{"id":9861,"date":"2013-03-04T03:00:28","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T20:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=9861"},"modified":"2013-04-13T03:41:15","modified_gmt":"2013-04-12T20:41:15","slug":"need-a-photo-slideshow-in-a-pinch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/need-a-photo-slideshow-in-a-pinch\/","title":{"rendered":"Need a Photo Slideshow in a Pinch? Review & Giveaways!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"by Lori Cunningham<\/span><\/p>\n

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Editor’s Notes:<\/strong> \u00a0Please don’t forget to vote for WellConnectedMom.com as one of the Top 25 Tech Moms in 2013: \u00a0We need your daily vote until March 6th, 4pm. \u00a0Voting is easy and requires no registration. \u00a0Pleas vote here:\u00a0<\/em><\/span>TOP 25 TECH MOMS – 2013<\/a>. \u00a0Thank you!<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, we are very pleased to give away 5 FREE copies of Wondershare’s DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe<\/strong><\/span>. \u00a0See below on how to win one!<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, for those of you who have been with us for awhile, I wanted to let you know that my Mom recently passed away. \u00a0It has been such a heartbreak for me. \u00a0I miss her so much. \u00a0I wrote this review recently after her passing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I have loved putting together photo slideshows for the past 18 years. \u00a0The technology has greatly changed, but the need for photo slideshows hasn’t and fortunately, the quality of slideshow programs have vastly improved. \u00a0I remember 16 years ago, I put together the best one I had ever done – a slideshow of my parents’ lives together for the past 40 years. I would be debuting it at their 40th Anniversary party. \u00a0I was beside myself with excitement in waiting to show it to them and their friends. Unfortunately, the slideshow, which I put into Powerpoint, was too large and when the big moment came, it crashed. \u00a0I spent half the party trying to revive it but to no avail. \u00a0I was\u00a0devastated.<\/p>\n

I’m sorry to say, this scenario has played itself out on a number of\u00a0occasions\u00a0since that big day. It’s been a long while since I have had the need for a slideshow, but unfortunately, just recently, the need arose. \u00a0My dear Mom recently passed away. \u00a0She’s had a tough time this past year with numerous hospitalizations. \u00a0Her body just couldn’t take it any longer. \u00a0 With the service only a day away, I decided to try Wondershare’s DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe<\/a>,\u00a0\u00a0as it was on our list to review this week. \u00a0I knew it was risky trying a new program so late in the game, but having used Wondershare <\/a>programs before (I love them), I felt it was worth the risk.<\/p>\n

I set to work creating a slideshow to honor my Mom, I scoured my computer looking for any and every picture I had of her. \u00a0At the time, I didn’t know how many pictures I had used, but I knew it was a lot. \u00a0Knowing from my past, the more pictures you use, the riskier it is that the slideshow will work. \u00a0I also added in a 4 minute video. \u00a0Of course, all of these great pics aren’t complete without great music to go along with it. \u00a0Because of the length of my slideshow, I added 4-5 songs. Late at night, I burned my slideshow to a DVD. \u00a0It was taking a while, so I decided to go to bed while it burned. \u00a0I was worried because the service was the next day and if this didn’t work, there wouldn’t be much time to come up with plan B.<\/p>\n

With\u00a0abated\u00a0breath I\u00a0approached\u00a0my computer in the morning and looked for the message, hoping it would say the DVD was complete, but expecting to see an error message. \u00a0Much to my delight, it said the DVD had burned successfully! \u00a0Yipee!!!! \u00a0I could hardly believe it. \u00a0However, now came for the test to put it in our fancy DVD player (our XBOX 360) and test it out. \u00a0I nearly cried with what I saw. \u00a0It\u00a0actually\u00a0worked!<\/p>\n

Later I counted my photos and found out that I had put in 180 photos plus the long video, culminating to a 20 minute show, and Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe\u00a0handled it like a pro. The slideshow turned out great with great photos, fun transitions, wonderful music, and titles, I couldn’t have been happier.<\/p>\n

\"Wondershare<\/p>\n

\u00a0Mom and I during Christmas this past year.<\/em><\/p>\n

You begin The DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe\u00a0in the “Organize” tab where you upload all of your pictures and videos. \u00a0You can simply click and hold on a photo and move in any order you’d like.<\/p>\n

\"Wondershare<\/p>\n

Mom and I eight years ago.<\/em><\/p>\n

Next, you “Personalize” your slideshow by adding slide transitions,\u00a0clip-art\u00a0 special effects, sound effects, and your slideshow title and credits. \u00a0There are numerous transitions and effects to choose from, but they are automatically added for you\u00a0with\u00a0a variety of effects. \u00a0You\u00a0can either keep them or change out effects to others you like better.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\"Wondershare\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"Wondershare<\/p>\n

My Mom and Dad on their honeymoon in ’57.<\/p>\n

Above is an example of some of the effects you can create. \u00a0I used the Bright Stars Effect to add an animated sparkle to this photo of my parents during the slideshow. \u00a0Wondershare has a lot of cute Effects you can add here and there to add\u00a0some fun to your slideshow.<\/p>\n

\"Wondershare\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"Wondershare<\/p>\n

\u00a0Mom during my video series when I interviewed her about her life. \u00a0What priceless footage.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 In the Advanced Mode, here are some of the things you can do with your videos in your slideshow. \u00a0You can add Filters, like making the video black and white or putting a flash in the middle of the video, as pictured above. \u00a0You can crop the video so only a portion of it plays, and you can even do a voice over to explain something happening in the video<\/p>\n

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\"Wondershare<\/p>\n

The front page of my DVD slideshow. \u00a0What a well-produced, fun way to remember my Mom.<\/em><\/p>\n

After you are done with your slideshow, you move onto Create. \u00a0In this stage, you can create a “cover page” for your slideshow. \u00a0There are a good number of cover pages to choose from. \u00a0You also add a title for your cover. \u00a0Now it’s time to save your work. \u00a0You can burn right to a DVD or save it as a file for your smartphone, iPad, Computer, or prepare it for YouTube. \u00a0It couldn’t be simpler. \u00a0I saved it both to DVD and to my computer. \u00a0Both versions work perfectly.<\/p>\n

\"Free<\/p>\n

This free resource download adds hundreds of more options to make your slideshow even more unique and professional.<\/p>\n

After I had finished my slideshow, I realized that you can download a free resource <\/a>which includes many more styles, short audio clips, and Intro\/Credit screens. \u00a0I wish I had come\u00a0across\u00a0it before my review, though the resource add-on gives you so many more transitions\/effects, that it would have taken me longer to choose them.<\/p>\n

Features<\/strong>:<\/p>\n