Problem with Select & Mask in Photoshop CC

Hello,

I am trying to "extract" a person from a picture and struggling with Select & Mask feature in the latest Photoshop CC. I followed few different tutorials on YouTube and cannot get it to work. it actually seems to be doing the opposite when I try to use the brush on the edges and/or hair strands.
It seems very simple looking at this tutorial

I am at work now and cannot attach samples but I tried everything I could think of and no luck.

Edited to add: I am not getting any error messages as some have reported. Its just that the masking brush doesnt do what it is supposed to.

Thank you in advance.
Mike

Hi, Mike.

S&M has three tools. The brush is pretty crude and simple for the tough task of selecting hair details. Perhaps you still had that selected when you really wanted refine edge?

The tutorial makes it look simple because of the nice contrast between a uniform background and dark hair. In real life, the task has made many a strong man or woman want to weep. <G>

When you say 'extract' do you mean 'remove/delete' the person (paint them out) or do you mean take a 'copy' of them that you can then use in another image?

If it's the former, you don't really have a problem, as really quite approximate generous masking will probably be sufficient. If it's the latter (as I suspect it probably is), then wait until someone with more PS skills than me comes along to advise.

Do you have an image to share?

If you can share the image you are trying to extract, that would help a lot in giving advice. The tutorial makes it look simple because an image like that is simple to extract. When you have a nice, plain background with nice contrast against what you're trying to extract, it's a pretty simple job. I'm guessing the image you're trying to extract has a "busier" background, and that can make things much more tedious and difficult to get right.

Thank you all for your responses.
I realize that its the background that is causing problems. I tried the same technique on the solid background and it definitely worked.

If you share the image we might be able to give some suggestions on how to get a good extraction.

Masks are "black and white", if you paint with white it will do the opposite than if you paint with black.