JPG background removal without losing tranparency in Photoshop [duplicate]

Question

I have a JPG with a black background, and I want to remove the background without losing the transparency of the image. This is the image:

Answer 1

This may be done within limits. If you plan to put it on a white background the removal of the black background will likely be visible. But another darker shade will probably work. Here is how to go about it:

1. If this image is the background, double click on it to make a layer
2. Now, double-click on the layer icon to bring up the Layer Style window
3. Look for the two Blend If sliders at the bottom, and move the slider on the left to about 40
4. Now, hold the Alt key and click and drag the right half of that triangle to about 130

As you do these you will see the background disappearing. This technique is totally non-destructive and you can revert back to the original by moving the sliders back. See the images below to get an idea of what you should be seeing. I put it on a shade I picked from the image itself to show you what is possible. You can go back and tweak the blend if sliders after you pick a background on a layer below it.

Answer 2

You can also try this:

Open the image and unlock the layer to turn it into a normal layer.

Go into Channels and Ctrl/Cmd-click on, say, the Green channel. (Which channel you choose will vary depending upon the image.) This will select the highlights.

Go back to Layers and add a mask. The selection you made in the second step should be transferred to the mask. You will now have your lightshow on a transparent background with transparency preserved.

You may have to go into Layer > Matting and click on Remove Black Matte to remove any residual fringing.

If you find the image looks a little "thin," you can intensify the colors by duplicating the layer one or two times.

Bear in mind that you will have to save the image in a format that supports transparency (e.g., an unflattened PNG).

Answer 3

You need to understand the logic of that image. That is a light color (and light path over a black background.

Light over a background.

You do not need to remove anything. Use that image over another (somehow dark) with diferent blending modes, like lighten.