4363 ch01 p5 - Wiley

CHAPTER 1: IMPORTING AND ORGANIZING DIGITAL IMAGES

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Importing and Organizing Digital Images

This chapter shows you various options for bringing your digital images directly into Photoshop Elements from a digital camera, card reader, scanner, file, or folder. It also shows

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you how to organize and manage imported images so you can find the image you want, when you want it. Subsequent chapters focus on the editing and processing capabilities of the program.

Chapter Contents Importing Digital Images into

Photoshop Elements Managing Files with the Organizer

(Windows Only) Managing Files with the File Browser

(Mac and Windows)

IMPORTING AND ORGANIZING DIGITAL IMAGES

Importing Digital Images into Photoshop Elements

There are several ways to get your digital images into Photoshop Elements. The way

you choose depends on the source of the digital images--folder, digital camera, card

reader, scanner, and so forth--and the computer platform you are using--Windows or

Macintosh.

Although the editing capabilities of the Mac and Windows versions of

Photoshop Elements are virtually the same, significant differences arise when it comes

to importing, organizing, and managing digital images.

Windows users benefit from the integration of a popular stand-alone product,

Photoshop Album, with Photoshop Elements. The file-management features of

Photoshop Album have been collected in an interface called the Organizer, and the fea-

tures that formerly comprised Elements (most of the editing capabilities) have been

grouped into an interface called the Editor.

The Organizer launches separately from the Editor, but they operate in conjunc-

tion. Digital files can be passed relatively easily between the two workspaces. Users can

import digital files into the Organizer, where they can be organized, managed, and

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shared--or transferred to the Editor for extensive editing. Alternately, users can import

digital files directly into the Editor and bypass the Organizer entirely.

Mac Photoshop Elements 3 users benefit from a much-improved File Browser,

which is totally integrated into the application. (There is no Editor or Organizer "mode"

for the Mac version of Photoshop Elements 3; there is simply the "application.") I'll get

into all the features of the File Browser later in the chapter, but I think you'll agree that it

is a powerful organizing tool as well. (Windows users also have the File Browser integrat-

ed into the Editor, but it is slightly more limited than the Mac version.)

Let's start with importing images into the Organizer. (This is relevant only if you

are using the Windows platform.) After that I'll show you how to import images

directly into the Editor (Windows), or if you are running Photoshop Elements on a

Mac, how to import images directly into the application.

CHAPTER 1: IMPORTING AND ORGANIZING DIGITAL IMAGES

Importing Images into the Organizer (Windows Only)

You can bring images into the Organizer from at least three basic sources: ? An existing folder or offline media such as a CD or DVD ? A digital camera or card reader ? A scanner

The easiest and most foolproof method is to bring digital files in from an existing folder, so let's start there.

 IMPORTING DIGITAL IMAGES INTO PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS

Importing from an Existing Folder or Offline Media I'll assume you are starting from the Welcome screen that appears when you first launch the application from your desktop (Figure 1.1).

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Figure 1.1: This is what you see when you first launch the Windows version of Photoshop Elements.

N o t e : You can bypass the Welcome screen in the future. Simply click Start Up In at the

lower-left corner of the Welcome screen, and from the pop-up menu select either Editor or Organizer as your default startup. You can always access the Welcome screen by choosing Window Welcome from the main menu bar. 1. In the Welcome screen, click View and Organize Photos. This opens the Organizer. 2. Choose File Get Photos from the main menu bar. Alternatively, you can click the camera icon found in the shortcuts menu bar (Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2: Get image files by clicking the Get Photos icon located in the shortcuts menu bar. 3. Now select From Files and Folders. A window like the one shown in Figure 1.3

should appear.

CHAPTER 1: IMPORTING AND ORGANIZING DIGITAL IMAGES

Figure 1.3: When you select From Files and Folders, you'll see a window like this one.

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4. Navigate to the files or folders you wish to import. 5. Select the file or folder by clicking the thumbnail; then click the Get Photos button.

N o t e : You can also drag and drop files and folders from your desktop directly into

the Organizer.

The Organizer is not copying the image file itself. It creates a thumbnail version of the file and a link between your actual image files and the Organizer. Your original image file remains in the original location. (If you move the original file, you'll need to "Reconnect" the link. "Reconnecting Photos" later in this chapter.)

If you are importing images from an offline source (for example, from a CD), you have two choices: either copy the entire file or files onto your hard disk, or import only a small proxy (that is, a thumbnail and basic file info) of the file (or files). You can set the size of the proxy thumbnail, from 320 ? 240 pixels to 1280 ? 960 pixels, in the Organizer preferences: Edit Preferences Files.

To bring in only a thumbnail version, select the Keep Original Photo(s) Offline check box at the bottom of the Get Photos from Files and Folders window. At first it may seem practical to copy only a small proxy and not the full image. Obviously you'll save space on your hard disk. However, if you try to edit the small proxy, a message appears asking you to insert the offline media (CD or DVD, for example) so a fullresolution version of the image can be accessed. This can take time, especially if you haven't located your offline media quickly. (Personally, I'm shying away from storing images on CD and DVDs. I'm using huge, mega-gigabyte hard disks, which are cheap yet fast and reliable. When I run out of storage space, I just buy another hard disk and daisy-chain it to my computer so all my images are quickly available.)

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