box you will see that the image has changed to a checked background. A checked background is used to show that it is now transparent.

7. Gradient fill

Select the background layer of your picture from the layers box. Then select the gradient tool (G). Open the gradient picker from the options bar at the top of the page and choose foreground to transparent. Using a suitable colour draw a line from the bottom to the top of the image. Keep redrawing the line until you are happy with the result. I usually go for bottom of the image up to the knees

Crop (C) the image for dramatic impact and your done!

Adding another background

If you want to add a different background rather than using a gradient fill. Continue as before until you reach stage 6. Open the image you want to use as a background. I have chosen a bloody moon.

2. Select the move tool (V) and click on the image you are going to move. In this case, the werewolf image that I have already removed the background from. Drag the werewolf image across and onto the background. Make sure that the werewolf image is top of the moon or he will disappear. If it does disappear just drag the image so it is on top of the background in the layers box.

Resizing images

Select the image you want to resize. Keep hold of shift button to keep the scale aspect correct. Drag a corner of the image until it is the right size. Then still using the move tool (V) put him in the correct place. There you have a very dramatic werewolf howling at the full moon.