How to remove background from an image? Use GIMP

How to change background of an image?

You can use Gimp to change the background of a photo. You can use a solid color to replace the background or you can fill the background with a different photo. In this Gimp tutorial I am going to show you how to erase the background of a photo and replace it with another image.
You can erase the background behind the little girl and replace it with one of my abstract background image.
If you are taking photos of someone and you will like to change the background later, you should try to find a solid color backdrop. If you are outside you may use a wall, if you are inside you can always use a bed sheet even a big towel will work fine for that purpose. When you use a solid color background you can easily remove the background. I will show you how to do this in this Gimp tutorial.

First, open a photo with Gimp.

First Image

Gimp Toolbar

This is a photo of me and my grandfather behind me. It is so dark that you can not see him in the photo.
I like to give a new look to this old photo. To do that I will use Gimp and one of my colorful background image as replacement in the back.

Here is the step by step background image changing process:

1. On top of your Gimp window and click File > Open as Layer and locate the photo that you want to open. Double click the photo to open it.
2. When you open your image, make a duplication of the photo. That way you can always go back to original image, if you erase anything that you did not intent to do so.
3. The easy way to remove the background is free select tool. Click on free select tool and select the area that you like to erase it.

gimp image 1

4. After you select it, cut the selected area ( Ctrl+X ). If the edges of the selected area still shows some background images, no need to worry. You can choose the Eraser Tool, then clean up the these areas. When you are using erase tool, you will need to zoom in to your photo. Zoom in about 200% so that you can see what you are doing. In the Eraser Properties window you can change the brush size or shape. I use round brush for smooth cleaning.
5. After finishing cleaning the edges, then click to fuzzy select tool. Select all clean white background with this tool.
6. Now we are ready for replacement image. Open a new image that you will like to use as a background image. To do so, you can always right click on the image and choose to open with Gimp. This will open the photo as a new image in Gimp.
7. In the toolbar menu click on the Select. Click on All, ( Select everyhing / Ctrl+A )
8. Go to toolbar menu click on the Edit. Click on Copy, ( Copy / Ctrl+C )

gimp select

9. Come back your clean image. After you selected the white area with fuzzy select tool, click on the toolbar Select >Invert the selection.

gimp select

10. On the toolbar menu click on Edit >Paste Into. You will see new background in your image.
11. If you are happy with new look, go ahead save the image as jpeg or tiff. It is always good use Save as option and give a new name to the file. That way you can keep your original file in your computer.
12. I also used in this example color adjusment, and wavy effect with calligraphic brushes to give nice frame look at the end.
You may use many filter effects also! Enjoy photography...

gimptoolbar Last image.

Why I use Gimp? Because it is free, and portable. When I travel, I do not want to carry my laptop everywhere. I usually carry my thumbdrive (8GB) it has portable apps suite in it. I installed Gimp into my thumbdrive. When my clients ask me use their photos or my own photo for a website or print purpose, I can use Gimp in my thumbdrive, do many effects and editing in the photo right away. Upload the file to a website right there, or save it into my thumbdrive. It is really time saving alternative. Go ahead try GIMP, you can use it in Mac or Windows..