As a part of the series Review of Manual vs. Automated tools for background removing, it is our second experiment that has been run on the different objects in single color contrasting gradient background. Here, we have again tried the three photo editing online tools: Auto Clipping, Background Burner, and Clipping Magic on some pretty much complex shaped objects to test their capability to reduce the time and effort uncompromising with the quality. We have also made a compare and contrast between the manual photo editing in Photoshop and the three automated online tools and what the result we have got as follow:
In this part, we have taken an image of a cell phone with a single color contrasting gradient background. Earlier we tried a cell phone photo with a single color background. But as here it is a contrasting background, it is a little bit difficult to remove the background and that is why we have taken this photo to get an idea of the three tools.
Okay, firstly we have tried this photo in autoclipping.com to remove the contrasting background. We upload this cell phone photo in their website and they offer us two selection tools. One is green for selecting the foreground object and another one is the red for selecting the background. We drag these tools on the main object and on the background, we want to remove. Anyway, automatically it removes the background and the outcome is in the image below you are looking.
Notice that the tool has not been able to remove the background correctly. It has destroyed the resolution of the photo and clipped the backdrop along with the image edge. It cannot work on the curved area nicely. However, we tried to touch up a little bit, but failed to regain the resolution, edge, and overall quality.
Score for Auto Clipping: 43%
Breakdown:
Performance Fields | Marks |
---|---|
Working with Soft Edges | 3% |
Work on Curved Areas | 3% |
Work on Shadows | 4% |
Maintain Image Resolution | 4% |
Time it take | 10% |
Work on Holes | 5% |
Re-utilization benefit | 0% |
Securing subject pixel | 3% |
Background Color on Subject | 4% |
Skills Required for Editing | 7% |
Total | 43.00% |
Then, we have worked with the same photo on Background Burner. Here, a flying dragon comes and burns the background. This tool offers several background removed photos with some touch up options. I have chosen the above photo for the example. This tool has worked better than the previous one. It has also cut the background inside the photo, but it is better regarding the quality. However, while zooming the photo you will find a lot of defects here also.
Score for Background Burner: 60%
Breakdown:
Performance Fields | Marks |
---|---|
Working with Soft Edges | 6% |
Work on Curved Areas | 7% |
Work on Shadows | 5% |
Maintain Image Resolution | 7% |
Time it take | 10% |
Work on Holes | 5% |
Re-utilization benefit | 2% |
Securing subject pixel | 5% |
Background Color on Subject | 5% |
Skills Required for Editing | 8% |
Total | 60.00% |
Then we have continued the test on clippingmagic.com. This tool also cannot show its mastery over the photo. It fails to remove the background perfectly maintaining the resolution, edge, curves, etc. It has lost its control, especially on the delicate edge and the curved areas.
Score for Clippingmagic: 45%
Breakdown:
Performance Fields | Marks |
---|---|
Working with Soft Edges | 3% |
Work on Curved Areas | 3% |
Work on Shadows | 4% |
Maintain Image Resolution | 4% |
Time it take | 10% |
Work on Holes | 5% |
Re-utilization benefit | 0% |
Securing subject pixel | 4% |
Background Color on Subject | 4% |
Skills Required for Editing | 8% |
Total | 45.00% |
Finally, for comparing the works of these tools with the Photoshop manual work, we have tried the same photo in Photoshop. We have used many tools and options for removing the unwanted background form the mobile photo. Ok, at last we have got our desired photo. This manual technique works on the photo perfectly. Look at the photo and you can find its curved area, delicate edge, shadow, etc. are perfectly edited. It keeps the proper resolution and even looks better than before.
Score for Manual Photo Editing: 74%
Breakdown:
Performance Fields | Marks |
---|---|
Working with Soft Edges | 10% |
Work on Curved Areas | 10% |
Work on Shadows | 9% |
Maintain Image Resolution | 9% |
Time it take | 0% |
Work on Holes | 8% |
Re-utilization benefit | 10% |
Securing subject pixel | 9% |
Background Color on Subject | 9% |
Skills Required for Editing | 0% |
Total | 74.00% |
Object | Background | Manual | AC | BB | CM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic Shaped Object | Single Color Contrasting Background | 74% | 43% | 60% | 45% |
Conclusion: We cannot deny that automated tools can do a fast job, but they cannot maintain the necessary quality of the photos. Considering this fact, Manual photo editing in Photoshop is the best choice for the graphic designers. They can do any editing works on the photo that has a single color contrasting background. They also can re-utilize and manipulate these photos the next time.
Background Color | Subject Types |
---|---|
Single Color Contrasting Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Single Color Contrasting Gradient Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Multi-Color Contrasting Live Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Single & Same or Similar Color Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Single & Same or Similar Color Gradient Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Single & Same or Similar Multi-Color Background | Basic-shaped object Simple-shaped object Compound-shaped object Complex-shaped object Group Shot |
Special Case: | Transparent Subject, Translucent Subject, Blurry Background |
Learn More Resource On how to make background transparent in photoshop