How to Create a Photo Slideshow Using iPhoto

Showing a photo slideshow at a wedding, graduation party or other special occasion adds a unique and personal touch to the festivities. If you have Apple's iLife '09, which now comes with every new Mac computer, it's easy to accomplish this using iPhoto, which is part of the popular software suite. iPhoto allows you to create a simple yet meaningful slideshow that family and friends are sure to enjoy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Create and name an iPhoto album. Click on "File" in the top menu bar and choose "New Album." A dialogue box will pop up allowing you to name your new album. Once you've typed in the name, press "Create," which should show up in the menu bar on the left under Albums.

2. Select the pictures you want to include in the slideshow. You can drag an entire group of photos from Events into the album using your cursor, or you can select and drop them in one by one from the Photos tab in the left-hand menu bar.

3. Create a slideshow out of the album. Make sure you've selected the album which will show up highlighted. The photos in the album will be visible in the main iPhotos viewer or window. Click onto the + sign located at the bottom on the lower left side. A dialogue box will appear. Choose "Slideshow" and then type in a title.

4. Pick a theme. Click on "Themes" on the bottom menu. There are six different choices: Classic, Ken Burns, Scrapbook, Shatter, Sliding Panels and Snapshots. Each uses different transitions and look. Select the one you want and click "Choose." You can preview the photos using the selected theme by pressing "Preview" on the bottom menu next to "Play." If you don't like that theme, you can change it at anytime.

5. Apply music to your slideshow. Select "Music." iPhoto provides six songs or you can choose music from the iTunes library on your computer by clicking onto the Source dropdown menu. Once you've found the song you like, check the box that says "Play Music During Slideshow" and then click "Apply."

6. Adjust the slideshow settings. The Settings section allows you to pick how many seconds you want each photo to be displayed, or you can have the slideshow last as long as the music. Adjust the transition speed, caption display, slideshow title, and whether you want to scale photos to fill the screen, by simply checking or unchecking the boxes for each. You can also select the aspect ratio from the dropdown menu in this section.

Tips & Warnings

• When it comes to showing the slideshow you created, you can choose to export the slideshow as a QuickTime Movie file and then use the proper display cables to connect your laptop or computer directly to the TV for viewing. You also have the option of sending or exporting the slideshow into iDVD which allows you to burn a copy of it onto a DVD disc.
• Exporting and viewing the slideshow using your computer may require some technical knowledge, especially if you're not sure about how big or small the slideshow needs to be in order to display properly on the TV screen or viewer. It's important to know how you will view the slideshow, because if you choose to show it using a projector, you need to make sure it was exported with that in mind and also that you have a compatible display cable for the TV monitor. Ask someone who is familiar with Mac computers and iPhoto for assistance.

[MidniteWriter]

on 11/8/2009 Great tips, I am working on this now. If you actually want the DVD to play on a regular DVD player, it is important to export it to iDVD and burn it that way. I found out the hard way! 5*