A New Boy would like some help.

[CJ Swartz]

Originally Posted by RoyO

Well! I must thank you All for all this help I am getting, pretty confusing stuff this I am begining to think I should have been a bit more careful about what to ask! Ha

All I really wanted to know if the size 2816x2112 was pixels or dots, I know know it is pixels. Also what I wanted to know the size I print in at 6x4 and 5x7 how many pixels would be in each, I cannot work this out, some competitions say the photo entered must be at least 300 pixels and I cannot work it out!

Roy, don't worry about feeling confused -- it's how we all started! It's like everything else you've learned in your life -- it seems confusing when you start, then you catch on a bit, and then you just start doing it without thinking about it much.

If you're submitting a photo for competition and it's saying 300 pixels, it's probably referring to the 300 pixels per inch that you'll find under Image -- Image Size. The dialogue box pops up and you'll see width and height and down below that it will say Resolution -- that's where you'll want to see 300 or more. If it says 72 or something less than 300, you can change it, but take a look at these links on how to do it.
http://akvis.com/en/photoshop-tips/r...n-elements.php
http://www.peachpit.com/articles/art...p?p=30070&rl=1

I know that some explanations can seem way too complicated, but there are some important concepts that they want us to understand -- THEN they let us know how to actually DO what we are trying to do. If you get stuck, or just have questions, don't think you shouldn't ask too many questions here -- you're allowed a certain number (won't tell you how many) and then you have to start helping other people with THEIR questions. Turn-about is fair play.

There's a lot of stuff written to help us understand Photoshop and Elements, and I think it would be good to read some of it each week. But just learn a few of the basics and then have fun USING it to work on your photos, and then you'll know when you need to read something else -- because you'll be trying to do something and won't be sure how to do it -- in the meanwhile, just use it and have fun with your photos.

[Richard_Lynch]

What is used in E4 for the colour balance which is not written in.

You can use the middle (gray) slider on the Levels dialog for basic color balance. There is an auto feature, but I don't recommend using it. All you want to do is:

1. Open Levels (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels, and click OK when the New Layer dialog appears)
2. Choose Red from the Channels drop list in the upper part of the dialog.
3. Click-and-drag the center (gray) slider below the graph from left to right a few times and stop in the position where the color seems most balanced.
4. Choose Green from the channels drop list and repeat step 3.
5. Choose Blue from the channels drop list and repeat step 3.

That will provide some very basic color balance. For more control you can use my elements tools (see http://hiddenelements.com/elements4_tools.html ).

Hope that helps!

[Richard_Lynch]

Also what I wanted to know the size I print in at 6x4 and 5x7 how many pixels would be in each

There are a few ways to figure this out, depending on how you feel about resizing your image. I cover some here without a lot of additional detail:

• To print with the current image information, a 72 PPI image is about 39x29, but 72 ppi is not enough to print with for decent quality.

• In most cases you will need at least 240 ppi for printing to an inkjet, so your image size would be a maximum of 11.7x8.8 (you can get this by opening Image Size [Image>Resize>Image size] and unchecking Resample, then changing the resolution to 240).

• If you change the same box to 300 ppi, your maximum image size is about 9.4x7, so you have plenty of room for printing 6x4 and 5x7 images.

• You can print anything smaller than the dimensions noted above and, with some degree of interpolation, you can print larger. How much larger depends on your equipment to some extent (the 'quality' of the pixels), and how much softening you and the image can tolerate. I don't recommend going more than 10-20% larger than the original (a personal preference that others can argue with).

• Without resampling, you can change the resolution to height = 5, and the image will resize to 6.67x5 @ 422 ppi (approximating a 5x7)

• Without resampling, you can change the resolution to height = 4, and the image will resize to 5.33x4 @ 528 ppi (approximating a 6x4)

• If you go either route here (5x7, 4x6), it will likely be best to then check the Resample box and resize the image by changing the ppi to your target (as recommended by the printer or service; usually somewhere between 240 and 306 ppi).

• You see that none of these options is exact to the dimensions (5x7, 4x6) you are looking for. It may be best to use the Crop tool. As you have enough resolution for either size (5x7 or 4x6), just choose the Crop tool (press C on your keyboard), enter the Height, Width, and Resolution you want on the Options bar, then click and drag over the image to make your cropping box. Resize and reposition the box (Take a look in Elements Help [Help>Photoshop Elements Help] for more information on using the Crop tool). BE SURE TO SAVE THE IMAGES YOU CROP WITH A DIFFERENT NAME THAN THE ORIGINAL.

I hope that helps!

[RoyO]

Thanks for all your helpful replies to me. Firstly CJ Swartz who gave me support and it has helped me to feel much better and not just an old guy! I
see what you mean re image size, I have checked out your helpful places and understand more now. I have looked at the two links you gave and can see much help there to read later. I can now see slowly forming a way to work in Elements 4, you guys (male & female) sure are a wonderful help the way you All explain to me, yes well one day the light will fall and even I will be able to help other beginners like me- one day! I would like to wish you and All the other guys a Very Happy New Year 2007.
To Richard Lynch thankyou for explaining how to work the Colour Balance which really had me baffled, I have copied it all down and am now pleased I know how now to work on the colours and now fully understand how it is done, I am so pleased as that was holding me back, now I am in the know.
Thanks a lot for all your tips most encouraging. From your second note to me I can see that my printed 6x4 and the 5x7 prints should be at least 300 PPI
and if not I can see how to change them in Elements and also resize etc. It is
now beginning to look to me a much better program and worth the money!
Things are getting clearer even to me. Many thanks Roy.
Later maybe I will upgrade to some of those mew things you make for Elements 4 I have noted the site thanks.

[RoyO]

Last night I tried to add some clouds to a photo which came out with a white sky. Though I followed all the instructions and what was supposed to be the clouds sure looked terrible when I pressef 'paste'. I trie two times but the same result, what do you think I am doing wrong and perhaps you can give me an example of how to do it. The instructions I was following was adding 'something' to another picture etc. Was this t he right way to go about it or was it ONLY for small objects added? Any help here would be appreachiated with thanks Roy.

[NYBOB]

There is a video at this link showing one method of replacing a sky.

http://tinyurl.com/ydnvpn

Bob

[RoyO]

Thanks Bob I have just got the Google player and will d/load that program, I will let you know another day how it went. Thanks for your help Roy.

[lazarele]

Here is a great started book:
Nick Vandome, "Digital Photo Projects", Barnes and Noble, 2004, 192 pp. In color, simple steps.