We touched on various aspects of P/S:
Re resolution: do not confuse image file resolution and printer resolution; keep the two separate in your mind; try to think of file resolution (dpi) as pixels per inch and printer resolution (also dpi) as spots per inch.
Watch the Image Size box; if you have the Resample box ticked you will make an irrecoverable adjustment; it is suggested that you make such a change to a copy of your image.
I suggest that you go to W H Smith and purchase a copy of Landscape Photography by the makers of Digital Camera; Landscape Photography is a single publication stuffed full of P/S techniques.
More aspects of P/S techniques were covered using layers and adjustment layers; in the absence of adjustment layers we successfully used the eraser tool in Elements to reveal aspects of the lower layer.
You saw my method of dodging and burning: create a blank layer, change the layer blend to Soft Light then fill with 50% Grey; ensure the palette in the first instance until you get more experience is set to the default Black and White; choose a soft brush starting at 10% opacity paint with Black to burn and White to dodge.
We compared levels and curves (within CS3) and concluded that levels was an essential tool and perhaps should be one of the first applications to be opened when starting work on an image; if you have CS then curves provides fine tuning.
I am sure you all enjoyed me blundering about Elements 6; many thanks to John Harrison for setting up the equipment.
I was a little disappointed that only Richard Yerby brought images; luckily I managed to bore you with some of my own efforts; please ensure you bring more images to the next meeting of the Digital Group.
Try to eliminate the words "Must", "Mustn't", "Never", "Always" & "Can't" from your P/S language; it isn't a bad idea to eliminate them from life
Finally don’t let technology be your master; use it to get where you want it to be but you aren't compelled to get bogged down in an intellectual exercise.
Peter.