How do I "cut" a circle?

[scuda]

I want to "cut" a circular (or oval) photo from a larger one, but I can't! Months ago I got as far as cutting the circle, but it always ended up surrounded by a white square/rectangle. Now I can't even remember how I got the circle, but I was probably using Photoshop Elements 5. Please, please, could someone give me a few simple steps to enable me to move from a rectangle to a circle with no surround?

scuda

[WendyPusey]

If you are using Photoshop select the background colour you want, then select the oval marquee and place where you want it. Invert the selection, and then hit Delete. Then copy the layer and delete the original and you should have a circular(oval) shaped photo.

[scuda]

Thanks for the instructions, Wendy, they sound so straightforward but I am still having trouble (I very rarely try to fiddle with photos, so I'm not sure where to find everything you've mentioned).

When you say "invert the selection" how do I do that? I can't see it anywhere! OK, just had another look, and right clicking on the picture gave me a "select inverse" option - is that it? Oh, now I've done that, and I'm left with a grey oval in the middle of the original photo. Now "copy the layer" - I take it that's "duplicate layer" from the layer drop-down menu? I now have two copies of the picture with an oval hole - now what?

Sorry to have to ask for more help (I'm much better at word processing!),

scuda

[WendyPusey]

If you have ended up with a hole in the photo, then you didn't invert the selection. This is found under Select/invert (on the menu)

[scuda]

Wendy, I've managed to invert it this time, so I have an oval photo with a red surround. Now, I don't get "copy the layer and delete the original" - can I have a couple more clues please?

scuda

[WendyPusey]

In the menu select "layers/duplicate layer". It will ask you for a title, anything will do. There will now be two identical layers.

Right click on the original layer (one at the bottom) and select delete layer, and hopefully you should end up with just your oval photo.

[scuda]

I now have the two identical layers at the bottom of the screen (smaller versions of the large oval pic). Right-clicking on either gives me a menu with options like Rotate, Duplicate, Auto-hide, but no "delete layer" or similar - where have I gone wrong this time?

scuda

[WendyPusey]

My layers are at the side under the layers tab, and they have nothing like Rotate etc, when I right click!!

Another way is to select the original layer, then go to menu and select Layer/Delete and it will ask you if you want to delete the layer names "xxxx". Make sure this is the original and click OK.

If this doesn't work than I can't help you.

[scuda]

Wendy, Thanks very much for being so patient. I haven't got there yet, but I'll have another go when I've had a rest - at the moment I feel I'm just going round in circles (!!), but I'm sure I'll get there eventually. Thanks again.

scuda

[scuda]

I think I've got it! I've managed several now, with different colour backgrounds. I'm at the stage where I can't understand why I was having so many problems. I do have a follow-on question, though (sorry): is there any way of getting just the oval picture with no rectangular surround?

scuda