After setting up the basic page dimensions and guides, we would start our layout design by placing images and text. Placing images is an easy process, involving only a few steps. We show you how in our Adobe Indesign courses.
There are two main methods for importing or placing images. The first is to simply go to File > Place, and browse to where your image is located on your hard drive or network. When we hit OK it’ll appear under your cursor waiting for you to click on the page. It’ll then be placed at its print size. This can be problematic when the image is very large, in that you then have to find a way of scaling it down.
The preferred method is to first create a placeholder for the image with the Rectangle Frame tool – this gives you full control over the size of the image on the page. Then you go File > Place as before. The image is brought in still full print size, but it’s contained within the placeholder frame. We then right-click on the image and choose either Fill Frame Proportionally or Fit Content Proportionally. The other options are not so useful. The former option is used if the frame is the important element; the latter is used in the case of a logo or diagram where you want to see the whole image.
If you then need to tweak the size, simply hold down Control and Shift together (Mac: Command and Shift) and with the Selection tool (the black arrow) click and drag one the corner anchor points.
The image is now linked to your page – see the Links panel. Sometimes people will copy and paste an image – this will embed the image on the page and will increase your file size, so is not recommended.
More tips can be found at the Sydney Indesign User Group which meets regularly in the city, and is a free forum for designers to discuss topics and the latest Indesign features. See many examples of our own clients’ work on our Facebook page.
Other related Indesign Blog Posts:

• Indesign images and text
  
• Indesign workflow
• Indesign templates
• Indesign page numbers
• Indesign add hyperlink