There are two somewhat different ways of sending pictures via email.

The preferred method is to "attach" the picture file to the email. If you actually are receiving an attachment you should NOT see the picture "in the email" until you specifically open the attachment.

If you really have an "attached file" you should be using your email program's "save attachment as ..." function, to put the file someplace where you can get it to view with a proper image viewer.

If you see the file in your email, it most likely is not "attached," but has instead been "pasted" into the message. While you should be able to right-click and "save picture," some email programs will override your "name" and location selection, and will put the file in a default location using a "dummy" name that's a random bunch of giberish. Usually it will be saved as a .jpg file, but the name sometimes doesn't come through.

In XP, the most common default location is "My Documents\My Pictures," so you might look there for anything "strange" that might be a picture.

The main disadvantage of pasting the picture into the message is that the pic is usually saved, from the display, at "screen resolution," usually about 72 dpi, regardless of the quality of the original. This doesn't make for very good reproduction later - especially if you want to enlarge more than a little. Since some email services balk at attachments, it's sometimes the only available method; but a "real" attachment is best if you can use it.

With at least some email programs you can set up to "automatically open attachments." This is NOT a recommended setup, since many virus nasties come in attachments that should be scanned by your AV before you open them.

I can't tell from your description whether you are actually talking "attachment" or if you're getting a "paste." The difference is often overlooked, though; and it might be worth talking to your "sender" to be sure you agree on which method you're working with. You could also try sending yourself the same picture using the two methods in separate mailings to see if there's a difference with your setup(?).

If you got a "done," something got saved somewhere...(?).

John