Backgrounds make the shot

I have written many times about how important backgrounds are -- how they can make or break a picture -- and this is another example.  I photographed the Balinese dancer during a performance where the background on stage was cluttered with many other elements.  By making a precise selection, I was able to replace the background with a beautiful temple door that I also photographed on Bali.  I used the pen tool in Photoshop to make the selection, and this is, indeed, a laborious way to do it.  But . . . it's the most precise technique to use to make the composite look absolutely real.  I photographed the dancer while kneeling so I could shoot from a low perspective because I knew I was going to place her on elevated steps, and this gave me the correct angle.  When she was sized to fit the new background (using Edit > transform > scale), I clicked on the background layer and made it monochromatically blue first with Image > adjustments > hue/saturation (by moving the saturation slider to the left the image became black and white) and then with Image > adjustments > color balance (to introduce the blue tone).