GFX rookies....this is the easiest way to exract a background (pic inside)
 

i don't care how anyone else does it, this is the oldest cleanest trick in the book and it takes only minutes or seconds depending on the pic so read and learnand you don't need to do 87 steps to get it right either..:thumbsup

http://www.rilosedesign.com/cutler.gif

thanks ! :thumbsup

Photoshop lasso tool. No need for that other stuff.

If you don't have a tablet or you just can't be fucked cutting it out then download Knockout off Kazaa (PS plugin). :thumbsup

The PS extract tool is for outlining areas that don't have a nice clean edge, like the fringes of hair on someones head. The lasso tool is useless for that. I actually hate the extract tool but in some situations it's the best tool for the job.