Slideshows to preserve memories

(helix_rider) · (helix_rider) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-24-2006, 1:54 PM

I had used Microsoft's PhotoStory a couple of years ago to make slideshows and then got away from it and more into making videos. Now that I have a good camera, I started making slideshows again and its very cool how quickly (compared with editing video) you can turn a batch of photos into a rememberance of whatever event you happened to record.

Here is one I made today from our wakeboard clubs ride day last Sunday. Share yours if you have one.

http://www.wakepics.com/view_single.php/SWC-Ride-Day-Sept.-17_wakeboarding-photos.html?medid=20295

walt 09-24-2006, 3:35 PM

Very cool. Are You still using photostory and does it have different options as far as effects and transitions ?

(helix_rider) · (helix_rider) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-24-2006, 4:38 PM

Yes, Photostory 3 is a free download from Microsoft. It does have tons of transitions but they are all those "Swirl in" and "Diamond Out" types...the kind that irritate me for some reason. They do not have a straight 'cut' transition which bothers me, but for free I can't complain. In addition, you only have the option of making .wmv files, so using Premiere to make a slideshow probably makes more sense for people who are technically astute. I just like how simple Photostory is.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx

walt 09-24-2006, 4:43 PM

Thats to bad it doesn't use MP3's.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 09-24-2006, 4:46 PM

Nice. Lots of great smiles in those pics.

(helix_rider) · (helix_rider) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-24-2006, 6:05 PM

Walt, it does use mp3s. All of my music is in mp3 format, and it takes it no problem. I was just pointing out for people that the final product cannot be in an mpeg or avi or quicktime format, it only produces .wmv files.

walt 09-25-2006, 5:34 PM

Thanks Loren.

http://www.wakepics.com/view_single.php/2006-Hang-time_wakeboarding-photos.html?medid=20301

(helix_rider) · (helix_rider) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-26-2006, 4:33 AM

That was awesome Walt. So many good pictures in that batch, but I enjoyed watching one movie instead of scrolling through 4-5 pages of Wakepics to see them all. Plus, I had tunes :-)

I do like how the 'moving' effect makes it feel more like a movie and less like a slideshow, however I can't trust MS to always do the correct pan/zoom. I noticed in a couple of your shots that the focus ended up being 'other than the rider' in the pic. If you did that on purpose, cool. If not, there is a screen near the end of the production process that a 'Customize Motion' or something button is right under the picture. You have to click it, and then you have complete control over image size/location at the beginning and end of the shot, as well as length of the slide/transition.

The irritating thing to me is that often I am happy with 90% of the automatic motion, so I go in and change the other 10% to my satisfaction....but when the movie is made again, their automatic motion changed! So I've begun manually choosing all slide motion to avoid my frustration :-)

Also, there is the option of downloading a free add-in from MS to allow your slideshow to be 1024x768 quality. Yours looked fine to me, I just didn't know what quality it was set at and when I started using PhotoStory I was ticked that the best was 640x480 or something lame.

walt 09-26-2006, 8:03 AM

Do You have the link for the free add on ?

(wakefish) · (wakefish) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 09-26-2006, 9:06 AM

Who is the girl riding in the pink shorts?I think I am in love!

(helix_rider) · (helix_rider) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 09-27-2006, 3:43 AM

Here you go Walt.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme_more/moreprofiles.asp

walt 09-27-2006, 7:22 AM

Thanks again Loren.