Two Defaults

When you save a file for the first time, two defaults are encountered.

Default #1 - Save As

Photoshop Elements will open the Save As window, not the Save window.

Default #2 - Photoshop File Format

Your edited file will be saved, by default, using the Photoshop file format.

The extension for this format is .psd.

The Photoshop file format (.psd) has two advantages and one disadvantage.

Advantage #1

When a photograph is saved as a PSD file, there is no loss of quality no matter how many times the file is edited and saved.

In contrast, every time you edit and save a JPEG file, some of the image detail thrown away.

The quality of the JPEG photograph degrades each time you edit and save it.

The JPEG file format is called a lossy format because image detail is lost due to compression.

Advantage #2

The layers are preserved when a file is saved using the PSD file format.

You can go back, at anytime, to make changes to the layers.

Photoshop files have one disadvantage.

Disadvantage

Photoshop files are large.

However, memory is inexpensive.

If your hard drive is filling up, use an external hard drive.

Save as a Photoshop File

Let's say you edited Grand_Canyon.jpg.

1) Go to File > Save, or press Ctrl + s.

2) Check the Format box to make sure Photoshop (.psd) is selected.

If it isn't selected, change the format to Photoshop (.psd).

3) Select Include in the Organizer.

4) Select Save in Version Set with the Original.

5) Click OK.

You'll now have two files in the Organizer.

Original File	Grand_Canyon.jpg
Edited File: PSD	Grand_Canyon.psd or Grand_Canyon_edited-1.psd*

* _edited-1 is appended if in a version set.

Save as a JPEG

If you're going to print the photograph, or send it in an e-mail, you'll need to save the file as a JPEG.

Do the following.

1) Go to File > Save As, or press Shift + Ctrl + s.

The Save As window will open.

2) Locate the Format box and change the file format from Photoshop to JPEG.

3) If you select Include in the Organizer, your edited photograph will appear in the Organizer.

4) If you select Save in Version Set with the Original, your edited photograph will be grouped with its original in the Organizer.

Version sets are described below.

5) Click OK.

When using the Organizer, you don't have to worry about copying over the original file.

By default, copy is added to the file name.

Or, if you're saving the edited photograph in a version set, _edited-1 is appended.

Therefore, the original file isn't copied over.

6) A JPEG Options window will open, prompting you to select a quality level from 1 through 12.

Use 12 to preserve as much image information as possible.

7) Click OK.

You'll now have three files in the Organizer.

Original File	Grand_Canyon.jpg
Edited File: PSD	Grand_Canyon.psd or Grand_Canyon_edited-1.psd*
Edited File: JPEG	Grand_Canyon copy.jpg or Grand_Canyon_edited-1.jpg*

* _edited-1 is appended if in a version set.

Reopen Grand_Canyon.psd if you need to edit it again.

Open Grand_Canyon copy.jpg or Grand_Canyon_edited-1.jpg if you need to print the photograph, or send it in an e-mail.

Version Sets

If you open a file from the Organizer, into Full Edit, you can save the file in a version set.

A version set contains the original file and the multiple edited versions of the original.

Select Save in Version Set in the Save As window.

The phrase _edited-1 is appended to the file name.

Links to the original, and all of the edited versions of it, will be placed in the Organizer.

The thumbnail will have the version set icon in the upper-right corner.

The latest version is on top of the set.

To see all of the versions, right click the thumbnail, and go to Version Set > Reveal Items in Version Set.

The original and edited versions will appear.

Use caution when deleting with Photoshop Elements.

Delete & the Organizer

If you select a thumbnail, and go to Edit > Delete from Catalogue and click OK, the thumbnail is deleted from the Organizer.

The file is not deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

However, if you select Also delete selected item(s) from the hard disk in the Delete window,then the file will also be deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

You may encounter the TIFF file format.

TIFF File Format

The TIFF file format is used by some photographers for printing.

As described above, all JPEG files are compressed.

During the compression, image detail is discarded.

In contrast, the TIFF file format has two modes, uncompressed and compressed.

There is no loss of information when using either the uncompressed or compressed TIFF modes.

When using the TIFF compression mode, the TIFF algorithm looks for patterns, such as the repeated pixels of a white wall.

The white-wall pixels are deleted when the file is saved, compressing the file.

However, the deleted pixels are recreated by the TIFF algorithm when the file is reopened.