Removing background distractions...

[Fortytwo]

I agree. If you know what to look for, you can see it's been photoshopped. But considering all, really nice job photoshopping...

[crystalb]

Thanks for all the input!

[Michaelaw]

I agree with the others in that it's not desparately in need of fixing. Having said that, I'll give my 2 cents on how Id fix it if you are determined. I would tend to want to replace the whole background so you'd need a separate shot of a puffy cloud filled sky on hand for this method. This image should be much the same size as your flower image and should be opened firs, selected and coppied to the clipboard. This next part takes some time and concentration! Take your original image and zoom in tight (real close) and this is assuming your using PS. You want to be zoomed in so tight that the edge of your flower look pixelated. Next, select your Lasso tool. While holding down the alt key you go around the perimeter of the flower clicking points along the border of flower and sky, you want to stay right on the line of separation between the two. Once you've gone all the way around the flower you will have a selection of the complete flower. I generally save the selection at this point<alt-s-save selection> Once saved you want to feather your selection <alt-ctrl-D> On the full size, straight from camera image I would choose to feather around 3 pixels, on a web sized version, 800x600 or so I would go with one pixel feather. This is why I save the selection initially as If my feather is wrong, I cam reload the selection and apply different values. Next you want to invert the selection <alt-s-I> Next you want to fill the selected area outside the flower with the image of sky and clouds which should be copy and pasted to you clipboard. Once the area outside the flower is selected using the select inverse method you paste the image on the clipboard into that area in the edit menu item "paste into" or <shift-ctrl-V> now you should have a fully replace background around your flower with a feathered edge that blends the two images together fairly seamlessly. Hope you can get what I'm saying I do it second nature but telling others how is not my forte...Hope this helps!

PS...Feathering the selection is the key otherwise you will end up with a harsh edge to your fill that looks Photoshopped!

[crystalb]

Thanks for the 'how-to' Michaelaw....

[harvey3]

nice tips!
thanks a lot