Out of Bounds Made Easy

STEP 1: Open and Duplicate your image

File --> Open (Ctrl-O) Open your image.

Duplicate your background by dragging the ‘Background’ layer (in the layers palette) to the ‘Create a new layer’ icon at the bottom of the ‘layers ‘palette.

STEP 2: Extract Image

I used to the ‘Extract’ filter (Filter --> Extract) to make a selection. In this case to “extract” the main point of interest.

*NOTE: Refer to one of my other tutorials to learn how to make ‘Selections’.

Now that we have something to work with, duplicate your ‘Background’ layer again.

With the new ‘Background copy 2’ layer active, hold down the ‘Alt’ key and click on the ‘Add layer mask’ button at the bottom of the ‘layers’ palette. Holding down the Alt key will fill your mask with black.

*At this point we could use our ‘extraction’ to create a ‘layer mask’ (on a new layer), but this is a more advanced technique. To find out more refer to “Out of Bounds Advanced” or “Advanced Extractions”.

STEP 3: Create a Frame

Make sure the ‘Layer mask’ (Background copy 2) is active. Using the ‘Rectangular marquee tool’ (M) from the ‘tools’ palette, click and drag on the image to create a selection that we can use to make our frame. It doesn’t need to be exact yet.

Hit Shift-F5 (Edit --> Fill) to bring up the ‘Fill’ dialog box. Select ‘white’ from the “Use” drop down menu. Click OK.

This will fill our selection with white, ON OUR MASK. You can toggle off the ‘Background’ layer by clicking on the ‘eye’ next to the thumbnail to see how we ‘masked off’ the image.

To make our ‘selection’ into a frame click on the ‘Add layer style’ button at the bottom of the ‘layers’ palette and select ‘Stroke’.

This will bring up the ‘Layer Style’ dialog box. I could write another tutorial on this dialog box alone, so just follow along for now. First change the ‘Position’ to Inside and the ‘Size’ somewhere between 20 and 30. Click on the ‘Color’ swatch. This will bring up the ‘Select stroke color’ dialog box. Choose white by clicking on the top left corner of the color palette. Or you can fill in the “RGB” values as 255. Click OK, and OK again in the ‘Layer style’ dialog box.

Click Ctrl-D to de-select.

STEP 4: Finishing touches.

Let’s add a new background. Click on the ‘Background’ layer to make it active. Then click on the ‘Create a new layer’ button at the bottom of the ‘layers’ palette.

With our new ‘Layer 1’ active click Shift-F5 (Edit --> Fill) to bring our ‘Fill’ dialog box back up. Select ‘Color’ from the “USE” drop down menu. You can pick any color you like then click OK. I picked a light tan.

Now that we have a background, let’s add some perspective to our frame. Go to the ‘Select’ menu and choose ‘Reselect’ (Shift-Ctrl-D).

Select our mask by clicking on the mask thumbnail in the ‘Background copy’ layer. It should be your only mask.

Let’s go to Edit --> Transform --> Distort. Now you drag each corner of the frame to give it the look you want. Hit Enter to confirm and Ctrl-D to de-select.

Now all you have to do is crop your image (C).