How do I change a background?

I went to the zoo last week and took this lovely shot of a wallaby looking right at the camera. I’m really proud of the photo, but I don’t like the ugly wire fence in the background. How can I replace it?

It can be difficult to capture wildlife looking at the camera, but it does enhance animal photos. It is also hard to get a great backdrop for zoo shots, as you can’t tell your subject to move to a different place.

Luckily, it is easy to remove an unattractive background using an editing program. You just need a photo of a more pleasing one to replace it with. Let us show you how.
Photo needs rescuing?

Ugly backdrop
The wire fence in the A background is not particularly attractive and spoils an otherwise wonderful shot

Dull colours
The background colours of the shot are a little dull and uninteresting and don't help to make the photo stand out

Distractions
The fence post and other elements in the background of the photo also distract away from the main subject

Open both images
Open up the image of the new background you would like to use. Go to File>Place and open your original photo, then click on the green tick to make it a new layer.

Add a layer mask
Go to the Layers panel on the right-hand side of the screen and click on the thumbnail image of your original photo. Now click on the Add A Layer Mask icon above it.

Adjust your brush
Pick the Brush tool and set it to black by clicking the colour palette under the toolbar. Make the Opacity 100% and open the Brush Settings menu to set the Hardness to 50%.

Remove the background
Select a suitable Brush Size, then apply over the background to remove it and reveal the new one underneath. You can use a small brush to get around awkward shapes.