TAKE A SCREEN SNAPSHOT / SCREEN GRAB OF A SELECTED PORTION OF A SCREEN

Step 1:
Press these three keys together:
- SHIFT
- Command Key (Apple key)
- 4
    
Step 2:
You will then get a little cross which allows you to lasso a specific area of your screen. Hold down the mouse button and then draw a box (lasso) around the desired area of the screen.
   
Step 3:
Release the mouse button to take the picture.
   
Result:
The picture will be placed on your Desktop and will be named Pitcure 1, Picture 2, etc.

 
TAKE A CLEAN SCREEN SNAPSHOT / SCREEN GRAB OF A SELECTED WINDOW OR MENU

Step 1:
Open the window or menu that you want to take a screen grab of.

Step 2:
Press these three keys together:
- SHIFT
- Command Key (Apple key)
- 4

Step 3:
Tap the Space Bar. The image of a camera will appear. Move the "camera" over the window or menu you want to take a picture of. The selected area will turn blue.

Step 4:
Click the mouse button to take the picture.

Result:
The picture will be placed on your Desktop and will be named Pitcure 1, Picture 2, etc.

   
SCREEN SNAPSHOT / SCREEN GRAB TRICK FOR PHOTOSHOP USERS

Press these four keys together:
- Control
- Command
- Shift
- 4
- Space Bar (optional -- see above)

Result:
Instead of putting the file on your desktop it saves the picture in your computer's memory. Then you can paste it into another program such as Photoshop.

 
SCREEN SNAPSHOTS / SCREEN GRABS FOR AVID USERS

Depending on your version of Mac OS, taking a picture of the Top level of your Avid keyboard may be trickier than taking one of the Shift Level since you have to press the Shift key to take the picture.
   
METHOD ONE
- Place your cursor on the Title Bar (top portion) of your keyboard
- Hold down the mouse button (this is the crucial step)
- Press SHIFT + Command Key (Apple key) + 3 or 4 as mentioned above
It's a two handed job . . . or maybe you could hold the mouse button down with your foot!!

METHOD TWO

Step 1:
Open the keyboard and make sure it is the active window.

Step 2:
Press these three keys together:
- SHIFT
- Command Key (Apple key)
- 4

Step 3:
Tap the Space Bar. An image of a camera will appear. Move the "camera" over the keyboard and it will turn blue.
If you do want to snap the Shift Level, just hold the Shoft key down before proceeding to step 4.

Step 4:
Click the mouse button to take the picture.
   
Result:
The picture will be placed on your Desktop and will be named Pitcure 1, Picture 2, etc.
   

 
SNAPZ PRO

Another method is to get a great little application called Snapz Pro X. It does a great deal more than just take screen snap shots too. Check it out »