How to Extend Background in Photoshop – Easy Methods

Photography is no longer a separate part of the e-commerce world. The better the image quality, the higher the chance of selling. Photoshoot and post-processing both play equally important roles in photography. Learning how to extend the background in photoshop is one of the very basic requirements of e-commerce photography.

To get the best outcome, images need to be unique and professional looking. Everyone is trying to create better photos from the other. So, you need to continuously improve the quality of your images to survive in the market. And the only way to reach customers and higher sales are through strong visuals.

When Need to Extend an Image Background?

Extending the background of an image is not an uncommon practice. Not only in e-commerce photography, but this feature is also largely used in other genres of photography too. Photographers and editors often need to extend the background for various reasons. Here are some of the most common reasons to extend the background in photoshop –

• Change the subject position

Suppose your subject is in the middle of the image. But you need the subject on one side. You can easily do that by extending the background of the other side. The subject will automatically shift to the opposite side.

• Create more space in the frame

While shooting, it might happen that there is too little headroom. This kind of image looks too tight. In that situation, you can use this effect to create the space on top by just extending the background on top.

• Change the orientation of the image

When you need to make a portrait image a landscape or vice versa, you can use this effect. By extending the background, you can change the orientation of the image in whichever way you want.

• Resize Image

Along with all these, extending the background is helpful in resizing the image. When you want to change the size or aspect ratio of the image, you can implement this effect to get your desired sized image.

How to Extend Background in Photoshop – Using Different Methods?

Adobe Photoshop has some impressive tools to extend the background of an image. It can be done in any way. Here, we’ll talk about two easy methods of extending the background in photoshop.

Check out the processes in detail –

How to Extend Background in Photoshop Using Content-Aware Tool

In this method, first, you need to determine the area you want to extend and give a canvas size according to that. After that, all you need to do is to fill the area with the background.

Check the steps here –

Step 1 : Duplicate Layer

Go to File and click on Open.

After opening the file, right-click on the Background Layer. Select Duplicate Layer to make a copy of the Background Layer so that we can use it in case we make a mistake.

Step 2 : Resize

Go to the top menu, and click on Image. Then select Canvas Size.

Now change the canvas size according to your need.

Step 3 : Select Area

From the toolbar, take the Magic Wand Tool. You’ll find it just above the crop tool.

Now click on the area that you’ve extended. This will select the area.

Step 4 : Fill

From the top menu, click on Edit. Now select Fill.

A box will pop up. Select the Content-Aware option under the Contents menu.

This will replace the extended area with the background.

Step 5 : Deselect and Save

Right-click on the image and click on Deselect.

Your background is extended! Go to File and save the file in both JPEG and PSD format for future use.

Pro Tips :

• Be sure of the canvas size before starting. This will save you from ruining the aspect ratio of the image.
• Don’t forget to indicate which side you want to extend while putting the canvas size.

How to Extend Background in Photoshop Using Marquee Tool?

In this method, you don’t need to fix the canvas size beforehand. You can just extend the background on the spot. First, you’ll have to mark the area and then drag the background to replace that.

Here’s the process in detail –

Step 1 : Duplicate Layer

Go to File and click on Open. After opening the file, right-click on the Background Layer. Select Duplicate Layer to make a copy of the Background Layer so that we can use it in case we make a mistake.

Step 2 : Crop

From the toolbar, take the Crop Tool. you’ll find it in the upper portion of the toolbar.

Now, extend the image according to your need.

Step 3 : Mark the area

From the toolbar, select the Marquee Tool. This tool is positioned in second place from the top. There are several options. You can take any of those depending on your image.

Now, select the area that will replace the extended area.

Step 4 : Content-Aware Scale

From the top menu, go to Edit and select Content-Aware Scale.

Now, drag the selected area to the extended area.

Do the same to the other part.

Step 5 : Save

Your background is extended! Go to File and save the file in both JPEG and PSD format for future use.

Pro Tips :

• Don’t drag a large area at a time. Take small cuts so that the texture looks natural.

• While selecting a background, make sure the subject is out of the selection.

Let Us Do The Work For You

Though this is not that difficult, you still might need expert assistance to extend the background of your image. This is to create professional-level work, which is a must in this competitive world. Also, you might look for a background remove service provider when you have bulk images. We’re here to help you decide who to reach for the best photo editing services.

Clipping Path Studio is one of the top-notch photo editing services available online. Our biggest asset is the trained, skilled and dedicated design team who has gathered years of experience in the photo editing field. We regularly update our system to make sure we’re using the latest software with high-end devices.

To clear your doubts, we offer free trial . You can send us your image, we’ll work on it, and only then you decide whether to work with us or not. We have a reasonable and affordable price range which decreases with the number of images. We can assure you you won’t be disappointed with our service.

Final Thought

There is no alternative to creating professional images if you want to shine in the e-commerce world. Your images are evidence of your reputation. Any kind of compromise in photography can cost you a decrease in sales rate. So, do everything to produce the best kind of images to beat all your competitors.