Defringing Halos 7

Activate the background layer by clicking on it in the Layers palette (below right). Then use the Polygonal Lasso Tool and select the foreground leaves that overlap the edges of the branch (below left). Make sure the "Anti-aliased" check box is selected in the Options palette. When the selection has been made, click Cmd/Ctrl C (Copy) followed by Cmd/Ctrl V (Paste). This will paste a new layer with a portion of the foreground leaves directly over the background layer.

17. Drag the new layer to the top in the Layers palette so it appears in the foreground (below right). The finished image appears below left.

Defringing Halos 6

Now click Select > Deselect (Cmd/Ctrl D) and make the new background visible in the Layers palette (below right). The fringe is not nearly as bad as it was but it is still slightly visible. We're getting there. Make sure the copy of the toucan layer is still active and click Layer > Matting > Defringe... to reapply the defringe command.

14. Accept the default width of 1 pixel in the subsequent dialog.

15. Now we have a smooth edge and the toucan blends perfectly over the new background. The only thing to handle now is that the branch appears to be floating in midair. There are a couple of ways to handle this. We could use the Rubber Stamp Tool and clone the ends of branch and extend them to the edges of the image. But in this case we'll make some of the leaves in the foreground appear to lay in front of the branch. It will be a slightly better effect because it will add the illusion of depth to the image.

Defringing Halos 5

Click once anywhere in the white background. This will make a new selection including all of the white background plus a little bit around the edge of the toucan.

12. Press Edit > Clear (or press the Delete key or Backspace key) to delete all the background pixels.