"How do I do this?" Yahoo Answers

Before I get into specific, step-by-step help for certain subjects, I feel the need to address the quality of how some questions get asked on Yahoo Answers.

For example "How do I make a black and white picture with just one area in color?" This question comes up several times a day, almost seven days a week. Besides the fact that since it is asked dozens of times a week and is already answered dozens of times a week, the other thing that bothers me about it and the many other subjects people ask about is that the asker does not give us any clue about what tools or supplies he or she has available.

Are they looking at a copy of People Magazine and want to know how to make that Jonas Brothers photo into black and white but leave Engelbert Jonas (or whatever his name is) in full, natural color? Or are they looking at a print they just got back from the pharmacy, of a flower they shot while at the lake, and wish it was all black and white except the flower petals? Or did they download a photo from a site and want that picture of the girl dancing to be all dark like and want just the dress to be in color?

So, to BEGIN to answer that question, we, and the rest of the Yahoo Answers community, need to know what kind of image you have and in what form or format. And, how do you want it to end up? Of course, we MIGHT assume that you are expecting to do this on the computer, but how do we know for sure? I mean, the most basic answer could be, to make two copies of the print, one in black and white and one in color, then cut out the color portion you want, carefully, with a pair of scissors, or, better yet, an Exacto knife, then glue or paste that color part on top of the black and white image. But, of course, on a computer it IS a different operation.

First, you open up your Notebook word processor. Or, if you are more advanced, Microsoft Word, or Works and then .... Oh, wait! You can't DO this in a word processor! Okay, then open up your Excel. No, that won't work either. Well, you'll just have to open up your seven hundred dollar version of Adobe Photoshop CS4. What's that? You don't HAVE Adobe Photoshop CS4?

How can we help you if we don't know WHAT software app you have? And that's my point. You don't need CS4. It can be done is CS3, or CS2 or older versions of Photoshop. Or the relatively inexpensive Photoshop Elements. It doesn't have to be Photoshop at all. It could be done in Paint, Painter, Corel, Gimp or any of a dozen or more applications. But, the exact method, the "How do I do it?" part works different in each of these. So, we can't answer the question unless we know what you've got, or, even, how much you are willing to PAY for the app you need. (because we can also suggest products you can get that, not only fit your budget, but will do what you need without spending several hundred dollars for features you may never use)

And this applies to all kinds of questions like, "How do I put myself next to this picture of Miley Cyrus?" or, "How do I remove this person from the picture?" or, "How do I change the color of my eyes?" (I'm always SO tempted to say "Fill one of your grandma's insulin needles with food coloring and then inject it into..." but then I catch myself from falling into THAT legal quagmire) or, even, "How do I get rid of Red Eye in a photograph?"

"How to" depends on "What have you got?"

I mean, if you need us to come help you, you should, at least, try to take a step or two in our direction; reach a hand out, or something. ("I'm over here, next to the smelly swamp, not over there by the sweet smelling lilac bush!") Still, I guess, this kind of question is better than, "How do I use my computer to make my pictures more professional looking?" or, "How do I use Photoshop?" Might as well ask, on Yahoo Answers, "Tell me, step-by-step, how to take off, navigate and land a 747. I'm only a beginer in my driver training class."

Whether questions or answers, even I can't do it in fifty words or less.

luv,

vince