How to keep fine detail when removing background

[debdoris]

We recently lost our dog, but received several paw prints from the vet.  I am trying to use these  to make ornaments but cannot remove the background without losing some of his paw print detail.  i have saved it to png.  i have tried selecting by color, but there are different color shades in the image.  i have tried to use the different selection tools, but it just doesn't capture everything.  And i really want to capture every spec of detail.  I am more familiar with photoshop (2024) but also have illustrator (2024).  Please help!  Really would like to make these keepsakes for my kids, as best as possible!

[Rob_Cullen]

Apologies if you did not want anyone to use your image, but my (simplistic) answer is- (Others may know better!)

1) Add a Curves or Levels adjustment layer to increase contrast (gets greys to black)

2) Apply a Blending option and reduce the 'whites' slider on the current layer until all white has disappeared.

3) Save as PNG (to preserve transparency).

  

[Stephen Marsh]

Here is a version with the white background removed using the "unmultiply" action:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/photoshop-needs-quot-color-to-alpha-q...