Need help from Mac experts

[Berengaria]

I'm using Mac OS 10.6.l and PSE 6.

Is there any way for me to get an exact reading (6 letters?) of the color I'm using for my desk top (probably with the eye dropper) so I can get that same color in PSE 6?

I want to put the canvas with a shadow on it around a picture so it matches exactly my desk top. I get very close just by eye but it shows ever so slightly. Someone else probably wouldn't notice it, but it annoys me.

Any suggestions (and don't say "forget it". That's not an option.) ?

Berengaria

[Barbara Brundage]

Sure. First go to the preferences and uncheck Fill Workspace background so you can see your desktop, then open any photo or blank file in Elements. Switch to the eyedropper tool and click in your PSE document. Keep holding down the mouse button as you move your cursor over the desktop, then let go when you're over the color you want. It becomes the foreground color.

If you'd rather just do it by the numbers, all macs come with a program called digital color meter,which is in applications>utilities. You can use that to sample any color any time and get the numbers for it.

[Berengaria]

Wow. That was quick. I better print it out or I'll forget.

Thanks Barbara.

[JAW]

Hello Barbara Brundage,

First a little background for my question.
I tweaked a photo in PSE 6 on my Mac. Upon making the final tweak to my photo, I use File>Save>Desktop. In that order. Photo is now on my desktop with psd format. Did I do that right? Now, I want to send this photo to a fellow forum member - the results of my tweaked photo. The "Saved" desktop photo is in PSD format so I made a copy and changed the copy format to JPEG. I sent both - the original JPEG photo (which went through just fine) and the copied Jpeg photo via email but the tweaked photo apparently did not go through. They received the original just fine. :confused:
Don't understand what went wrong or the significance of one format over the other when sending photos via email. I dragged both photos (one at a time) from my desktop into my email before sending. Was that OK or should I have done it a different way?
Can I send a PSD formated photo via email or not? If so, how? If not, then how do I resolve this photo sending problem? What other formats will work (using email)?
Did I do the File>Save correct or should it have been File>Save As?
It is my understanding that "Save" is the final result of one's work and no changes can be made where as using "Save As", one can change things over and over again. Please tell me or show me the difference in useing each so I know and understand the difference for futrue use.
Barbara, is this information in you current book "Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac - The Missing Manual"? I hope to engage some of your knowledge on this and thank you for any response.
One other question: When the photo is received via email, can the recipient blow it up so they can see the difference? If the photos stay small - one may not see the effort or the nuance in the tweaked photo - any thought regarding that?
Anyone can jump in here on this with both feet if you like - I am sure there are many members out there with similar questions. Love to hear from them and their solutions and their resolve. :D Thank you one and all!

The old village codger :p

[Barbara Brundage]

First of all, a PSD file is frequently much too big to email (remember that a lot of ISPs put a 5 MB limit on attachments). It's quite possible that your PSD file was just stripped out as over the limit.

I think you're maybe a little confused about save vs save as. You use Save As when you want to change the format of an image, to change the name, or otherwise create a new copy. You use plain Save when you want to save changes to the original image.

You can use either one over and over again; that's not where it gets tricky. You don't want to keep using Save when you're working with a format like JPEG that squishes out data each time you save, because sooner or later you'll squish away enough information that it shows. For a lossy format like JPEG you usually want to save in a lossless format like TIFF or PSD (you can use plain Save as many times as you want with those formats), then save as jpeg again only when you need a jpg, like for emailing.

As far as the recipient being able to blow up the photo, you're pretty much limited to the pixel dimensions of the file you send. You can enlarge the view past 100% in a lot of programs, but nothing is going to look good when it's enlarged beyond 100%.

I hope that helps some.

[Wendy]

Hi Jaw ...

If you really do want to send a large file (psd, jpg or any other format) then instead of sending it via email you could always use a file sharing site. I use http://www.4shared.com/

Wendy :)

[JAW]

Hi Wendy, Barbara

I asked a question and got several answers - I think I need to ask it in possibly a different way:

First some background:
I have several photos - the original subject (format png) and several tweaked of the original subject (format psd) using PSE 6 on my Mac. My plan is to duplicate my photos (original and tweaked ones), put them into a file folder, send them via email so my friend who will open
the folder on their computer and see my work. So far so good? - Q: Will the two (psd - png) make problems for or in a folder when sending? Must it be in JPEG format? I am not interested in a file sharing site at this time - thanks anyhow Wendy. It was very thoughtful.
All I want to do is send several duplicated photos to a friend via email (email size apparently matters so give me direction on how to resize ( I have some idea), what size and what format to use (no idea at all). Do I resize all photos in eliments or out of elements? Do I resize all photos in elements before I use "save for web"? Did I make myseld clear? Hope so!
Now, using elements - "save for web" - do I first bring all my photos into elements I want to send and then click "save for web" versus one at a time and should they already be sized for the web or not? Will the web resize my photos for me? Once in the Save for Web pop-up, where do I go from there - it is so busy or cluttered with info - what do I click or change in this spot or area so all goes well for my email pal?
I've heard of "Zip"(never used it or thought of using it till now) - Is it a web program that I need to download to my computer before I can use it? Is there a free Zip download out there and is it reliable? Does Zip compress the folder only or everything inside when emailing? Do my duplicate pictures need to be Zipped first prior to putting them in the folder, then send the folder and my recipient unzip it on the other end - all via email? Does my recipient need a Zip program to download my file I just sent? Explain how this ("Zip") thing works (the process), and if my system is compatable and can handle it. Information on my Mac is listed below.
Understand, I don't consider myself a novice but with new info, it take me a while to absorb it so take it one step at a time so I can follow each step without a stumble. The last thing you want to do is lose me in the jargon (any steps you would normally do without a thought of stating here - don't leave anything out). Take each question and give me you best thought on each one before proceeding to the next question. I hope I have made myself much clearer on this post. If I have other questions, I'll ask. Thanks in advance - you are all a great bunch out there. I appreciate all comments.

[Barbara Brundage]

I'm still not sure I completely understand you, but if I do, here's what to do.

Open each tweaked image in Save for Web. Choose JPEG as the format, and either medium or high for the quality. If your friend is supposed to print them, choose high, click okay and you're done. If not, you can email a lot more photos if you do JPEG medium, then go to the size area in the middle of the right hand side of the window, set the longest side to 1000 pixels or smaller and click Apply. Then click Okay. When you go back to the original it will ask if you want to save changes. Click Don't save.

Then gather your PNG and jpg files together in a folder on the desktop. Right-click (control-click with a one button mouse) it, and choose Compress. This will make a .zip file of the folder.

Now click once on the zip file on your desktop and press command+i for the get info window, which will show you how large the zip file is. If it's 5MB or more, you'll have go back to the original folder and split it up into smaller groups of of images and make more than one folder and zip those up separately.

Attach a zip file to a mail message and you're all set.

[JAW]

Hi Barbara,

Open each tweaked image in Save for Web. Choose JPEG as the format, and either medium or high for the quality. If your friend is supposed to print them, choose high, click okay and you're done.

When I send any picture to "Save for Web", do I need to send a copy or does the web automatically make and send a copy for me? Does the web save the copy as a thumbnail copy or as the actual original sized copy? I don't know the answer to that.
Can I send - several photos (like a batch of photos using Command A) - a (one time) batch of photos to "Save for Web". What would I expect to see on the receiving end - thumbnail size or the same as original as an attachment or what? Would this be considered a folder attachment? Not sure of the correct wording. Again, would this depend on the settings inside the web page "Save for Web"? How would my web settings change if I were to do a batch of pictures? Would a batch of pictures come in as thumbnails picts?

I want to send and have my friend receive the same size photo as I originally sent (hopefully this would be regular size and not thumbnail) - can this be done or is this asking to much of my computer?

Would a Zip file work better in this case? Putting several photos in a folder and gather your PNG and jpg files together in a folder on the desktop. Right-click (control-click with a one button mouse) it, and choose Create Archive. This will make a .zip file of the folder. Click once on the zip file on your desktop and press command + i for the "get info window", which will show you how large the zip file is. If it's 5MB or more, you'll have go back to the original folder and split it up into smaller groups of images and make more than one folder and zip those up separately.

How big a Zip file can I send to my friend over the internet? Is 5MB normal and 10MB to big? Are we talking download time or what? Would 10 MB take too long to download and that is the real problem - size and time to download such a large file?

When inside the "Save for Web" pop-up window - what does all the various info settings mean (will I ever need to understand all those settings) and will I ever have to change any of the info settings? Is most or all my settings standard or default settings and no changes are needed except where stated previously. Would that be a fairly reasonable statement?

do JPEG medium, then go to the size area in the middle of the right hand side

Is the size area pritty much the only area I will be making changes when sending original photos?
you can email a lot more photos if you do JPEG medium, then go to the size area in the middle of the right hand side of the window, set the longest side to 1000 pixels or smaller and click Apply. Then click Okay. What is a reasonable max number of pixels when sending? What is the signifigence of setting the long side to 1000 pixels. How would this affect a batch and size of pictures? Please explain.
How large a file can I send over the net using Zip? Is 5MB the max or a general rule for down loading? Inquiring minds, what's left of mine! :D

As usual, your input is always welcome and look to others for good advise. Thanks so much in advance. Your a great groop of friends. Where would I be without you!