I use the regular lasso tool and do small sections at a time ... and blow it up big so I can get a more precise cut

You may have good results using this technique, depending on the photo.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pho...bps_5agirl.htm

Other than that, zoom in real far and do small sections with any seletion tool.

Hair is always really tricky, you'll have to use more than the magic wand selection tool to get a good selection without it looking choppy. Here's where you want to play with layer masks. You can paint with a feathered brush on the layer mask in the hair area, to get a softer transition.

Try this tutorial, to see if it helps. Complicated selections

The magnetic lasso on hair? I'm sorry, but that's about the worst tool you could possibly use for that job.

There are a myriad of methods which will work worse or better on different images. A pro can find the best shortcut by looking at the image, and knowing the kind of results you need. However, not knowing the image, the one thing I can suggest to you which will take some time, but will be sure to give you good results in the end (if done with care), would be to draw your selection in Quick Mask mode. First, select the entire image by pressing CTRL-A or holding CTRL/CMND while clicking on the background layer's icon. Then press Q to enter quick mask. That will give you a rubylith color (if you haven't changed the default), across the entire image. Use your brush to paint with white the areas that you want unmasked (the baby), and paint in black the areas you want masked (the background - will show as the rubylith). Press D to set your brushes to the default Black Forground and White Background, then perss X to switch between the two.

Press [ to make your brush smaller, ] to make it larger. SHIFT-[ to make it softer, and SHIFT-] to make it harder (I bet you ladies wish it were that easy...).

Open your color palette, and choose a greyscale color between black and white, if you want something to be partially transparent.

Once you've completed your selection, press CTRL/CMND-J to jump that selection onto its own layer. Don't forget that you can save the selection at any time by clicking on the New Channel icon in the Channels palette.

Didn't know the Shift-[ ] trick, Ned. Neat! I've been using the [ and ] thing a lot, it's nice to know that one. I change my brush size and softness a lot in the course of my day. Gotta love a good shortcut.

I don't know how anybody could possibly use Photoshop without those shortcuts. Sometimes my crappy computer runs out of RAM and none of my brush adjustment keys work (just the mouse sliders in the tool options bar). When that happens, I have no choice but to save the file, shut down Photoshop, and restart (just PS, not the computer). Pain in the butt, but it's far less annoying than not using my keyboard shortcuts.

Yeah, I hear ya, especially after I learn a really cool new one like you shared, I know I'm going to be hooked on those.

Oh, and lets not forget one of the major reasons I get frustrated whenever I work in a non-Adobe environment... Zoom and Hand Tool shortcuts.

That's why I've been trying to work more in the suite it's a beautiful thing. We still need to work in Quark at my office as well, but I'm slowly getting people to make the switch to InDesign, plus we got the MarkzWare plug-in so that makes it more feasible.

Keep up the good fight, Urst! Teach people that, "No, it's NOT okay to use Quark!"

I been tryin'! I think I've got them partly converted, with the exception of one person who hates change. At home that's what I use exclusively. I don't even have Quark on my home computer.

Good for you, Urst. It's bodes well for your being, to keep your inner sanctum clean and free of all nasty, unwanted debris.

LOL, yeah, detritus really sucks.