2. Bringing in a background image

The most efficient way to include a background image in your InDesign layout is to size it in its native format before Placing. If this is inconvenient, you can make all the necessary adjustments — sizing, cropping and opacity — in InDesign.

3. Use the dialog box to navigate to the file you want to place

Be aware that the dialog may be defaulted to "replace selected items," which may or may not be a problem. Find the image you want to place, click on it, and click on "open." The image you have chosen will appear in the selected frame, replacing any other image, should it have contained one.

If you click on a handle and drag, you will change the size of the picture frame only and not the contents of the frame. To change both the frame and its contents, hold Command (Control on the PC) and shift (to constrain the proportions of the selection) and drag diagonally.

To change only the size of the contents, and not the frame itself, select with the direct select (white) arrow tool. The image will highlight with the dark orange frame, instead of the blue path. Hold the shift key to constrain the proportions, and the contents will resize without changing the size of the frame.