How do I erase a background from an image?

Maybe the simplest way to remove this background is:

Select Quick Selection Tool (W)

Press Select Subject buton located on the top on option bar

Using Quick Selection Tool adjust your selection. Alt Key allows you to subtract from selection and normal tool add additional areas

Pres Select and Mask Button to adjust selectiion. You can try to use View on Black and then use Shift Edges (Left) and Smooth (Right) sliders to adjust selection. In the bottom section of Select And Mask panel go tu Output section and choose Layer and Mask option

This way your object will be extracted from background with mask - it's nice way

You can use erase any image background with Photoshop but you can also remove the background using Microsoft word and even in PowerPoint.

Since Photoshop is far more sophisticated than other removal services such as PowerPoint, you can use various methods to make the background transparent. I found an article on Adobe help about erasing backgrounds which may help you.

Read here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/erasing-parts-image.html

If you do what Dave wrote you will have a good none destructive extraction. Mask can always be made better so you can remove or regain areas that can be better. This image because of the composition and shadows can not be easily selected with automated selection tools and features like select subject.  Because the subject smooth edges the Pen tool is an excellent tool to use extract this subject. Paths are easy to edit and adjust. You want to use as few control points as possible for a smooth outline.  You do not need to convert this Path to as selection to add a layer mask,  You can Add the Path as a vector layer mask and be able to use vector tools  on the vector mask just like a shape layer.

Hi

There are some simple basic steps to achieve what you want.

1. If your image is on a background layer then convert it to a normal layer by clicking on the lock next to the layer icon in the layers panel.

2. Make a selection of the part you want to keep.
You could do this with the quick select tool or, as I did, draw round the object with the pen tool to create a path then convert the path to a selection

3. Go to menu Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal selection

Dave

Hi Lesley,

As you're trying to remove the background from the above image and just keep the subject, please check this article to know how to achieve this: Replace a dull background with a fresh new look |

Regards,
Sahil