Creating slide shows (Windows only)

Note:

The functionality and interface of this feature have been enhanced in Elements Organizer 2018. The corresponding article for Elements Organizer 2018 is available at this link.

About slide shows (Windows only)

Slide shows are a fun way to share media files. With Elements Organizer, you can customize slide shows with music clips, clip art, text, and even voice narration. Images in PDF format do not display in slide shows.

After you complete a slide show, you can choose several ways to share it.

  • You can save it as a PDF, convert it into a WMV file, or burn it onto a VCD.

  • You can also save the file locally to print using Acrobat.

  • You can also burn it directly onto a high-quality DVD if Adobe® Premiere® Elements is also installed on your system.

Create a slide show (Windows only)

You use the Slide Show dialog box to create slide shows. At any time, to see a preview of the slide show, click Full Screen Preview in the top bar of the slideshow creation dialog box. You can also click the play button to preview the slide show.

  1. In the Media view, select the media files to use in the slide show.
  2. Select Slide Show on the Create tab.
  3. Click Ok. The Slide Show dialog box is displayed
  4. You can customize Slide Show Preferences from Edit > Slide Show Preferences in the Slide Show dialog box.

    All the tools for creating your slide show are in the Slide Show dialog box. The media files you chose to use in the slide show appear at the bottom of the screen.

    mc_slideshowdialog
    Slide Show dialog box

  5. Edit the slide show by doing any of the following.
    • Reorder the slides, drag and drop to reorder the sequence of the slides.

    • Resize a photo on a slide. You cannot resize a video file.

    • Add a new blank slide. For example, you can create a title page on a blank slide.

    • Right-click a slide and choose Delete Slide to remove it from the slide show.

    • Add a music clip.

    • Add a clip art graphic or formatted text to a slide.

    Note:

    You cannot add graphics or text to a video file.

    • Add text captions to a slide.

    • Add movement to a slide.

    • Add an effect to a slide.

    • Add a transition between two slides, or change the duration of transitions.

    • Add voice narration to a slide, if you have a microphone attached to your computer.

    • Adjust the amount of time each slide is displayed.

  6. Preview your slide show by clicking the Full Screen Preview button. You can return to editing slides at any time by pressing the Esc key.
  7. Click Save Project. It’s a good idea to save the slide show regularly.

Reorder slides

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Drag a slide to a new location in the storyboard.

    • Click Quick Reorder. In the dialog box, rearrange the slides, and then click Back.

    • Choose an option from the Slide Order menu.

    Note:

    To move a top slide to bottom, drag the slide to the bottom of the Slide Show Editor and hold it there to activate the scrolling function.

    mc_03
    Reordering slides using Quick Reorder.

Add a new blank slide

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Click Add Blank Slide.

    • Choose Edit > Blank Slide.

Edit and adjust a slide

If a slide needs minimal editing, you can have it automatically adjusted using the features in the Slide Show dialog box. You can also use the Editor for more detailed adjustment. If a photo isn’t fitting in a slide correctly, you can manually adjust the photo’s size and position.

  1. Select a slide, and then click the photo in the main preview window.
  2. Do any of the following in the Properties panel:
    • To instantly edit the color balance of a photo, click Auto Smart Fix.

    • To remove the red-eye effect from a photo, click Auto Red Eye Fix.

    • If a photo needs more editing, click More Editing to open the photo in the Editor. When you’re finished working in the Editor, save the photo and close it to return to the Slide Show dialog box.

    • To adjust the size of the photo, select the photo and drag the Size slider, or drag a side or corner of the photo bounding box.

    • To fill the slide with the photo, click Crop To Fit.

    • To show the entire photo, click Fit On Slide. Areas of the slide around the photo are filled with the background color. You can change the color in Slide Show Preferences.

Add music to a slide show

Music completes the experience of your slide show. You can import music from your Elements Organizer catalog or from any location on your computer.

  1. In the Slide Show Editor dialog box, click Add Media and choose one of the following:

    Audio From Elements Organizer

    Lets you pick an audio clip from your catalog. In the Add Audio dialog box, click Browse. Select the clip and click OK.

    Note:

    In the Add Audio dialog box, you can listen to a clip before adding it by selecting the clip and clicking Play.

    Audio From Folder

    Lets you pick an audio clip not currently managed in the Elements Organizer. In the Choose Your Audio Files dialog box, navigate to the audio file; then select it and click Open. This action places the clip in the Elements Organizer.

    Note:

    To align the slide show’s pace to the music, select Fit Slides To Audio (the length of each slide is updated in the film strip).

Add clip art graphics to a slide

In the Extras panel of the Slide Show dialog box, you can add clip art to slides. You can individually add as many graphics as you want, but using excessive graphics affects performance (because of the increased file size).

Note:

You cannot add graphics or text to slides that contain video files.

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Dragging a graphic to a slide

  1. In the Slide Show dialog box Extras panel, click Graphics.
  2. Browse through the clip art to find what you want. Graphics are sorted by category, and shown by default in the Extras panel. If the art is not displayed, click the triangle on the category name.
  3. To place the graphic on the slide, do one of the following:
    • Drag the clip art onto the slide.

    • Double-click the clip art.

    • Right-click and select Add To Select Slide(s) from the Context menu.

  4. After the graphic appears on the slide, do any of the following:
    • To resize a graphic, drag a corner of the bounding box.

    • To move a graphic, click the center of the clip art and drag it to a new location.

    • To change the stacking order of clip art, click a graphic and then choose an option from the Edit > Arrange menu.

Add text to a slide

In the Extras panel of the Slide Show Editor dialog box, you can choose a font style to use for adding text to your slides.

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Adding text to a slide

  1. To add new text, do one of the following:
    • To use one of the preset text effects, click Text in the Extras panel, and then drag a text sample onto the slide.

    • To add plain text, click the Add Text button .

  2. Double-click the text and type in the Edit Text dialog box (to change the sample text it contains), and then click OK.
  3. In the Properties panel, set any of the following options:

    Note:

    The text properties specified here become the defaults for adding text.

    Font Family

    Applies a font family to the text. Choose a font family from the menu at the left side of the dialog box.

    Font Size

    Applies a font size to the text. Choose a font size from the menu at the right side of the dialog box.

    Color

    Applies a color to the text. Click the color swatch and use the Color Picker dialog box to specify a color.

    Opacity

    Specifies how opaque the text appears. To have the contents of a slide visible through text, choose a lower percentage.

    Left Alignment 

    Aligns the left edge of each text line.

    Center Alignment 

    Aligns the center of each text line.

    Right Alignment 

    Aligns the right edge of each text line.

    Font Style

    Applies a font style, such as bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough, to the text. Click a style icon to apply it.

    Drop Shadow 

    Adds a drop shadow to text, giving the text a 3D appearance.

    Drop Shadow Color 

    Changes the color of the drop shadow.

    Note:

    To edit existing text, click the Edit Text button.

Add narration to a slide

You can record voice narration on a slide, if you have a microphone attached to your computer. You can also attach the narration to the photo as an audio caption.

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Adding a narration to a slide.

A. Record volume level B. Record button C. Play button D. Length of narration E. Delete button F. Open button 
  1. In the Extras panel of the Slide Show dialog box, click Narration.
  2. To record a narration, click the Record button  and speak into the microphone.
  3. After you’ve recorded your narration, do any of the following:
    • Click Play to hear the narration you recorded.

    • Click Delete and then choose Delete This Narration to start over, or choose Delete All Narrations to remove all narrations from the slide show.

  4. To use an existing audio caption for the narration, click Open and choose one of the following:

    Use Existing Audio Caption

    Uses the audio caption attached to the photo.

    Browse

    Lets you search and choose another audio caption.

  5. Click Next Slide to record a narration for the next slide.

Set pan and zoom

With the Slide Show dialog box, you can customize panning and zooming in each slide. You determine the start point and end point by positioning the bounding boxes on an area of a photo. The boxes are resizable; the smaller you make a box, the more dramatic the pan and zoom effect becomes. You can also add additional pan and zoom start and end points to a slide. The end point of the previous pan and zoom marks the beginning of the next pan and zoom.

Note:

You can use pan and zoom on photos, but not video files.

  1. In the storyboard, click the slide to which you want to add pan and zoom.
  2. In the Slide Show dialog box Properties panel, select Enable Pan & Zoom.
  3. The Start bounding box has a green outline. In the main preview window, drag a corner of the bounding box to resize it.
  4. Drag the Start box to the area of the photo where you want panning and zooming to begin. Resize the box until it surrounds the area you want to focus on.
    mc_08
    Setting the start point after enabling Pan and Zoom

  5. Click the thumbnail marked End. The End bounding box has a red outline. In the main preview area, resize and move the box until it surrounds the area where you want the additional pan and zoom to end.
  6. To add additional area to pan and zoom, click Add Another Pan & Zoom To This Slide. This adds a new slide to the Storyboard with a Link icon indicating the additional pan and zoom. The former end point and the new start point are linked (if you edit either point, the changes affect both). Drag the new End bounding box until it surrounds the area where you want the pan and zoom to end.

    Note:

    Moving the Start box for an additional pan and zoom affects the End box of the previous pan and zoom.

  7. To swap start and end points, select the point and then click Swap. To place the start and end points on the same slide, click Copy Start Point To End Point  or Copy End Point To Start Point.
    mc_27
    Original pan and zoom (top), and after swapping pan and zoom (bottom)

  8. Preview the pan and zoom by clicking the Play button.

    Note:

    Use additional pan and zoom to prolong the focus on an end point before a transition.

Add an effect to a slide

You can apply a black and white, or sepia effect to any photo in your slide show.

  1. In the storyboard, select a slide. Click the photo in the main preview window.
  2. In the Properties panel, click the Black And White  or Sepia  icon to add the effect to the photo. To return the photo to its original colors, click Normal.

Add and edit transitions

Transitions are effects that alter the progression between slides. Elements Organizer provides several transitions to choose from. You can adjust the duration of transitions individually or as a group. The transition pattern is indicated in the icon between slides. To apply changes to transitions in an entire slide show when you first create it, select the transitions in the storyboard and choose a transition type for them, or set options in Slide Show preferences.

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Changing the transition

  1. To change a transition, do either of the following:
    • To add the same transition to every slide, choose Edit > Select All Transitions. Then choose an option from the Transition menu in the Properties panel.

    • To change a single transition, click the transition icon (between two slides), and then choose an option from the Transition menu in the Properties panel. (You can also click the triangle to the right of the transition.)

  2. To change the duration of a transition, do either of the following:
    • To change the duration of a single transition, click the transition icon (between two slides), and then choose a duration from the menu at the top of the Properties panel.

    • To change the duration of all transitions, choose Edit > Select All Transitions. Then choose a duration option from the Multiple Transitions menu in the Properties panel.

Adjust the display time of a slide

  1. Do any of the following:
    • Click the duration value underneath a slide in the storyboard, and choose an option from the menu that opens. You can also select a slide and change its time duration in Preferences.

    • Set the Static Duration time in Slide Show Preferences when you first create a slide or slide show.

    • To synchronize the slide show with a music clip, click Fit Slides To Audio.

    Note:

    You cannot adjust the display time for video files in a slide.

Add photos or videos from your catalog to a slide show

  1. In the Slide Show Editor dialog box, click Add Media and select Photos And Videos From Elements Organizer.
  2. In the Add Media dialog box, choose one or more of the following options to display a set of media files:

    All Media

    Displays all the media files currently showing in the Media view.

    Media from the Grid

    Displays all the media files in your catalog currently appearing in the grid, in Media view.

    Show Media with Start Ratings

    Displays media files with a star rating to them.

    Show Hidden Media

    Displays media files that are Hidden.

    Advanced

    Click Advanced to expand the options to view media based on the following choices:

    Album

    Select the album(s) from which you want to add media.

    Keyword Tag

    Select the keyword(s) for which you want to add media.

    People

    Select the people from the drop-down list for adding the media tagged to their name and present under a people stack. For example, all the photos tagegd under the people stack, John doe.

    Places

    Select the places from the drop-down list for adding the media identified and tagged to places stacks.

    Events

    Select the events from the drop-down list for adding the media under a particular event stack.

  3. Select the items you want to include in your slide show. Press Ctrl+A (or the Select All button) to select all of the items displayed, or Shift-Ctrl+A (or the Deselect All button) to deselect all items.
  4. Choose one of the following options:

    Add Selected Media

    Adds the items to your project, resets the check boxes, and leaves the Add Photos dialog box open for further selections.

    Done

    Adds the selected media files to your project, closes the dialog box, and returns to the Slide Show dialog box.

    Note:

    When you are making a new slide show, you might want to start by making an album that includes all of the media files you want to use in your project. With your album displayed in the Media view, you can easily rearrange media files and edit captions. You can then use the Add Media button to add the album to your project.

  5. You can also select following option to add media to the Slide show.

    Photos and Videos from Folder

    Displays the local and network drives. Select a folder and click Open to import them into the Slide show.

Set slide show preferences

  1. In the Slide Show dialog box, choose Edit > Slide Show Preferences.
  2. Set any of the following options, and then click OK:

    Static Duration

    Determines the default duration of every slide.

    Transition

    Specifies how slides change from one to the next.

    Transition Duration

    Sets the length of time for transitions. If you choose a more striking transition, you might want a longer duration.

    Background Color

    Sets the default color that appears around photos on every slide.

    Apply Pan & Zoom To All Slides

    Applies a random pan and zoom to all the slides in a slide show.

    Include Photo Captions As Text

    Adds the caption attached to the media file in the Elements Organizer to the slide.

    Include Audio Captions As Narration

    Adds the audio caption you created for the media file in the Media view.

    Repeat Soundtrack Until Last Slide

    Loops the music until the show is finished.

    Crop To Fit Slide

    Crops the photos to fit on a slide, removing the black bars that sometimes appear on photos with different aspect ratios. Choose Landscape Photos or Portrait Photos, depending on the orientation of the media files.

    Preview Playback Options

    Choose a playback quality from the menu. If you choose High, the slide show quality is good, but it takes longer to load.

    Show This Dialog Each Time A New Slide Show Is Created

    Displays the preferences dialog box when you create a new slide show.

Publish a slide show (Windows only)

After creating a slide show, it’s time to share your project. You can publish it as a PDF or movie file, as a video CD or DVD, or in Adobe Premiere Elements for use in a video project.

  1. In the Slide Show dialog box, click Output.
  2. Choose one of the following, and click OK:

    Save As A File

    Select this option to generate a file you can deliver over the web, or by e-mail. This saves the slide show in PDF format, or in movie file format (WMV).

    For PDFs, choose a size option based on your viewing audience.

    • If you want to send this PDF to someone with a laptop with a small monitor, choose a smaller slide size.

    • If you plan to send it to someone with a desktop computer that has a large monitor, choose a larger file size.

    • To automatically replay the slide show when it ends, select Loop.

    • If you don’t want the slide show to play automatically, select Manual Advance.

    • If you want to see the PDF after it is created, select View Slide Show After Saving.

    Note:

    Some slide show features are not supported when you save a slide show as a PDF file. Pan and zoom effects do not appear in a PDF file. If you’ve included video clips in a slide, the slide is saved without the clips. Also, some transitions look different in the saved PDF (for example, Center Shape and Clock Wipe transitions become the Fade transition in the PDF file).  

    Note:

    Audio or music files do not play in the background of the PDF slideshow if more than 200 slides are added to the slideshow.

    For a movie file, choose a size option based on your viewing audience.

    • If you want to send this movie file to someone who views it in an e-mail, choose the smaller slide size.
    • If you plan to send it to someone who views it on a TV, choose a larger file size.

    Burn To Disc

    Saves your slide show on a DVD or Video CD (VCD). DVDs use MPEG-2 compression and provide much better quality. You can burn onto DVD only if you have Adobe Premiere Elements on your computer.

    Most computer CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives read VCDs — assuming the necessary player software is installed—and some DVD players. VCDs use MPEG-1 compression and have a resolution of 352 x 240 pixels. When you view a VCD on a television monitor, the 352 x 240 image stretches to fit the 720 x 480 (NTSC) or 720 x 576 (PAL) screen. This decreases image quality and magnifies compression artifacts and pixelation.

    Edit with Premiere Elements

    Sends the slide show to Adobe Premiere Elements through the Elements Organizer, if Adobe Premiere Elements is installed on your computer.

Export a slide show onto DVD

If Adobe Premiere Elements is installed, Elements Organizer can export a slide show directly onto a high-quality DVD that plays in most DVD players.

  1. Create a slide show through the step that opens the Slide Show Editor dialog box. See Create a slide show (Windows only).
  2. In the Slide Show Editor dialog box, click  Output.
  3. Click  Burn To Disc.
  4. Select DVD as the type of disc to burn.
  5. Select the TV standard (NTSC or PAL) for the geographical region where the DVD plays.
  6. (Optional) To export other slide show projects or WMV files to the disc, select Include Additional Slide Shows I’ve Made On This Disc and click OK.

    If you choose to include additional slide shows, the Create A DVD With Menu dialog box opens.

  7. Select a folder for the new WMV files, and click Save.

    Photoshop Elements creates a WMV (Windows Media Video) file for each of the slide shows you include. (You can click Cancel in the progress dialog box at any time to stop the process.)

    Adobe Premiere Elements adds the WMV files to its Media and My Project panels. It automatically opens the DVD workspace, where you can select a menu template, and add or customize menu buttons.

Adding additional slide shows

If you have installed Adobe Premiere Elements, you can add multiple slide shows and export them on to a DVD. Follow the steps to create a slide show. See Create a slide show (Windows only). To add additional slide shows:

  1. In the Slide Show Editor dialog box, click  Output.
  2. Click  Burn To Disc.
  3. Select DVD as the type of disc to burn.
  4. Select the TV standard (NTSC or PAL) for the geographical region where the DVD plays.
  5. To add other slide show projects or WMV files to the disc, select Include Additional Slide Shows I’ve Made On This Disc, and click OK. Save the existing slide show.

    Create a DVD With Menu dialog opens. This window enables you to add and remove slide shows.

  6. Click Add Slide Shows And Videos .

    The Add Slide Shows And Videos window displays the existing slide shows and video files.

  7. Select the required slide shows and videos and click OK.

    The Create a DVD With Menu displays the selected slide shows and video files.

  8. (Optional) Click Remove Slide Shows And Videos to remove any of the slide shows or video files.
  9. Click Next To Write to export the slide shows and video files to a DVD.

    Adobe Premiere Elements launches and facilitates powerful DVD and video editing features. Adobe Premiere Elements adds the files to its Media and My Project panels. It automatically opens the DVD workspace. You can select a menu template and add or customize menu buttons.

Burn an existing slide show onto a DVD

If Adobe Premiere Elements is installed, Photoshop Elements can burn an existing slide show project directly onto a high-quality DVD. This DVD is compatible with most DVD players.

  1. In the Elements Organizer Media view, select one or more slide show projects.
  2. Select the Create tab, and DVD With Menu.
  3. Select the TV standard (NTSC or PAL) for the geographical region where the DVD is played.
  4. (Optional) To include other slide show projects or WMV files on the disc, click Add Slide Shows and Videos. Select the slide shows and video files, and click OK.
  5. If you chose to include additional slide shows, do any of the following, and then click Next:
    • To remove a slide show from the list, select it and click Remove Slide Show.

    • To rearrange the slide shows on the DVD, drag their images to the positions you want.

  6. Click Next.
  7. Select a folder for the new WMV files, and click OK.

    Photoshop Elements creates a WMV (Windows Media Video) file for each slide show you include. (You can click Cancel in the progress dialog box at any time to stop the process.)

    Adobe Premiere Elements adds the WMV files to its Media and My Project panels, and automatically opens the DVD workspace. At the DVD workspace, you can select a menu template and add or customize menu buttons.

Add Photoshop Elements slide shows to video projects

Using Elements Organizer, you can create a slide show and enhance them with music, transitions, narration, text, and more. When you finish your project, you can bring it into Adobe Premiere Elements and incorporate it into movies and DVDs.

  1. In the Slide Show Editor dialog box, click  Output.
  2. Click Edit With Premiere Elements, and click OK. If asked whether to first save your project, click OK, type a name for your project, and click Save.

    A dialog box appears confirming that your slide show is complete. The slide show appears at the top of the Media view in the Elements Organizer. If Adobe Premiere Elements is open, the slide show also appears in the Project > Media panel of Adobe Premiere Elements. You can drag the slideshow into the Sceneline or Timeline.