Remove background with new release

[default79cxu7hqi3hj]

I like the ability to detect the background using the new release, but how do I use that feature to remove the background or change its color?

[Ian Lyons]

You cannot remove the background as that is the domain of Photoshop.

[default79cxu7hqi3hj]

Perhaps I didn't explain this well enough. I take photographs of objects against a background. I want to remove the background from the photographs. There is a new feature in Lightroom that detects the background automatically.  I want to know how to use that feature to change the color of the background (of my photographs, not of Lightroom!) or remove the background altogether.

[Rob_Cullen]

The Masking UI in LrC V12.1 is much improved.

Once you create the mask with the background selected you have all the adjustments available in the Masking panel- (Tone, COlor, Presence, Detail)

As others advise- Anything more requires Photoshop!

[Theresa J]

Lightroom does not have layers or transparency, like Photoshop. You could use the mask to make the background black by completely reducing all of the light tones. However, I don't think Lightroom can accomplish exactly what you are asking for.

[drtonyb · Accepted solution]

The Background mask is simply the Subject mask Inverted.

If Add Background gives you a reasonable mask, then you can use any of the masking adjustments to change the background's appearance. For instance, pushing the Exposure down will darken it and going all the way to -4 could make it almost black. Use the Color adjustments to change colour, Temperature/Tint, Hue, Saturation and/or the Color.

Sometimes the Object mask gives a better mask and Inverting that will target everything except the Object.

Experiment. In many cases, LrC's masking makes it easy to alter the Background when there is a clearly separated Subject or Object.