Tutorials on How to Make a White Background in Lightroom | Photoshop

You must have heard of Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop as a beginner or professional photographer. You can conveniently use them to create white backgrounds, where each offers different methods for the process. 

The following article reviews tutorials on how to make a white background using the Adobe tools. Luckily, you can use the article's insights when performing other functions within the software. 

Making a White Background in Lightroom

Here are the steps for creating a white background in Lightroom: 

Step 1: Launch Lightroom and Update the Software

Access the location of your Lightroom software and double-click on it to launch. It’s important to check if you have the latest version. If you have an old version, update it to get the latest features and fix any bugs and viruses. 

Step 2: Select the Masking Tool and Adjust Display Features

Using the masking tool helps you select your subject easily and separate it from your background. The next step is to adjust features like the exposure, highlights, and shadows. 

Here’s how you can start adjusting these features:

• Step 1: Slightly increase the exposure a little bit, and the shadows, then decrease the highlights. 
• Step 2: Eliminate unwanted sections and parts by making your brush larger. 
• Step 3: Switch the above factors till you're satisfied. 

Step 3: Add Another Mask and Increase the Exposure

To make the background white, include another mask and select your subject. Follow by right-clicking and selecting "invert mask" before increasing the exposure.

Step 4: Fine-Tune the Results

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Now it's time to make the background white. Add another mask and select the Subject again. Invert the mask by right-clicking and selecting "invert mask." Then, bring the exposure up.

You can finish setting up your white background by adjusting the shadows and highlights again. Remember to use the brush if there are other parts you want to eliminate from your photo. The final step can include adjusting the density and flow. 

Alternative Methods of Creating White Background in Lightroom 

Another way to change to a white background is by changing the background's color. 

How to Play with The Background's Color in Lightroom

Method 1: Apply the Mask Tool

Select the Subject using the masking tool, and invert it to choose the background. Use the hue to change the background color, and adjust the exposure settings to modify your results. 

Method 2: Create a Radial Gradient

Here's how to create a radial gradient

Step 1: Select and invert your Subject.

Step 2: Add a Radial Gradient

Access your develop module and tap on Mask 1. Click on the three dots to the right of the mask to intersect the mask with the radial gradient.

Step 3: Draw a Gradient Over the Background 

Use the gradient tool to draw a gradient over the background. Any changes you make will affect this area. 

Method 3: Create a Linear Gradient

Here's how to create a linear gradient in Lightroom 

Step 1: Use the Linear Gradient Tool

Tap on the "Mask" to access the menu and select "Linear Gradient." You can use the linear gradients to darken or make the sky more appealing. 

Step 2: Draw the Gradient on Your Photo

Click and draw the gradient on your photo and hold the shift key to draw it perfectly. You can also draw it from different angles to create a unique effect.

Step 3: Switch the Shade

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Making a White Background in Photoshop

Most people prefer Photoshop for its diversity and ease of use. Additionally, it's the standard for editing art photos and making a white background in the software. 

Step 1: Select the Whites Using the Color Range 

Access the Color Range tool by going to “Select > Color Range” and using the eyedropper tool to select the white areas of your image. You can use the fuzziness slider to increase or decrease the selection's tolerance. 

Step 2: Refine Using the Quick Selection and Lasso Tools

Next, refine your photo results using the Quick Selection and Lasso tools.

Step 3: Adjust the Saturation

Next, you'll need to adjust your saturation by tapping on the ‘Adjustment Layer’ button at the bottom of the Layers panel and selecting ‘Hue.’ Follow this by adding a Saturation adjustment layer. You can select the whites in the dropdown menu to reduce the saturation. 

Step 4: Adjust the Levels

You should create another adjustment layer with levels and clip it to the mask's layer. Do this by holding down ‘Alt’ and clicking between the two layers. This aspect on the level layer only affects the mask's layer. To finish, adjust the levels via the sliders. 

Step 5: Adjust Brightness and Contrast

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Other Ways to Create Photoshop White Background 

Like in Lightroom, you can play with your colors instead of creating a white background. 

Here's how to adjust colors to achieve a white background: 

Method 1: Change Color One to White

Step 1: Select the Image and Unlock the Layer

Step 2: Go to the properties panel

You can access it via the Window menu and ‘Select Subject’. 

Step 3: Fine-tune your selection

There might be left-out areas after your initial edit. You can use the ‘Quick Selection’ tool to paint over the areas that need to be added to the selection.

Step 4: Access the Selecting and Mask tools

Choosing these tools allows you to refine your results further.

Step 5: Create a Color Fill Layer

Creating this layer allows you to set white as your color.

Method 2: Colorize White Backgrounds

This method follows the respective ‘Method 1’ steps. Follow them to colorize your background then follow the additional steps below: 

Step 6: Use the selection on a saturation adjustment layer.

This automatically adjusts the respective changes to your mask. 

Step 7: Choose the colorize option in the saturation adjustment layer. 

Use the Hue, Saturation, and Lightness sliders to adjust the color as desired.

Method 3: Creating Gradient Backgrounds

Here's how to create a gradient background: 

Step 1: Remove the Background

You'll start by unlocking and selecting the background layer, and remove it from your image to create a selection. Go to the ‘Properties panel’ and select "Remove Background". 

Step 2: Create a Mask Add a Solid Color Layer

Access the "Select and Mask" option then create a solid color layer.

Step 3: Make a Gradient Layer

Proceed to create a layer above your solid color and ensure it's below your image layer. Select the gradient tool and choose the "foreground to transparent" gradient. Set a preferred foreground color then select the radial gradient.

Method 4: Using Color Fills

The final way to create a white background is by using color fills. Here's how to execute the process:

Step 1: Select and Refine Your Subject

Use the "Select Subject" tool and then "Select and Mask" features. This allows you to specifically refine the selected sections. 

Step 2: Create a New Color Fill Layer

To choose a background color, go to "Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color." 

Step 3: Invert the Color Fill Layer Mask

Invert the created color layer by clicking on the mask layer mask and pressing Command or Control I.

Step 4: Switch the Blending Mode

Image credit: youtube.com

Change the blending mode from "Normal" to "Multiply" to make the results more realistic. 

Conclusion

There you have it on creating White backgrounds using Photoshop and Lightroom. They excel in the midst of modern automated software and tools. They offer you automated features, helping easily execute photo edits. If you're a beginner, they're easy to learn and use, helping you grow as a professional photo editor. 

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