Learning it all...

Hi, To everyone that reads this,

I am just learning how to use Photoshop and The very first picture that I created was this morning at about 2:00 A.M I couldn't sleep and was working all day on the photos. I got into it because of a photoshop tutorial that I found by accident on the web. and I fell inlove with the dark fantasy artwork that they had created and thought to myself... I could do that, I have nothing better to do.
I am learning the ways to use the tools on photoshop but right now only a few things confuse me and they are only the tools, I get how to layer things, and group them, adding photo effects but it is this that confuses me.. how do you get the main object out of a picture? I have tried the lasso tool, and the freeform pen tool but it never works for me, I end up having to erase the background when I know it could be easier!

I don't like you when you're sober.