Is Elements good for screenshots?

[sally]

Hi!

I am writing the help texts for our digital library website. I would like to use screenshots of our website (e.g. save the screenshots as JPEG?) in the help texts.

In these screenshots I want to:

*Crop the screen shots to only show parts of the screen
*Highlight certain things in the screenshot (e.g. where a check box is)
*Show steps of what a user should do by adding numbers onto the screenshot.

Can I do this using Elements or would I be better get the full version of Photoshop?

Many thanks for your help.

Sally

[kevq]

Sally,
I'm sure that other members of this forum have done all those things when showing how to carry out various techniques.
No doubt that one of them will be along soon to give you more information.
Kev.

[PaulH]

Hi!

I am writing the help texts for our digital library website. I would like to use screenshots of our website (e.g. save the screenshots as JPEG?) in the help texts.

In these screenshots I want to:

*Crop the screen shots to only show parts of the screen
*Highlight certain things in the screenshot (e.g. where a check box is)
*Show steps of what a user should do by adding numbers onto the screenshot.

Can I do this using Elements or would I be better get the full version of Photoshop?

Many thanks for your help.

Sally

Welcome, elements would be more than adequate, PS would be over kill.

Learning curve is a little steep - but you only really need to know how to crop, overly a color (highlite) and using text tools to do what you have addressed.

You'll find the group on here more than willing to help.

[ME100FINN]

It is quite adequate!! here is an example I did of a screen shot... quick and sloppy and it still is the 'picture is worth 1000 words' effect.
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/6474/masks3ft.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=masks3ft.jpg)

[GaryK]

Hi Sally

Welcome to the forums.

As far a I know you can't "take" the screenshot in Elements, but if you have one saved as a jpeg, or various other formats, you can certainly do all the things you want with it.

[PaulH]

Hi Sally
Welcome to the forums.

As far a I know you can't "take" the screenshot in Elements, but if you have one saved as a jpeg, or various other formats, you can certainly do all the things you want with it.


I'm presuming you are using Windows, PSe has a Create new file from clipboard that works easily.


http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aaa8ri.jpg

[malcom]

Could someone remind me of what keys to press to do a screen shot. Have not done one for a long long time and have forgotten.......Thanks. Malcom..

[TonyW]

Sally/Malcolm

To make a copy of the active window, press ALT+Print Screen (usually PrtScn on the keyboard.
To copy the entire screen as it appears on your monitor, press Print ScreenOnce you've done that, from Elements go File>New>Image from Cipboard and you have the screen in Elements where you can do whatever you want to do with it (add text, arrows etc). Sally: for what you want to do it would be perfect (I've used it to do much the same thing)

Tony

[malcom]

Many thank.....:)

[sally]

Hi all! - with special thanks to KevQ, PaulH, Beatrice, Gary and Tony :)

Thanks to your help I now know that Elements is adequate for what I need to do (and that the full-version of photoshop would be overkill!). Therefore, I am off to order Elements now and see how I get on....

Many thanks again and best wishes,

Sally

[JonE]

I'm presuming you are using Windows, PSe has a Create new file from clipboard that works easily.


Now that's a great tip -- allows capturing and editing screen shots without going through the dreaded Paint program. Thank you!! :cool:

[snooze]

Sally you could also use a screen capture program. The free one I use is HoverSnap. Gives you a lot of control of whant you want to do. Very fast . Then just bring them into PSE .Check it out.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1P9EaXcqjJ8BAlhmkpnKUMwTXJ1R01_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1P9EaXcqjJ8BAlhmkpnKUMwTXJ1R01)

[Bayla]

Sally

I have started using Snagit, not free but reasonable priced. I can do all my editing without having to bring the screen captures into PSE plus there is the bonus of being able to capture flash video. You can capture scrolling screens as well. You can download a trial (30 uses) version to try out first.

http://www.techsmith.com/snagit.asp


Bayla