Damien Symonds

What, are you nuts????  It must be your normal pro printer. A HN print would tell us nothing.

Download the PSD file

Oh gosh.  Yeah, something needs to be done, doesn't it?

Blending won't work, though.  It will need to be a hard straight edge.  Blending gradually wouldn't be plausible.

Oh boy, I fear it might not be possible.  To do well, I mean.

May I see a 100% crop of the troublesome hair/feathers area?

The arms and legs are no problem at all.

Then we'll really know, and one way or another, we can discuss strategies.

Absolutely.  You need to get two test prints (not too small, either) - one of an SOOR, and one of a complete edit.

Or this?

Anyway, what about something like this?

Surely you can see how the building is reflected in the side of the car in Lawson's photo?  That's not made up, the building really is there.

Your photo hasn't got anything reflecting in it.

Right.  Then tweaking it until it matches the existing background as closely as possible.

Hi Renee, what makes you think it's an editing thing?  Have you seen some of Lawson's "befores"?  I mean, what makes you think it's not simply a very polished car?

Are you aiming for yours in black-and-white too?

Have you printed any photos with this new backdrop yet?

Embrace the basket for what it is.  Just fix the background.

Oh gosh.  The Dust & Scratches filter will get rid of the worst of the speckling, but that's as much as I can offer, I'm afraid.

It's obvious to us because we're staring at it.  But I think it would be absolutely fine.

Gee ... I wonder if you really should flip the new belly button upside down?  Would anyone notice?  Because in the main photo the shadow is below the button, but in the donor photo it's above it?

Oh, sorry, may I see it as a 100% crop also?

Correct.  Follow the shape of the people, but don't go too close to them.

Mixed information is exactly right.  The truth is, it might be in the print or it might not.  There are three possibilities:

1. The file has no banding, but your screen isn't very good, so it shows banding.  The printer also isn't very good, and it prints banding.
2. The file has no banding, but your screen isn't very good, so it shows banding.  The printer, however, is very good, and it doesn't print banding.
3. The file does have banding, and your screen is good, and shows it.  The printer also prints it.

As long as you did the background exactly like this, I guarantee there's no banding in the file.

Where are you seeing the banding?  On your screen, or in print, or both?

Yes, the polygonal lasso tool is what I used.

May I see the nice belly button separately?  In its original photo, I mean?

Colour space correct.  Well done.

I can help you, but I need to know what you want.  What do you envisage for this photo?

You were meant to put the glamour subject in the basket? 

Seriously, you cannot remove this basket.