DSLR Photography Forum

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know everything about photoshop... Today I discovered that there's a tool called clipping path, which allows you to select and "knock-out" areas of your image so you can easily extract a region and use it in another composition. An example is given in this article:

http://www.sketchpad.net/paths3.htm

In the past, I always used the selection (lasso) tool and painstakingly outlined stuff that I wanted to knock out... I guess there's more than one way to do things, but now I'm better educated, I guess! (I've always wondered what that "paths" tab was there for...!)

Did you know that there are even professional clipping path services where you upload your image to them and they create clipping paths for you? They're not cheap either, ranging from around $2 per path to $17.50 per hour...
Clipping Path Service

It looks cool - but I don't get it. Can somebody explain it to me? I can select the path easily enough, but can't really do anything with it. I suppose it I have an illustration program...

I thought the thing about clipping paths as oposed to other selections was that, like toad sais, you can export them to other applications....

shuttertalk Wrote:Did you know that there are even professional clipping path services where you upload your image to them and they create clipping paths for you?

Dear Shuttertalk,

Why Clipping Path?
I represent one of those companies that offer Clipping Path Service. Clipping Path has been around for long time. Not only Photoshop, Quark Express, Adobe Illustrations, and Corel Suits also use this tool to remove background, cutout image, make transparency, and every other ways you can use it. But, from the beginning and still the Photoshop clipping path has been the greatest tool for this.

Why Clipping Path Service Companies?
The reason there are many Clipping Path companies is that it is a very time consuming, laborious, and most of all non-creative job. Most graphics design companies employ creative designers. And engaging the creative employees in the Clipping Path job, would mean the waste of time, money, and mostly of creative potential. Therefore, we take this as an business opportunity and free the designers from their important time and allow them to work in creative activities.

Example of a Complex Clipping Path Job

To get and idea about how laborious this job is, please try out the below images for making clipping paths. This is one of the complex jobs we do. However, model pictures with hairs flying out are super-complex jobs, when you have to extract each hair individually .

Original Image before Clipping Path


After Clipping Path

shuttertalk Wrote:They're not cheap either, ranging from around $2 per path to $17.50 per hour...

Why Clipping Path Service Companies are not Cheap
The pricing for this job actually depends on labor skill and labor hour. Therefore, to cut cost, we have installed a setup in low labor cost country in the Indian Subcontinent, Bangladesh. But, please note that these service is not a freelance service. They along with us provide very professional service with quality. So, quality is also a factor. Therefore, I think you should also agree that good quality has a good price. That's why our services are not cheap.

However, there are cheap services offered by freelancers. They may be good, but getting a good service may depend on your luck. Usually, small companies go after freelancers. And large companies depend on us for consistent and reliable service. That's why we exist.

Diversified Use of Clipping Path
Other than removing backgrounds, cutting out images, and making transparency; Clipping Path also has other uses. You can create multiple paths around an image and change their color, shape, opacity, effects, etc. This is called Color Masking (for changing color) and Correction Masking (for changing other). That is very good for animation and color optimization. Have you seen some fashion sites, where they offer same product in many colors. You just click your color and the same product changes to your desired color. It is done by creating separate image files for each color. This is one of the great thing what clipping path can offer. And for raster animation, this option also has good use.

Thanks for the post Asif, that was very informative.

If you don't mind, I've edited the post to remove all the links to your commercial site. (please see our forum rules)

Julian

What is the difference between a clipping path and the magic wand. They both seem to do the same job.

Maybe someone could try it out and let us know? It sounds like those eps files that the clipping path tool produces can be imported into other desktop publishing applications...

I might be wrong here but it also looks like you draw more with lines and curves with clipping paths, as opposed to drawing selection areas with the selection tools...

I use these all the time with product photography - it is essential so the products can be placed on any background. It can be very time consuming - but it can be very accurate.

Another good tool is Corel Knockout - can be used as a plug in for photoshop. Very good for things like hair, etc...

I used to spend hours cutting out photos. The clipping path allows you to have a photo which has transparent regions. If you are using photography for print (in brochures or marketing materials) you often want the background colour to show through parts of the image (normally the background). It also allows you to define how text flows around the image (like you see in magazine editorials).

There are some excellent plugins and tools now that do this automatically saving many hours of painstaking work. As Wedding shooter mentioned these are invaluable for hair and fine details.

Interesting - I will try clipping path if i ever select anything. I have not yet had a need to, but it seems neet.

P

At least munni's advertising post was on-topic and relatively informative...

right on the munni, you might say.
I'm gonna edit some Italy shots now.

I have a clipping path tutorial and have a try every 6 months or so, but I am still at a loss as to how it speeds up selections. :/
Or maybe it doesn't, just makes it more accurate? As to hair ....I am pulling mine out. I will take skinheads and baldies in future, women as well.

What is photoshop Clipping Path?

A Path could be a closed vector path or a form, accustomed cut out an image in current image editing software like Adobe Photoshop. Once the path is formed, clipping path is then applied on it in order that something outside the path are omitted after you place the file into illustrator or any web developing software and within the path can remain same as before.

Where to use Photoshop Clipping Path?
Clipping Path is important after we use any image to organize a design, like leaflet design, product design, magazine design, web design and plenty of additional. Suppose, I even have a picture with background color grey and wish to be utilized in the front page of my catalog. I need to take away the background of that specific image since my Catalog color is green and have another design. To do so, I'll have to be compelled to create a path round the image so convert it into a clipping path. And then, after I use it in Illustrator, Dreamweaver or any other program, the image background will disappear, mean no background. It'll show only the image that was within the path.

Clipping path is a basic Image Editing Service ­that is applied by creating an outline or closed vector path around the object to be separated from its original background in order to replace it in any desired place. The process also known as ‘Closed vector path’ or ‘Deep etching’ as well, involves the isolation of the definite portion of an image within the outline from its undesired background.