How to Move a Person in Photoshop and Close Gaps Between Subjects

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Back in the Pets & People video one of the final tips was to close the gaps between subjects if they are not touching, or if one of the subjects is sort of out on a limb somewhere. However, I hadn’t put the “how to” for that tip anywhere on the YouTube channel, and so this post corrects that!

In today’s tutorial, we’re going to look at the steps involved in moving a subject within an image to specifically close the gap. Open up the image that you want to work on in Photoshop and duplicate the background layer (Command + J). Oh yes, literally you need to erase the subject that you actually want to move from the topmost layer.

Using your healing tools (there’s info on that here), eliminate the subject you want to move and get any sign that something was there out of the picture. This is very important. Make a copy of the background layer that has the subject still in it, and move that new layer to the top of the layer stack.

On the left-hand tools, select the one that looks like a rectangle and draw a rectangle over the subject that you removed in Step 2. Photoshop should make a rough selection of just that subject. Next, mask using the refine edge tool around the selected subject. Click and drag the masked subject to place them where you actually want them to be in the end. Make sure it makes sense to the viewer.

Using your layer masks, blend the subjects nicely into each other to create a super overlap and a clean floor transition. Take your time to get this part right. It must look realistic. If you’re finished, you can create a new merged layer of all of the visible layers to work from as a new “background” by pressing Shift + Option + Command + E - that saves your layers all where they are but puts a new one right up at the top to work from.

Breakdown of the Workflow

1. Open the target image and duplicate the background layer (Command + J).
2. Erase the subject you plan to move from the topmost layer using healing tools to remove any trace.
3. Copy the background layer with the subject intact and move the copy to the top of the stack.
4. Draw a rough selection around the removed area with the rectangle tool.
5. Apply a refine edge mask to isolate the subject for moving.
6. Drag the masked subject into the new position and ensure spatial consistency.
7. Use layer masks to blend the subjects into a seamless transition with a convincing floor line.
8. Optionally merge visible layers into a new background when ready to finalize.

Tips for Realistic Movement and Blending

• Take care to maintain shadows and lighting direction across both subjects for cohesion.
• Adjust edge feathering in the mask to avoid harsh seams.
• When placing the subject, consider perspective and horizon line to preserve realism.

Note: The technique relies on precise masking and thoughtful placement to avoid obvious edits and to ensure a natural look.

If you’re finished, you can create a new merged layer of all of the visible layers to work from as a new “background” by pressing Shift + Option + Command + E - that saves your layers all where they are but puts a new one right up at the top to work from.

tags: #how #to #move #a #person #in