selecting dark objects from dark backgrounds

I have trouble using the lasso or magic lasso tool in photoshop when it comes to finding the edges of a persons hair against a dark background. The edges become clear if I brighten the entire picture and then use the lasso tool. But how can I revert to the original(unbrightened) photo then without losing the lasso selection. Or is there a better way to select objects from background of similar color?

steve547 wrote in post #2448386
I have trouble using the lasso or magic lasso tool in photoshop when it comes to finding the edges of a persons hair against a dark background. The edges become clear if I brighten the entire picture and then use the lasso tool. But how can I revert to the original(unbrightened) photo then without losing the lasso selection. Or is there a better way to select objects from background of similar color?

Create a duplicate layer of the image you are working on. Increase the brighness level of the duplicate layer so that you can differentiate the hair from the background. Once you have the selection completed, click on the eye on the duplicate layer to make it invisible or just drag that layer in the layer palette to the trash bin at the bottom right of the palette to discard it if you no longer need it. Then click on the image layer to make it active.

Steve,
Duplicate layer brighten and contrast to higher levels, make selection, save selection under select menu, name it, delete duplicate layer, load selection under select menu.
Hope that helps....Jim

Another trick you can use is after you have made a selection, you can save the selection by clicking on Select on the menu bar and then selecting Save Selection. Once a selection is saved, it can be reloaded with Select > Load Selection.

Thank you Leo and Jim for those instructions. I've been trying to figure this out for a long time. I should have asked sooner. Thanks again. Steve.

Here's another tip for you. Once a selection is saved, it becomes an alpha channel which is accessible via the Channels palette. You can select an alpha channel and edit it using black and white colors to add to or remove from the selection. You can also use the Blur filter to soften the edges of the selection if you wish.

Thanks again. I appreciate all this advice and I'm trying it all out.