Photoshop CS4 - Making selections

I'm a complete newb so cut me some slack on the newb question!!

I currently make complicated selections using Quick Mask mode, but this method seems imprecise and yields iffy results. I'd like a more refined way to make difficult selections such as a portrait photo where there is little bokeh and the edges of the subject are not sharp, thus rendering the magnetic lasso and the magic wand ineffective.

Any suggestions?

For the record, Quick Mask can do exactly what you've described with excellent results. You just need to be zoomed in closely where required, and choose the correct brush size and hardness for the purpose.

Damo77 wrote in post #6713598
For the record, Quick Mask can do exactly what you've described with excellent results. You just need to be zoomed in closely where required, and choose the correct brush size and hardness for the purpose.

So I'm just being lazy? I zoomed in and took an extensive amount of time but I still got crummy results.

I guess I'll have to practice!! Thanks for responding.

Laziness can be a problem, but it's usually improper brush selection (both size and hardness) that causes unsatisfactory Quick Masks. In a lot of cases, a big soft brush will give better end results than a small one - but it takes practice to know what works best for each situation.

I will work on it, thanks for your insight!

Sorry, I feel like I've hijacked your thread. I don't have CS4 (yet!) but I believe it's got an excellent Masks panel with some great tools for selections. Hopefully someone else can give you some more insight.

Also, it might help us if you post an image that you're working on, for some more specific advice. No two photos are the same, after all, and what works on one won't work on another.

If you are planning on doing "complicated" selections on an ongoing basis then you really need to get a handle on working with channels for this purpose. I would suggest that you get yourself a copy of Photoshop Channels Book by Scott Kelby It does an excellent job of getting you the basics in working this way for everything from basic hard edged selections to fly-away hair. Once you get the book he has a url in there for you to download some bonus information and files.

I use the quick mask alot to do my selections and do end up undoing in order to get my brush softness and opacity right. It is the nature of the beast, there just isn't a quick and easy way of doing it without making sure that you have these settings done right in the first place. I learned my lessons early on by being lazy and ending up with some real crappy selections even though on screen they looked decent. The marching ants can be misleading as it doesn't illustrate the feather you may have. If you go into the refine edge in CS3/4 you have more tools to help you out in this respect.

Have a lookhere. Lots of tutorials, including a few on making selections / masks.

i have an issue with magnetic lasso tool and the edges of the pictures - why does it NOT select the very edge of the picture even if i'm moving my mouse way off the picture??? it leaves tiny little row of pixels near the edges, so every adjustment you make in the middle of the picture will be different on the edges!

it's really annoying! regular lasso tool works fine, but it requires more precision and commitment in the middle of the picture..
is there a possibility to use the lasso tool first and then switch to magnetic lasso during the making of the selection?

i got it now...
was a bit weird though. had to hold the mouse button down and then press the ALT key. didn't work without holding it down...

When you have hard edges to work with:
Selecting areas in PS.

When you have something like hair:
http://av.adobe.com/ru​ssellbrown/ExtractSM.m​ov