I can manage it on my Mac with some tactics in the folders, but I don’t know what OS you’re on.
The safest explanation is just to do File>Open and navigate to the location of the first image you want to open. When that one is displayed, go to File>Open and select another one. How many you can have open at the same time is going to depend on a combination of the sizes of the image files and the resources of your computer. I’ve had up to 10 bouncing around when I was working on a collage. Just keep going back to File>Open until you get all you want (or run out of computer gumption to open them!)
Mel,
As you open subsequent files, they will be displayed on the workarea but "coverup" those below. Use Ctrl/- (that is the control key and the minus sign) to reduce the display size (with the check box in the upper left corner which says "resize window to fit" or something close to that). You can reduce the display size, one at a time, so as to see them all at once, if desired. Drag them around to resposition on the workarea.
Mel,
In addition to what Nancy suggested, it might also help if you went to window menu and selected images>tile. This will tile your images instead of stacking them like the cascade option does.
Terri
Mel,
When I am working with multiple images open, I like to use CTRL-TAB to cycle through them (similar in concept to Windows’ ALT-TAB task switch).
Byron
Thanks to one and all. As usual, the advice is terrific and easily understood.