How to Make a Video Using Pictures and Music

Do something with those digital photos.

After your vacation or anniversary -- or for no particular reason at all -- you might like to do something with all the digital photos you've taken. Turning them into a slideshow accompanied by music is one way to tie up those photographic loose ends and enjoy those photos much more than you would just clicking through them on Facebook. Free software that comes with your computer, such as Windows Live Movie Maker or iMovie, as well as third-party products like Animoto, offers the ability to quickly assemble photos and drop in the songs of your choice.

Instructions

1. Assemble the photos you want to use in your video. Many applications allow you to drag and drop your photos into the project library. In Windows Live Movie Maker, click the “Home” tab, click "Add Videos and Photos" and select the photos you want to use. From there, drag your pictures to the storyboard or timeline. To change the order of photos, drag them into the position you want. To see how your movie is shaping up, click the “Play” button in the project window.

2. Adjust the duration of individual photos and add the effects you want. For a motion effect, use a Pan or Zoom animation in Windows Movie Maker or the "Ken Burns Effect" in iMovie. Add transitions between each photo to make the "cuts" between photos less jarring. Take care with transitions, however: using too many different transitions may make your movie unintentionally humorous. A simple fade might do the job without drawing attention to the effect.

3. Drop or import the music you want to use into your project and place it in the storyboard or timeline where you want it to appear. Adjust your photo and transition durations if you want to synchronize them to the music. Set the start and end times of music files in the Music Tools tab, or simply choose "Fit to Music" in the Project tab.

4. When your video is complete, save the movie. Most computers will play .wmv or .mov format, and, for posting on a website or sharing in email, the .mp4 format will play in most browsers. Your application may recommend an appropriate video size and type for the devices you plan to use for playback. If you want to burn a DVD, you'll require additional software, such as Windows DVD Maker or Apple iDVD.

   It may take some time for your application to render the final movie, depending on its length and the number of effects you've applied.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan to post your video publicly on a site such as YouTube or Vimeo, you should use only photos and music you've created or purchased the right to reproduce. Using copyrighted music or other material without permission may cause the site to take your video down or close your account.

References

• Microsoft: Tell a Story With Windows Live Movie Maker
• Apple: iMovie
• Animoto