Attach Files to Email
Illustrated tutorial on how to attach your pictures, documents, or other file to your email.
Keyboard shortcuts
Give your wrists (and your mouse) a break, work more efficiently with key board shortcuts.
Easy to follow instructions for getting your pictures from your digital camera into your computer using PhotoShop or Elements (Elements is an abbreviated version of Photoshop, sometimes included with new scanners, and available much more economically than its 'big brother' Photoshop).
TO BEGIN:
Connect the camera to both the PC connection and the electric. Turn the camera On (open the shutter).
Open Photoshop, click File>Import>[name of camera]
The imaging program for your camera will appear. Choose the pictures to download either individually, using the shift/click or control/click, or click "All". When you're finished click "Get Pictures". When the pictures all appear in Photoshop (they will be 'cascaded' behind the camera program window), close the camera program window.
Editing Pictures using PhotoShop
L/click-hold on the color bar of the picture to be edited and move it to a clear position in the center of the PS program window. Expand the sides and bottom until you can see the whole picture (see below).
The color bar shows you the name of the picture and the percentage of the original being displayed.
To change the name of the picture, click File>Save and enter a name. Be sure to save to a folder you'll remember ("My Pictures", or create a folder in your "My Documents" folder for all your pictures. You'll thank yourself later when you decide to do a backup!). More on saving below.
To change the display size, press Z on your keyboard or click the magnifying glass on the toolbar, then use that tool to click in the middle of the image to zoom in. To zoom out, hold down the Alt key and click.
Most images need to be adjusted. You will need to see your images at 100% to effectively improve them. Do these steps in order for best results.
to Crop: Choose the key on the toolbar that looks like a square with edges extending, or press C on your keyboard. Using this tool, l/click drag a square roughly encompassing the area of the image you wish to keep, then release the left mouse key. l/click grab the handles to fine tune. When you're happy with the area selected, press the Enter key on the keyboard.
to Lighten: On the Layers toolbar at the right of the PhotoShop window, right click on the layer representing the image ("Background"), and choose Duplicate Layer, then say OK to the resulting dialogue box.
On the same Layers box, click the new layer ("Background Copy") then choose "Screen".
To 'unscreen' (darken) a bit, click "Fill" then move the slider to the left, watching your image closely. (see below)
When it looks right, l/click the color bar of the Layers box, then press Control +E on the keyboard (collapses the layers together into one).
to Darken: Same as above except use the Multiply command instead of Screen.
to Sharpen: Most digital pictures need sharpening. l/click once on the image or the Layer to select it. l/click Filters>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask. In the dialogue box you should see 50 as the first number, 1.6 to 3 as the second number and 0 or 1 as the bottom number. l/click OK.
Tip: if this still isn't sharp enough, just click Filters again and Unsharp Mask will be at the top of the list as it was the last filter used. l/click to repeat the sharpen. Too sharp? click Edit>Fade Filter Effect, and move the slider to the left.
On the box that appears, move the slider to the left (see below), watching both the image quality of your picture, and the number at the bottom of the box (let off the left mouse key to view).
Tip: eMail pictures are best kept between 25 and 150K.
Image Size: If the number is still very high even though you've moved the slider down to the least acceptable resolution, consider changing the image size.
Say Cancel, go back to the image and l/click once on its colorbar, then click Image>Image Size. Inches are displayed in the middle of the resulting dialogue box (see below). Change the size and click OK.
If you hate it, click Edit>Undo Size Change. Change the size and save again as a .jpg and see where the numbers land.
Tip: If you do not see rulers around your image, l/click Extras>Ruler and they'll appear.
for Print:
l/click File>Save As and choose .psd from the format dropdown box at the bottom (see below). say OK.
now click File>Print Preview. Use the handles around the image on the left to decrease the size to about 95%. Then choose Print Properties on the upper right. In this box you want to choose Vivid Color, Photo/Glossy Paper and High or Maximum quality (this is assuming you have photo paper!). Printer programs vary but these commands/selections should be available, though perhaps not in these exact same terms. Click the tabs in that box and look for them.
Click OK or Print, depending on your printer program. Setting changes you made will apply to this picture only, and will revert to default, so remember to always check this before printing a picture.
Question: Why not print the .jpg? Answer: You can. Especially if that's all you've got. However a .jpg is a compressed format, and the finished picture will reflect that fact.
To change the name of the picture, click File>Save and enter a name. Be sure to save to a folder you'll remember ("My Pictures", or create a folder in your "My Documents" folder for all your pictures. You'll thank yourself later when you decide to do a backup!). 
to Lighten: On the Layers toolbar at the right of the PhotoShop window, right click on the layer representing the image ("Background"), and choose Duplicate Layer, then say OK to the resulting dialogue box. 
On the box that appears, move the slider to the left (see below), watching both the image quality of your picture, and the number at the bottom of the box (let off the left mouse key to view). 
Say Cancel, go back to the image and l/click once on its colorbar, then click Image>Image Size. Inches are displayed in the middle of the resulting dialogue box (see below). Change the size and click OK. 
right. In this box you want to choose Vivid Color, Photo/Glossy Paper and High or Maximum quality (this is assuming you have photo paper!). Printer programs vary but these commands/selections should be available, though perhaps not in these exact same terms. Click the tabs in that box and look for them.