Background Removal – Image editing tool in Word2010

There are many new features provided in Microsoft Office 2010, one of them in Word 2010 is an image editing tool-its the Background removal tool for photos. As the name suggests it removes the background from the photo. I can say, it does the job so easily and accurately. Such a tool is not provided even in many photo editing apps. This tool has been created in conjunction with Microsoft research. Let us see how its done-

Insert a picture from Insert > Picture, keeping the picture selected, choose the ‘Background Removal’ tool

As you choose this tool, it highlights in purple color, all the elements which are background. You can adjust the handles to include more of foreground elements you want.

Also you can fine mark it to include or exclude portions you want. And that’s all, once done close the tool and the background is removed like magic ! See the results for yourself!

And after this you can apply any artistic effects available and it will be applied only to the Foreground picture. Also one crop the portion wanted using crop tool.

Here’s one more example-

And after applying Background Removal tool -

(Thanks to Akhilesh- my cousin, for this photo)

Its a wonderful photo editing tool indeed which does its job so easily. I would suggest Microsoft to provide this tool in Windows Live Photo Gallery also. One more thing, how about providing an option where the background  portion in purple highlighted can be reversed with foreground. So in one click, we can just reverse the selection. Or an option to save the removed background portion. Sometimes that is also useful.

Will post about some other fabulous tools provided in Microsoft Office 2010 in my blog posts.