We have developed this “how to guide” so that you can create your own photo slide show to play at special birthdays, anniversaries, and other unique events in our lives. Follow our easy-to-use guide below and celebrate your success!
Quick and simple steps to create a slide show:
- Get the tools you need
- Digitise
- Touch ups and make your photos perfect for use
- Organise, chronological order or random or event based
- Create your masterpiece by placing your pictures into PowerPoint and selecting your design and layouts
- Add your audio for the final additions
Let us start:
1. The tools you need
- Your printed photograph (s)
- A colour scanner (yes, most printers have colour and their scanners have a sufficiently high resolution for an impressive, decent quality result)
- If your photos are already on your phone – then it is even easier – merely pic them up from your computer by connecting your phone to your computer (or use platforms such as messenger)
- A computer – we will be basing this on a Personal Computer with PowerPoint
- A selection of audio (or even your own voice over!) – do not be a pirate – use legal means to get the audio you love and want to use
2. Digitise your pictures by scanning them (yes it works!) and save them on your computer
3. Use built in software to touch up your pics, enhance them, remove red eye, crop and or rotate as you wish.
4. Organise and number your pictures in the order you want to drag them into the slideshow.
5. Now create your masterpiece by opening PowerPoint
a. Select New Presentation
b. Select File > Save As > Browse…. Select a Name for your file and place your presentation in a folder together where all your pictures are saved
c. Add your slides by selecting Insert > Images > Pictures > This Device. Find your pictures, click on them, and select Insert.
d. Select New Slide and repeat this process until all your pictures are loaded.
e. Play around with the Designer options on the right-hand side until you find the perfect design for your slideshow.
f. Remember to save your file often.
6. Add your audio by selecting Inset > Audio > chose your music or even record your own running account of what the slide is about. This latter option is so authentic and makes the slideshow very personal.
7. Last touches may include a few fancy Transitions, adding some colour, changing the background. Screen Time is your best friend to produce the perfect output!
The above illustration shows just how simple it is to create something incredibly special for somebody you love. It takes time and practise to produce the masterpiece, but anybody can do it.
There are heaps and heaps of tutorials all over the internet, in all libraries, to help you every step of the way. Sometimes you need a slideshow produced in a hurry, or you just do not have the time or patience to develop and create the show you want. That is okay, most people are stressed out enough as it is and very few people have time on their hands. If this is the scenario you are in, then there are professionals who digitise photos and videos for a living and are great at what they do. All you need to do is reach out, and support local, right here in Auckland, at DVD2u
