photoshop elements 5 help

[CrazyWilde]

hi i have just been given this on disc but i have no idea whats what... i want to make the background of my images whiter but i dont know how to do this without making the models in the pic look bad...i normally use the free editing sites but want to be able to do the basics on PS

any help at all would be good thanks

 

[swanseamale47]

Use one of the selections tools (magic lasso maybe) to select your model, invert the selection feather it a bit and use a bit of gausine blur. Thats sounds easy but without knowing your skill level and seeing the pic thats about the best I can suggest.
Maybe post the pic here and let someone show you how we'd do it?