iWork Tutorial: Remove backgrounds with Instant Alpha in Pages

When you’re designing a document in Pages you don’t want to be tied to the dimensions of your images – especially if they have elements in the background that you don’t need. The traditional method for removing the background of an image and ‘cutting out’ the subject involves some Photoshop magic or very fine pen work to extract unwanted elements from your shot, but fortunately Pages has an alternative option. The Instant Alpha tool is possibly the easiest way to cut out a background quickly and effectively and requires very little effort – simply drag over the area you wish to remove. This tutorial will show you how to use the Instant Alpha tool to effectively strip the background from your photo and leave you with the focus of the image intact. Once you’ve tried it you’re guaranteed to be using it all the time!