Making a GREAT slideshow (with video)

[johncoxhall]

I have a 2 year old MacBook with Mac OSX Version 10.5.8. Before this I had a IMac that I got maybe 6-7 years ago....I think I was using Leopard.

Anyway, my old Iphoto used to be a little easier to make slideshows. I'm still learning with the new one,....but I want to figure out how to make really mac-daddy slide shows. Just got back from the redwood forests in NOCal and have tons of great pics and videos.

Features I'd like:

- iphoto does this thing where it takes your pic, kinda zooms in and scans across it...but sometimes it scans the wrong way and you miss the focal point of the shot. How do you control that?

-I want to be able to splice short video clips into the slideshow of still pictures. Ideally, I'd like the music to soften so the videos audio comes through, then have the music louden again after the video

-I'd like to edit some of the videos. Make some shorter, and even stabilize them because many are shaky from me holding them.

-I really want to put them in a format so that I can email them to people (mac and pc users). Maybe the only way to do this is to post it on the internet?

-I want to be able to burn the slideshow to a DVD. I do have a DVD burner in my computer, but I've never figured out what its for?


So, ....that's it really. I've never messed with iMovie or iDVD but they're in my dock. Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in those programs.
REALLY appreciate any help! 🙂

 

[skybolt]

iDVD is what you want to use. It will do everything you are asking. Just get in there, play around and have a great time learning. There is also a tutorial on the Apple site that I printed off that helped me a lot.

Have fun!

 

[Dave Braine]

- iphoto does this thing where it takes your pic, kinda zooms in and scans across it...but sometimes it scans the wrong way and you miss the focal point of the shot. How do you control that?

I'm not taking the easy way out, but it'll will be better if you go into iPhoto help and search for "Ken Burns".

-I want to be able to splice short video clips into the slideshow of still pictures. Ideally, I'd like the music to soften so the videos audio comes through, then have the music louden again after the video

Yes, you can add video clips to slideshow, but to adjust volumes like that you would be better using iMovie. You can put still photos in iMovie as well and play with the "Ken Burns" effect much better than iPhoto.

I'd like to edit some of the videos. Make some shorter, and even stabilize them because many are shaky from me holding them.

Again, iMovie is best here.

I really want to put them in a format so that I can email them to people (mac and pc users). Maybe the only way to do this is to post it on the internet?

Any finished project is likely to be too big to email. Upload to YouTube is the easiest way.

I want to be able to burn the slideshow to a DVD.

You can do that quite easily with iDVD by using the Share menu in either iPhoto or iMovie. It will then play in most DVD players.

I've never messed with iMovie or iDVD but they're in my dock. Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in those programs.

Yep. The help files will tell you how to do most things.

 

[johncoxhall]

How great 🙂

Thank you both so much. I'm thrilled with the answers! And sorry for being lazy. Thanks again.