Taking a picture from a picture?!

I am trying to figure out how to do this simple task, but I cannot find it in the Adobe Help system that came with my program. I have a photo with a roller skater doing a trick. I want to crop just the roller skater out of the background so I can use him on a website. I tried using the pen tool, but then it just makes him all white or whatever color is currently chosen. How would I crop the skater as is, and take him away from the background? He is not square so I cannot just simply crop him out. I am trying to figure out how to get him totally away without any of the background. Thanks you for any help!

you had the right idea with the pen tool.
After youve finished putting all of the anchor points around the image...you need to make your 'path a selection'
In your layers palette, click on Paths. Right cick on your work path, and make it a selection.
Then it gives you the option for a Feather radius. This will blur the edges slightly, depending on what number you choose.
Then pick it up....drag it to where you want it and presto.
If you still have some of the ice, or whatever the background is showing through in some parts, try using the 'background eraser' tool.
Use the Eyedropper tool, click on the ice to match the colour and make that your background colour.
Use the background eraser and it will erase that colour.
Im using 5.5 though so things might be a little bit different.

Pen tool is pretty much the best if you have solid edges to work with (eg. edges of a car, curving or straight)

An easy way to select as well is quickmask (press Q to enter quickmask mode). Just paint in/paint out whatever you do/don't want in your selection, then press Q again and you'll have a new selected area based on what you painted. If you take your time brushing, you can have a pretty darn good selection of your skater. Then go to LAYERS>NEW>Layer via copy or cut and off you go!

- Sahavay