Basics

• Use the Browser not only to search for photos, but to insert Keywords and Metadata information. The Browser opens in a separate window (click "File" then "Browse"). When you select a folder where your images are, they will appear in rows with their file names underneath. Double-click a thumbnail to open it, Shift-click to select contiguous images or use Command-click (Mac)/Control-click (Windows) to select noncontiguous images. You also can create a Contact Sheet from the Browser by selecting the photos you want, then using Contact Sheet II (click "File" then "Automate" then "Contact Sheet II"). This will run a script that places all your photos as thumbnails in one file for viewing or printing. Or you can open just one image by double-clicking.
  
  Resize a photo by going to Image Size (click "Image" then "Image Size") and changing the width, height and resolution. The resolution should be 72 dots per inch for Internet use or 300 dpi (or greater) for prints. Save a copy of the image to continue to work on it. If you save it to the same folder, it will appear in the Browser.
  
  

Toning and Honing

• Photoshop 8 hasthree automatic settings to make balancing your photos easier and faster. Admittedly, they don't work for every photo, but for most evenly exposed images, they will produce good results. The first is Auto Levels (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Auto Levels"). To balance the contrast, use Auto Contrast (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Auto Contrast"), and if the color isn't quite right, use Auto Color (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Auto Color"). Note that Auto Color may darken the image slightly and sometimes gives a colder tint, so it might not suit your photos. You also can use Levels (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Levels"), Curves (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Curves") or Brightness/Contrast (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Brightness/Contrast") as well as Variations (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Variations") to make tone and color adjustments. One new and very useful addition is Shadow/Highlight (click "Image" then "Adjustments" then "Shadow/Highlight"). This new feature allows you to lighten areas in shadow without changing the bright spots.
  
  

Effects

• While you can now use the Filter effects from a convenient Filter Gallery (click "Filter" then "Filter Gallery"), you also can make adjustments using Layers so you do not affect the original photo. You can add a warming or cooling Photo Filter, for example, in a Layer. Create a new Adjustment Layer (click "Layer" then "New Adjustment Layer" and select "Photo Filter") and whatever you do to the Layer, you can simply trash it if you don't get what you want. The Filter Gallery gives you the opportunity to see all the artistic Filters in one place and adjustment sliders to tweak your effects.