Selection Tools : Photoshop

	Three of the top four icons on the toolbar are the selection tools; marquee, lasso, and magic wand. The pen tool in the third row set is also a selection tool. Selections can be made based on size, shape, and color using one or more of these tools. The small arrow in the lower right corner of a tool icon indicates that by holding the mouse down over that icon, other options for that tool exist.
		MARQUEE TOOLS
		The marquee tool has several options for making a rectangular or rounded elliptical selection, or for selecting a single 1-pixel high row or column. Rectangular and elliptical selections can be constrained to a square or perfect circle by holding down the Shift key when clicking and dragging to make a selection. Selections can be moved by clicking inside the selection and dragging while it is active or by using the arrow keys. Shortcuts: M will activate the marquee tool. Ctrl + D will deselect a selection.

	LASSO TOOLS
	Lasso tools are designed to allow you to make precise selections based on the outline of an object or area. The lasso tool is a freehand tool, allowing you to encircle or outline an area freely. The polygonal lasso lets you make a straight line selection around an area, using anchor points along the way.
The magnetic lasso tool is designed to follow the edge of an object if enough contrast is provided. It automatically snaps to the edge of an area if it is well enough defined. Magnetic lasso also uses anchor points. You can add or subtract from a selection with the lasso tool by holding down Shift for adding or Alt for subtracting . It is also possible to go back and forth between using the freehand lasso and the polygonal lasso tools on one selection. To switch it requires holding down the Alt key and clicking with the mouse to change from lasso (freehand) to polygonal. Then to switch again, hold down Ctrl and drag the mouse at the same time to go back to freehand lasso from polygonal.
MAGIC WAND Magic wand lets you select adjacent pixels in an image based on their similarity in color. It is good for selecting odd shaped areas without having to trace their outline as you would with the lasso tool. You can add or subtract from a selection with the wand by holding down Shift (adding) or Alt (subtracting) while the selection is still active.