Are you looking to take your point-and-shoot photography to the next level? You don't need fancy equipment or an expensive camera.
If you have a basic Adobe Photoshop program you can get cool effects for photos right now by applying some very simple but effective techniques.
In each article I cover a specific topic with a set of easy-to-apply tips that you can experiment with and start making really cool photos today! Check out these must-have tips for working with digital photos.
Photoshop Techniques - Light & Dark

• Levels: An essential tool for almost all images! At the top of your window in the horizontal toolbar menu, go to Image - Adjustments - Levels.
  Make sure the preview box is checked.
  You can adjust three arrows.
  The right arrow to brighten the lights, the left arrow to darken the darks/shadows and the middle arrow to darken or lighten the overall tone of the photograph.
  This is a great way to create more or less contrast in a photo.
  Often photos are too dark and need to be brightened up and this is a great way to do that as well.
  
• Dodge: You can locate the dodge tool in the vertical toolbar.
  It looks like a black lollipop.
  If you don't see it, find the burn tool which looks like a closed hand, put your mouse over the button and hold down and the other tools will pop up, including the dodge tool.
  Once selected, you can adjust the SIZE of your dodge tool as well as the EXPOSURE in the top horizontal toolbar.
  You can use the dodge tool to brighten (the exposure in) your photograph where ever you click it.
  This works great if you have an area that is too dark and distracting, or you need to brighten up someone's face.
  
• Burn: The Burn tool looks like a closed hand, and it does the opposite of what the Dodge tool does.
  It darkens areas that are too bright.
  You can use it to darken the exposure in an isolated section of your photo, which can come in very handy.
  The most common use of the burn tool is to darken the corners of your image.
  This draws the eye into your photograph.
  A bright corner will take the viewer's eye right out of the picture.
  

These are just a few techniques you can use to create cool effects for photos, but they are extremely valuable tools you are likely to use for every image you process.
With these essentials you are now a few steps ahead of the game and can take an ordinary photograph from "meh" to "wow"!!! For more tips and tricks, check out my other articles: Cool Effects for Photos I, II, and IV.