It happens to the all-time of us. You lot accept a few shots, just the one where the subject looks, hands downward, the all-time isn't framed the way yous'd like it to be. At that place are a few tricks you can use to add to the background, and we're going to hash out i that involves Content-Aware Scale in Photoshop. PiXimperfect and Phlearn accept created the two best YouTube videos on the topic to demonstrate exactly how to extend groundwork in photoshop.

It should be noted that this technique won't work flawlessly with all types of backgrounds. The best environments to hands permit a lot of stretching with Content-Aware Scale are going to be relatively plain and without prominent verticals if extending horizontally as shown. The beach shots used in the demo are a perfect example of the type of photo with which this volition play nicely.

extend background photoshop

One time y'all've got your photograph with a background that will cooperate loaded into Photoshop, here'southward what you practice to stretch the image in Photoshop :

  1.  Use the crop tool to change your canvas to the desired dimensions. Be sure to apply the "clear" push button to clear the ratio so that yous can adjust freely, or if you lot know the exact dimensions you need you can enter them into the dimension boxes.
  2. Use the Content-Aware Scale tool to stretch your prototype, paying close attention to the field of study. One time yous see the field of study begin to widen, un-stretch the photograph until the subject is unaltered and use the enter key to take the scale.
  3. Use the Content-Aware Scale tool again, once more keeping a close eye on the subject to avert whatsoever distortion. Have the scale earlier the subject begins to stretch. Repeat equally necessary.
  4. If one side of your prototype stretches more readily without distorting the subject area than the other, but you demand to extend both sides, you tin utilize the marquee tool to select a portion of your image that does non comprise the field of study and utilize Content-Aware Scale to just that portion.
  5. You may discover that the Content-Aware scale tool has caused some artifacts in your groundwork. If this happens to your image, yous can utilize Photoshop'southward diverse clone/heal options to remove them.

Video 1 | Quick HACK for UNLIMITED Background Stretching in Photoshop by PiXimperfect

Check out PiXimperfect's video below to see these steps performed!

Video 2 | How to Stretch Images using Content Enlightened Scale by Phlearn

In the video herein, Aaron Nace and the Phlearn team has put together a tutorial showing this very procedure, and going a step further past explaining how you can avoid the warping of items in your image that y'all don't want distorted during the 'Extend' process – ensuring their protection. This essentially is just a thing of making a selection of what you lot desire protected, and loading it as a aqueduct, which Aaron walks you through.

In the video tutorial, you'll see how to extend the background in Photoshop past using the crop tool to extend the borders/parameters of your epitome, and then going to Edit>Content Enlightened Scale, and viola.

Almost.

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[REWIND: WHY You lot Demand A TABLET & HOW IT'LL TRANSFORM YOUR LIGHTROOM WORKFLOW]

It warrants saying hither that while it will work as 'advertised' you should know that Content Enlightened isn't entirely enlightened of your desires, and thus, doesn't always know where to end, or is incapable of extending as much equally you like – or every bit flawlessly as you'd like in one go. However, you lot can still work incrementally and accept information technology be exponentially faster, and probable more seamless, than if yous were to apply the clone tool. More often than not, but extend a 3rd or and so of the altitude you want, use content aware, and and then start again and all should be well. This is also going to piece of work best with images that don't have very cluttered backgrounds.

As always, if you are a fan of Aaron'south teachings (and who isn't?), exist sure to cheque back here for updates, and follow forth with Aaron on YouTube and Phlearn. You should also consider becoming quickly adept at Photoshop with the Phlearn Photoshop 101 & 201 sets as they are extremely comprehensive, and will have y'all quickly doing things with Photoshop you lot may take otherwise thought besides complex, or didn't fifty-fifty know you could exercise.

Conclusion

Content Aware Scale has got to exist 1 of the more bright tools bachelor to photographers today. If y'all're a budding photographer with niggling to no budget for a studio, you won't necessarily have the size of background you'd like for certain shots, and extending it in postal service is a tedious, soul burdensome event,  if you're going to use the clone stamp. Frankly, if yous're a landscape shooter or whatsoever other type, yous could probably benefit from a simpler way to extend your images without the nightmare that is the clone postage tool used over a large space. This is the power of content aware in extending the backgrounds in Photoshop!