Add Select Subject to Your Workflow in Photoshop 2020

Tutorial Description

Photoshop CC 2020 is here and we’re breaking down some of the new and exciting features! Today we’re taking a look at the new Select Subject tool, powered by Adobe Sensei AI. We put it to the test against three photos of varying complexity.

How will the new Select Subject perform? Let’s find out!

If you’re ready to learn about all of the selection tools and techniques in Photoshop, you’re in the right place. From changing and removing backgrounds to more advanced skills like cutting out hair, we’ve got everything you need to master selections in Photoshop!

Select Subject

The best part about Select Subject is how easy it is to use. Once you’ve loaded an image into Photoshop, just select that Layer, click on the Select menu, and then on Select Subject. That’s it!

Photoshop does all the work behind the scenes and will create a selection of what it thinks the subject is in the photo.

Refine, Refine, Refine

In our tests we found that Select Subject gave us a great start with our selections. But, as to be expected, it did have some issues when the color of the subject closely matched the colors in the background. While not perfect, it did handle less complicated areas very well.

Even though Select Subject doesn’t get us all the way to the finish line, it does give us something that we can work with and refine. If you’re going to use Select Subject (and we recommend that you do!), be ready to use it in combination with other selection tools to get a cleaner cutout. Once the initial selection is made, try using the Magic Wand Tool, the Pen Tool, Channels, or even the Brush Tool on the Layer Mask to dial it in.

The thing to remember when using any fast or automated selections tools is that they’re unlikely to create a perfect selection in every situation. Keep your end goals in mind, and if you do need a perfect selection, stick to the more precise, manual tools like the Pen Tool.