working with bitmaps

Can one "do" anything with imported "bitmap" images/photos besides 
stretching them.  ie Is it possible to create a gradient ranging from 
transperent to another color or have another image or slice sit over it. 
Have tried looking in  Fireworks MX 2004 for an answer but may have looked 
in the wrong place.  Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Doug 

You can do MANY things with bitmap images in FW. The two techniques you 
ask about are not only possible but quite easy to do.

Fade image:

Set your canvas color to the color you want for the fade
Select your image
Go to COMMANDS > CREATIVE > FADE IMAGE
Pick a fade and click OK

True vector or bitmap masks give you even more possibilities. You're 
only limited by your imagination.

Image collage (basic):

Open one image file
Import or cut/paste and other image into this file
Scale, rotate, fade etc to your heart's content
Increase canvas size so you have more bleed around the original image 
and position your import file(s) wherever you want.

Check out Community MX's free resources for more ideas (link below)

And have some fun.

-- 
Jim Babbage - .:CMX:. &  .:TMM:.
  Extending Knowledge, Daily
   http://www.**--****.com/ 
  CommunityMX - Free Resources:
   http://www.**--****.com/ 
  No registration req'd for free content
  ---
  .:Team Macromedia Volunteer for Fireworks MX 2004:.

Jim,
Thank you very much.  It is so easy to do things (almost anything with an 
image created in fireworks (.png) but importing photos that I have taken 
specifically for 'web use' and being able to work with them in the same 
manner has been .... "frustrating at best".  Without the use of the 
properties panel and all that it offers there seemed to be a wall that was 
always in front of me.
For your suggestions,
Again Thanks
Doug