Photo software

[deadants]

I don't know all the features of PS elements but you might try using quick mask, where you paint a rubylith over the area you want to select then turn off the mask and presto, there's your selection. http://tinyurl.com/dfkcg Also, can you save your selections in PSE?

Here's another good site  for PSE http://www.arraich.com/elements/psE_intro.htm

[Jane Eden]

Gary and Deadants

Thanks. I will persevere.

Jane

[vhansen]

If you learn how to use "layer masks", you'll hardly ever use the selections tools again.

[deadants]

And here's the link to Viki's tutorial on Layer Masks. http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=63

[Gary56]

And not wanting to "blow my own trumpet" too much .... 

You can use a similar approach to layer masks for removing spot scratches by using the Dust filter and the History brush ...

http://www.restoring-photos-made-easy.com/Basic-Removal-of-Scratches-in-Photos.html

Regards,

Gary Wilkinson
www.restoring-photos-made-easy.com

[Jane Eden]

Thanks all.

I tried a layer mask last night. Clicked on quick mask, coloured the area red, undid the mask which brought up the selection, inverted it, thought great this is easy, but then it all went wrong...........I saved it as a new fill layer and then I couldn't colour it. Looking back what should I have saved it as when I got to the correct selected area?

I will look at the tutorials tonight.

Jane

[deadants]

Are you using PSE or CS2 if the latter the following pictures show how you save a selection