Q: how do you view pictures in photo stream

PhotoStream has nothing to do with e-mail - two totally seperate things

Instructions for setting PS up are here http://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/

FAQs for PS are here along with trouble shooting links http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4486

The general answer to viewing photos in your PS is to both be logged into the same Apple ID, have PS properly set up per the above links and to launch iPhoto and click on the PS icon in the source pane

LN

But we are two seperate people with different apple ids

Then you can not share via PhotoStream to answer your original question

You can, if you have the proper set up, use shared PhotoStreams to share

You also can share using email - and this has nothing to do with PhotoStream - two totally differents ways of doing things

exactly what are you doing and what is she doing?  On your Mac if you launch iPhoto and select the photos and click on share ==> email does a window optn with the photos and an e-mail message? If you address this to her and send what happens? When whe receives this email and opens it waht does she see - it should be exactly what yo saw when yo sent it

LN

Finally after three tries you explained

So you are using (or trying to use) a shared PhotoStream

Did you read the instructions in the links I posted? 

What do I need to use Photo Stream?

To use Photo Stream, including Shared Photo Streams, you need an iCloud account, compatible devices, and up-to-date software:

• iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 6.0 or later
• Mac with OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 or later and iPhoto 9.4 or Aperture 3.4 or later
• PC with Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) and the iCloud Control Panel 2.1 or later for Windows
• Apple TV (2nd generation) with Software Update 5.1 or later

You can still use Photo Stream without Shared Photo Streams if your devices meet these requirements:

• iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 5.1 or later
• Mac with OS X Lion v10.7.5 or later and iPhoto 9.2.2 or Aperture 3.2.3 or later
• PC with Windows 7 or Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) and the iCloud Control Panel v2.0 or later for Windows
• Apple TV (2nd generation) with Software Update 5.0 or later

For complete iCloud setup instructions, visit How to set up iCloud.

How do I turn on Photo Stream?

Once your devices are up to date and you have set up your iCloud account, it’s easy turn on Photo Stream on any of your devices. Here’s how:

On your iOS devices, go to Settings > iCloud > Photo Stream, and turn on My Photo Stream and Shared Photo Streams.

On your Mac, go to System Preferences > iCloud and select the checkbox for Photo Stream. Click the Options button to verify that both My Photo Stream and Shared Photo Streams are enabled. Then, open iPhoto or Aperture to confirm that My Photo Stream and Shared Photo Streams are turned on in the application you want to use with Photo Stream. You can also adjust your Photo Stream settings in iPhoto or Aperture Preferences.

On your PC, open the iCloud Control Panel for Windows and select the checkbox for Photo Stream. You can click on the Options button to verify that both My Photo Stream and Shared Photo Streams are enabled and adjust the settings. Be sure to click Apply.

Does she have OS X 10.8.2 or above? Does she have iPhoto 9.4 or above?

LN

If you create a Public Photo Stream anyone can view it, Mac, PC, with a browser.  Here's how to create one:

When you send an invitation to view it this is the email that gets sent:

The link at the bottom of the page will take the recipient to a web sites with your pictures.  No iCloud account or Mt. Lion is needed for a Public Stream.

OT

ANd again

Does she have OS X 10.8.2 or above? Does she have iPhoto 9.4 or above?

LN

2. sign into iCloud [must be signed in 'cos in preferences is option to sign out - Photo Stream is ticked in iCloud

 

If your wife has OS X 10.8.2 or above, the Photo Stream checkmark in the iCloud Preferences should have an "Options" button. She needs to click this "Options" button to enable both "Photo Stream" and "Shared" Photo Stream. If this button is missing, she will need to update Mac OS X first.

Here is how the iCloud Systeme Preferences should look like for her:

Both done already!! And also unchecked and rechecked to see if that made any difference - it didnt!

And now she should be seeing the Photo Stream, when she opens iPhoto 9.4.x (or Aperture 3.4.x). If she is already using PhotoStream, she should be opening the iPhoto Library that is tied to the Photo Stream on her machine. When she opens iPhoto, is ther a Photo Stream icon in the source list? And when she clicks it, is the Photo Stream showing as enabled? What does there show?

And have you set the Photo Stream Preferences in iPhoto as well?

     iPhoto > Preferences > Photo Stream

Does the panel look like this, if you open the iPhoto Preferences panel?

It may take some time after enabling the Photo Stream in iPhoto, until you will be seeing the downloaded streams.