Outsource nitty-gritty photo masking work so you can get back to advanced edits and running your business.
Image masking services
Remove backgrounds from hair, fur, and difficult borders
Starting at $1.19 per image
Spending all day editing sucks the passion out of your work
The last thing you want to do after a whole day shooting is sit down and spend hours photo masking so you can put your images onto a white background — especially when you’re dealing with undefined edges like hair or fur.
You want to do the fun stuff, planning shoots or creative retouching, not painstakingly outlining every single strand of hair. The faster you get through all the nitty-gritty edits, the sooner you can get back to the work you love.
When it comes to image masking services, you don’t have to waste time on the most tedious edits — save your brainpower for things that challenge you creatively.
Leave it to the experts
Outsource even your most intricate photo masking projects to Path’s pro retouchers, starting at $1.19 per image. You can get large batches of images edited quickly and affordably, in as little as 6 hours.
Hand-edited photos and careful attention to detail mean you get perfect image masking services every time. The cleaner the photos, the more they’ll sell — and the happier your clients will be.
Image masking projects we’ve perfected
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What is image masking?
Image masking is a technique that removes the background from images that have subjects with fuzzy edges, like hair, wool, or fur. Unlike clipping path services, which are like cutting out an image from a magazine, image masking is a labor-intensive task that requires advanced Photoshop techniques to account for every last strand of hair or fur.
We start with hand-drawn clipping paths along straight edges. Then, we’ll use these Photoshop masking tools and techniques to get to the finer details of removing a background:
- The background eraser tool
- The magic eraser tool
- The color separation technique
- The channel mask
- Hand-drawn clipping paths
Sometimes, we’ll combine more than one tool to get just the right look.
Image masking allows you to change the background behind the subject of your image. You can create white backgrounds for selling products online, or display your subjects in any setting. -
How much do image masking services cost?
Not all image masking projects are the same, so the rates for each project vary.
Pricing is based on the total number of sections that need masking, the difference between the object and its background, and the background color (because it’s more complicated to separate objects that are similar in color to the background).
Every image is different, but we follow standard pricing guidelines to make sure your rate is always clear and objective, even if you’re working with a different designer. Here’s an overview of the different categories of image masking projects:Basic image masking projects – $1.19 per image
The simplest images fall into this category. These images have simple, smooth edges around most of the object, with a small portion of the image containing fur, hair, or transparency.
Great for:
- Eyeglasses
- Handbags, clutches, and jewelry with tassels
- Clothing with a fringed hem
- Transparent or translucent empty containers
- Glassware
Simple image masking projects – $1.69 per image
Most images fall into this category — almost 50% of image masking orders at Path. These images are a little more involved than “basic” images because more of the object’s area has furry or fuzzy edges, or the object has complex, smooth edges.
Great for:
- One person with a head of hair in a photo
- Fur-lined boots
- Jewelry with intricate settings
- Translucent gemstones
- Topiaries and simple floral arrangements in opaque vases
- A single stuffed animal with mostly smooth borders, but some furry edges
Medium complexity image masking projects – $2.39 per image
This is the second most common category for image masking projects. These images may have fur or hair covering the entire subject, or contain varying levels of transparency throughout the object’s edges or area.
Great for:
- Two people in a photo
- A stuffed animal
- A sweater with fuzzy or furry edges
- A wedding veil
- A furry animal, such as a dog, cat, or hamster
- A garment with tulle sleeves or skirt
- Sheer curtains and drapes
- Sheer or lacy lingerie
Complex image masking projects – $4.99 per image
Images in this category might have multiple people (or animals) in a single photo. Sometimes images with shadows or multiple background colors fit in this category too, because they require a combination of image masking techniques
Great for:
- Two or more animals in a single photo
- More than two people in a photo
- A complicated surface with lots of holes, like a soccer net
Super complex image masking projects – $8.99 per image
A very small number of image masking projects fall into the super complex category. These images have highly intricate borders and require a variety of image masking techniques.
Great for:
- Feathers
- Large groups of people
- Pine needles or wreaths
- Transparent or translucent objects shot against a multi-colored background
Why photographers and ecommerce entrepreneurs outsource their image masking projects to Path
No automated software at this photo masking company. We do every single project by hand. Customize your image masking order to fit your timeline and budget, no matter how tight. Your talent and creative energy is best spent on doing what you love — not fiddling in Photoshop for hours figuring out tedious edits.
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40,000+ customers have trusted us with their image edits. -
8 million images enhanced and brought to life.
How it works
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Order your edits
Upload your images, tell us a bit about what you need, and get a clear, budget-friendly price on the spot.
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Your designer edits your images by hand
Our pro designers will tackle those tedious image edits, while you get back to the fun stuff.
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Get your images back in as little as 6 hours
We’ll double-check your images to make sure they’re pixel perfect, and then send them right over.
How to know if outsourced image masking services are right for you
You don't have to do everything yourself. Outsourced image masking services are ideal if you are ...
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A busy professional photographer with batches of edits due from a recent product photoshoot
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An ecommerce retailer who wants to use their time to move the needle instead of fiddling around in Photoshop
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A freelancer or agency with tight client deadlines and tons of other deliverables to wrangle
Backed by thousands of 5-star reviews
Path has saved 40,000+ businesses valuable time and money with premium image editing services.
