Jennifer Apple over at The
Photoshop Blog posted a great tip for getting
that perfect selection when you're having a tough time with other methods, possibly due to backgrounds or surrounding
elements that are stumping Photoshop and its various selection tools.Jennifer's idea is to give your selection tool of choice a helping hand by using a Levels or Curves adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer) to increase the image's contrast. Using an adjustment layer (instead of applying the changes directly) will allow you to preserve the image the way you want it, make the selection you need and then throw out or turn off (for later use) the layer in order to go on about your business.
This method is both a great technique and a prime example of the power of adjustment layers that should be incorporated into nearly every Photoshop user's toolbelt as soon as possible.
