newbie to Photoshop

I hope I'm not wasting anyone's time with something so trivial, but I'm new to Photoshop and I need to create a newspaper ad and don't know where to start. I have the images ready, but I don't know where to begin. I've been told there are better programs for what I'm doing, but all I have access to is Photoshop 7. Anyone want to advise? Thanks.

So what are you doing? Are you making ads that are mostly text, or do you have lots of pictures you need to work with? Are the ads going to be black & white or color? Let us know some more details as to what you are trying to accomplish.

The ads combine both text and black and white photos. At some point I'll also be doing ads with color photos.

Are they for clothing or something? If you can post any pictures or text, we might be able to help get the creative juices flowing.

I know how I want to set it up--that's not the problem. I just don't know how to create a document in Photoshop--how to get the images onto one page, etc.

Thanks.

I just don't know how to create a document in Photoshop

Ctrl+N :P

Forget Photoshop for ads, unless you are going to post them on the web only. If your ads are for print and contain text, you should be using a vector-based publishing program such as InDesign (rules!), Quack XPress, Illustrator, etc. You would set your type and then place your grayscale or CMYK tif images.

Problem is, text needs to RIP at 1200dpi minimum, so your file size in PS would be huge. Vector programs keep the sizes small, quality high, and are much easier to edit in.

INDESIGN RULES! hehe

Practice Practice Practice. Thats the only way to master photoshop. Here are some good resources:

designsbymark.com
andyart.com