Le, the best place to adjust your scans is in the scanner software before you make the final scan. With your neg. scanner adapter plugged in and on, go to acquire in Photoshop Elements and prescan your image (it should do this automatically, but if not hit the preview button on the Epson scanner software page.) Make sure document source is set for either "TPU for neg film" or "TPU for positive film" depending on if you are scanning a negative or a slide. Also, set your image type to either color or B&W photo depending on what you are scanning. If either of these weren't set correctly, then put them on the correct settings and do a new preview scan. Once you have a preview scan showing in the preview window, set your target size to the finished size you want the photo and set your resolution. Then select the portion the image you want to scan by cliking and dragging on it. You should now be seeing that portion as it would appear once the final scan is made. If it looks too dark, go to the buttons under the scale bar and click on the one with the wrench and screwdriver on it. This should bring up "Image Controls" . You can adjust the the exposure, highlights,and shadows in there until your preview looks good. Once it looks ok, then go ahead and make your final scan.
I hope this helps. If you have any further trouble email me offline and I will give you my phone number so I can talk you through it.
If I still can't help, I'll pass the phone over to my husband Gary who is my resident tech expert. He can get you completely lost.
