Life skills - placing two photos side by side

There's probably an easier way to put "two pictures in the same frame", but this is how I'm doing it till I learn the shortcuts. (I'm using the "big" version of Photoshop, but I'm told you can do this in Elements too.)

Select your pix and open them in Photoshop.

You need both photos to be pretty much the same size. If they are fine as is, skip the next two steps.

But if they need to be cropped ... start by cropping one of the photos (using the "box" icon - the Crop tool - near the top of the toolbar, which is at the left side of my screen) -

Once it looks as you want it, check the dimensions (using Image (from menu at top), then Image Size) -

Crop and/or resize the other photo to make it the same dimensions. [I do this part "by guess and by gosh" - there's sure to be an easier way!]

Now the fun starts. Still using the "box" resizing tool (the Crop tool), select the entire image. Then use the small box halfway up the dotted line on one side of your photo to draw the cropping box outward on the side where you want to put the other photo. I make this box bigger than needed, as it can be cropped later.

Clicking in the box turns it white - you're ready for the exciting part. Go up to the grey bar above the workspace and drag down the name of the pic you want to add - doing that opens a small separate window. You can then drag the photo into the white part of the other box.

To be able to drag the second photo into the white area, you must select the arrow in the menu bar - it's at top left on my screen. Then move the other photo into place (and either close the small window or drag it back where you got it from) -

 Voila!

Don't forget to save your new, double photo with its own new name.