I used Photoshop Elements V2, but you should be able to do this with any editing program.
Always make sure you have a backup of the original file, either on your computer or preferably on a CD. (Debbie's pictures come as prints and a CD from the photo finisher.)
Starting with the full size file, make the crop you want to use just a portion of the overall image. For others following along, of these 3 images, the beach scene was not cropped; the lighthouse was mildly cropped; the lantern room was a more 'severe' crop - the original showed the entire tower.
Once I was satisfied with the crop, I resized the image. I tend to use somewhere between 500 and 550 pixels on the long side. DO NOT expand the image - e.g., if the image is 350 pixels on the long side after cropping, don't increase the size to 550.
When I save the image, Elements allows me to choose how much compression to apply. I usually pick the middle, 5 on a scale of 1 - 12.
When naming it, choose something that will make sense to you while keeping the length to a minimum. (I will use longer names for images destined to stay in inventory on the computer, shorter ones for what I plan to upload.)
Remember that uploaded images can not have any special characters other than - or _ in the name, and may not have any spaces. Actually, you will be able to upload these files, but you won't ever be able to link to them...
Sometimes the process seems challenging, but it really isn't when you learn the process. In this case, Debbie has had no problems uploading or linking / displaying after the first try. Her issue is that the images appear grainy. I have been trying to help her figure out why. I'm no expert at this, just the guy who gets to answer your questions when you ask for help. Other, better photographers and photo editors may have better ideas on what is causing the grainy appearance, but my initial thought is that somehow the size is being increased after cropping, just not sure how that is happening.
If you want to share your pictures and are 'stuck', give it a try and don't hesitate to ask for help. I generally don't bite, and will be glad to try and help anyone who is trying to post.
