Resizing an image in a collage

I am relatively new to Photoshop Elements and simply cannot get past this one issue. I have searched and researched but am just not getting it. Once I have placed a few images onto a background, I cannot seem to resize each individual image to my pre-determined sizes (for a business portfolio sheet) without also resizing the 'page' on which I'm trying to place them. I've tried image size, canvas size, transform, etc. but when I am in the specific layer trying to resize it, it still seems to resize the whole document (even though I didn't select canvas size). What the heck am I doing wrong? Please help!

thanks in advance.

I'm not familiar with elements, but if it's pretty close to PS check to see if the layers are locked or grouped somehow, which would cause them all to be resized together. As long as they are on separate layers though, you should be able to use the edit/transform commands to resize individual layers without affecting the other layers and images. Again, that's in Photoshop and I'm not sure what limits Elements has.

Whatever you're doing via Image size or Canvas size, you're altering the actual working space of the photoshop document. If you want to resize objects to a specific size, just do Free-Transform, and in the options bar you're able to input a specific percentage and (maybe) the static dimensions. If Elements doesn't have the capability to do so, I suggest you copy the whole layer (that means CTRL+A, CTRL+C [Select All, Copy]), open a new Photoshop file - the dimensions should automatically conform with the data in the clipboard - and paste it in. Then just go to Image Size, change it, then copy it back to the main file.