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Affinity Photo logoaffinity photo · HeyBraza shows you

how to replace background in affinity photo

HeyBraza points at the layer order and the mask so your new background sits behind the subject, not on top of it.

replacing a background trips people up on layer order - the new sky or backdrop ends up covering the subject instead of going behind it. the fix is to mask your subject first, then slot the replacement layer underneath. here's the order that works.

or do it yourself

  1. 1cut out your subject first (selection brush > refine > mask layer) so the old background is hidden by a mask.
  2. 2drag your new background image into the document - it lands as a new layer.
  3. 3in the layers panel, drag that new layer below your masked subject layer.
  4. 4use the move tool to position and resize the new background, holding shift to keep its proportions.
  5. 5add a 'hsl' or 'curves' adjustment to the subject so its colour and brightness match the new scene.

let HeyBraza do this with you

HeyBraza is a tiny on-screen guide that points at the right buttons and talks you through it, on windows and mac.

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common questions

why does my new background cover the subject?

it's above the subject in the layers panel - drag the new background layer below the masked subject layer and it drops behind.

how do i make the subject blend with the new background?

add a curves or hsl adjustment clipped to the subject and nudge the brightness and colour temperature to match the new scene's light.

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