Creating a photo slideshow in Sony Vegas Movie Studio

[JayFirestorm]

Hey Bill, Thanks for some great tutorials; I'm making a end-of-year movie of my walks & adventures (now 3 weeks late after wasting my time with Nero beforing investing in Sony Vegas)...

anyway, what is the simplest method to keep inserted snapshot(s) at original size - ie no cropping? I want to slot in shots at the end of the movie, but it automatically crops them, losing people's heads etc. What's the easiest way to insert size (they're portrait, I'm happy with black bars either side)

[guerillabill]

@JayFirestorm To keep photos the original aspect ratio, choose 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', and uncheck 'automatically crop still images added to timeline'.

[JayFirestorm]

@guerillabill It was staring me right in the face - I knew it would be!! =) Thank you kindly.

[Hulio7271]

Nice. But, no one seems to mention rendering for a slideshow. I presume you would want to render it with no deinterlacing done? Espicially if there is panning going on?

[surinamshowband]

how can i change the time for each photo on the time line ?

[guerillabill]

@surinamshowband Before you put the images on the timeline, choose 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', and set 'new still image length' to the number of seconds you want as the default for new images added to the timeline.

[cjcaddy100]

Bill Myers is, hands down, the best at these Sony Vegas Tutorials. I just got his 101 Tips and Techniques and it was worth every penny. If you are new to video editing and have Sony Vegas Platinum I highly recommend it! It will make your editing life a lot easier and tons more fun. The only negative I might have is that it was done with version 9 so there are some differences but now I'm just being picky.

[RRRicard0]

very helpful, saves me a lot of time. Thanks!

[conol77]

Hello, i have a problem and I saw that it was the same for you. When i put the photos on sony vegas, she are inversed from the last to the first.. How can I fix that ?

[guerillabill]

@conol77 Put the photos on the timeline one at a time, in the sequence you want them in.

[TheAmazingScience]

ok, well i understood everything u said in this video and did it BUT how can i upload that slideshow video to youtube for example?

how do i save the movie i created so i can for example upload onto youtube?

[guerillabill]

@TheAmazingScience Save the project. Then use 'render as', and render to either avi or wmv. Then upload the rendered file to YouTube.

[sven7456]

Hey Bill, Great video. What do you do if you want to change the duration of your pictures...ex: make it longer---like all of them 10 seconds. I have a written slide between pictures that I made in media generators and instead of the fade I'm using a flip transition....so I need the picture duration to be longer but the same length in seconds for each picture.

[guerillabill]

@sven7456 Before you put the images on the timeline, choose 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', and set 'new still image length' to the number of seconds you want as the default for new images added to the timeline.

[guerillabill]

@Stepanskiy23 Start by setting the project properties to match your final render settings. Then use photos that are at least the same dimensions as your project properties. Smaller photos or stretched photos will pixelate when rendered.

Then render to the same settings as project properties. WMV usually gives better results with photos than avi

[rajanikant219]

no pan & zoom ????

[guerillabill]

@rajanikant219 Pan & Zoom is easy to use in Vegas movie studio. Several of my YouTube videos show how to use it with photos and videos.

[guerillabill]

@Oziedog  Use 'pan & crop' to move through the image.

[chrisgregluna]

Thank you very much I will try it tomorrow. Good night

[chrisgregluna]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the video. I was wondering if we can do the same but without the black bottom of the screen. I want that the pictures take all the screen. Do you know if I can do that? I try like for a video : with click right / proprietie / and undo preserve the proportions but the image is really deforms. Can you help me please?

[guerillabill]

@chrisgregluna If the photo is not the same aspect ratio as your project properties, it will have black bars either above and below, or left and right, because it won't fill the screen.

You can use pan & crop, and set 'match output aspect' to get the photo to fill the screen without distorting the photo

[keelphoto]

Is there a way to automatically add teh image or file name to the slideshow in Sony Vegas?

Mike

[guerillabill]

@keelphoto If you mean show the filename on the timeline, the answer is yes.

See how to do it in my YouTube video 'Show filenames in the timeline in Sony Vegas Movie Studio '

[radiantDF]

Hi Bill! have you seen "the hangover" dvd? i'd like to make a dvd project like that where i can insert a movie, and then on one menu where it contains pictures. it's a slideshow but i dont want it to be automatic and the user will have to click or press the button just to see the next or previous picture. plus i want a random music that will play on the background. is that possible? thanks! great tutorials btw!

[asderso]

Hi BILL, which is the best video format for rendering the whole slide show montage, please? I use even MP4 and looks good, what you think?

[guerillabill]

@asderso It depends on where you will use the video. For YouTube, wmv or mp4 works well. For DVD MPeg2 works.

[asderso]

@guerillabill, thank you for your always kind reply.

[Ersonvm]

GRACIAS!!!

[bestbboymusicchannel]

how to make camera move from pictures one corner to another?

[guerillabill]

@bestbboymusicchannel Use the 'pan & zoon' feature to zoom and pan across photos. See my YouTube video 'Zoom into a photo in Sony Vegas or Movie Studio '

[noliuz]

thank you...

[DJPREPAID]

Whose the Under The Covers Track By?

[brilliantlights]

Thanks for the great video. I have a few questions:

1. I want the slideshow to automatically adjust to the length of the music I select. I dont see an option to do that ?

2. I want to add a few extra slides at the beging and end of the video for credits and want them of longer duration (than others, once I select the match slideshow length to the music), how do I do that without being out of sync with the chosen music.

Many thanks in adavnce. (will see Autoripple video by you, next)

[guerillabill]

@brilliantlights  Sony Movie Studio doesn't have an option to match the length of the slideshow to the music. You can do that by controlling the duration of each slide.

You can turn on autoripple to add elements to the front of the slides and automatically ripple the change through the track

[8noteflight]

Great and awesome straight to the point tutorial. Nice job, well done!!!!

[JoelGosselinCollin]

i have sony vegas and the it makes the pictures and videos grey and pics DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX IT?? TO NORMAL COLOR? THX!!!!!!!!!!!

[guerillabill]

Are the image grey in the preview, or grey in rendered video?

Unless you have something wrong with your monitor display, they should never be grey in the preview window.

[Showmemusic]

hey cool video-How do I make it so each slide is there for the same amount of time?

thanks in advance!

[guerillabill]

Choose options from the top menu, then 'preferences', 'editing', then set 'new still image length'. Then click 'OK'.

After doing this, all new still images added to the time line will have the length of time you set in preferences.

[haider8485]

Guerillabill) will u tell me how shell i get sony vegas software plz and thx for this tip

[guerillabill]

You can download a trial version from Sony, or purchase the full version of Sony Movie HD from Amazon for under $40

[Kipros1234]

Mr Myers, i was wondering if you could help me with a basic editing question, i have created a slideshow as you have done in the above video, i would like to delete a slide and remove the gap created. is there a way to select all the subsequent slides and shift them all up to fill the gap without changing their properties (Length of clip / fade etc), many thanks in advance.

[guerillabill]

You'll want to turn on 'autoripple' before you delete the image.

Autoripple will automatically adjust everything for you.

See my YouTube video 'Auto Ripple in Sony Vegas & Movie Studio'

[TheHornettandTheHoya]

how do you change the default picture run time? to maybe 3 seconds instead of 5?

[guerillabill]

Select 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', and change the 'time still images appear' to the number of seconds you want.

[TheChemicalOllieShow]

Does Sony Vegas have the same problems with the mp3 output quality that Windows Movie Maker has?

[keelphoto]

Great video...If I want to automatically add the file names of each slide how can I do that? As opposed to manually typing in the name of every image. I am working on a 500 image slideshow.

[guerillabill]

I don't think Vegas or Movie Studio is the right tool if you are working on a 500 image slide show. Maybe MS PhotoStory would be better.

See YouTube video 'Create videos with free Photo Story software'

[xwishmasterx2]

The menus of my Sony vegas has different positions and some tools are hidden. It is different than yours, how can i make it similar to yours?

[guerillabill]

See my Youtube video, 'Change Timeline placement in Sony Vegas'

[xwishmasterx2]

Than you. I noticed when you add pictures to make a slideshow, they paste for 10 seconds, how?

[guerillabill]

You can change the default length that still images appear on the timeline by selecting 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', and changing 'new still image length (seconds)' to the number of seconds you want images to appear.

[xwishmasterx2]

Thank you.

[durhamboys]

how do you make the pics slowly zoom?

[guerillabill]

Use event pan & crop to apply a zoom to each photo.

[zremorca]

thank u sir :D

[Lucythevampire]

hello thank y<ou so much for the lession but do you hawe a lession on effects for pictures or tranzission pliz jhhelp :((

[VIDAiRProductions]

THANKS :D

[verochin]

Great tutorial! But I have a question. Can you add an animated cartoon over a photo in the video?. For example, if I have a photo that is about a broken toy or something like that, and I want to add a cartoon that is crying in a funny way, over the picture, in the same moment....how can I do that?. I really need this. Thank you.-

[guerillabill]

Yes, you can overlay images or video over other elements.

See how to do this in my YouTube video, 'Video overlay in Sony Vegas Movie Studio'

[grasaycebo]

how you burn yours proyect. >pls.

[guerillabill]

I create the project in Sony Movie Studio, then burn to DVD using DVD Architect (which is part of Sony Movie Studio).

[GaryNull]

Thanks.

You know how to give a good lesson.

Most people on YouTube don't.

[guLaLi56]

thanks a bunch :)

[Veselchuna]

Thank you, friend :)

[jenknoedl]

This is great, Bill! Thanks!

I want the slide show to be eye candy on a screen in the background of a party. Is there a way to make it loop before I burn it to a DVD?

[guerillabill]

most dvd players have a repeat function, which will loop the video

[jenknoedl]

the one i was using last night didn't seem to, but i appreciate your response. thank you!

[moshebrg]

Hi

I would like to insert random transition effects, between pictures, in the sideshow

I do not want to do it manually, because I have more then 2000 pictures.

Thanks

[DeleriosoAnormal]

That was great--thanks!!

[C0LEgasmaxx]

how can you make the slides shorter?

[guerillabill]

You can either adjust the width of each slide on the timeline, or change 'options', 'preferences', 'editing', 'new still image length' to a different default setting.

[predatorishi]

thanks :)

[kriselda1990]

nice tutorial!tnx!i just got my sony vegas pro 8 and u really help me.thanks again!

[Alexorcisto]

Thank you for such easy & helpful tutorial!

Here is my result of using SV slideshow technics /watch?v=EwHvAIuPYVE

[cocoalex2]

I've just posted my first slideshow. There are some problems with the transition fade, looks very ugly. The slideshow looks perfect only in hd mode. Any ideas?

[guerillabill]

The problem is very likely related to the render settings you used, specifically frame rate - which comes into play with fades and dissolves.

See my YouTube video about Sony Movie Studio settings.

[vvelvettearss]

I've only ever tried sony vegas pro 6.0 and 8.0 before via downloading trail versions, I ordered a cheap sony vegas movie studio from eBay as the SV pros are wayyyy too expensive, I was just wondering... is this similar to SV Pro and it's video editing software with similar effects right? Does it have not as many effects and not advanced as SV Pro? I just want a video editing software NOT wmm which doesn't screw up the quality It looks fine to me and I've ordered it but I was just wondering?

[guerillabill]

Sony Movie Studio is very similar to Sony Vegas Pro in looks and feel, and they share most of the same effects.

Sony Vegas Pro has more effects, masking, and can run scripted plug-ins.

Sony Movie Studio Platinum is probably the best choice for those not wanting to invest in Vegas Pro.

[vvelvettearss]

Very helpful, thankyou for your time :)

[tederetus]

Hey i got i quistion! if i put the pictures on the timeline the quility changes and all my pictures become a bit black and red?! how can i prevent this

[guerillabill]

Sony Vegas and Movie Studio do not change images - they appear as they are imported.

If you see different colors it will be related to the quality or size of the photos, or effects you have added to the time line

[martha2004]

wow. nice tutorial, but mine doesn't show the transitions, and I set the editing the way you said. I see u answered to everyone, very nice from you. My first day with SV and I watching a lot of tutorials.i think that photo slide is an easy way to learn.WMM was a lot easier. Thank you in advanced. 5/5

[yokorioshiba]

very helpful mr.myers ty

[GoochelaarRick]

Look i have a black background on the first line...

and i put a little picture from a snail or something on 2nd line.

Than he wont show the snail at me, how i can fix that ?

[guerillabill]

Move the video track with the black background so that it is below the video track with photos on it.

[bthetomato]

wow thanks,

but is there a way to make each pic shorter all at once?

[guerillabill]

Yes, you can change a setting in 'preferences' that determines the length of time on the timeline for each image added.

You have to do this before you add images.

[AvastPirateGirl]

how about comments? mine is like a birthday one and they want to write comments under the photo is there a way to do that?

[guerillabill]

Create a new video track, and place it above the video track with photos.

Then right click on the new video track whereever you want text to appear, and select 'add text media', then enter the text you want.

View my YouTube video showing how to add text and titles for more details

[grinchey5]

When I make a slideshow with Vegas pro 8.0, I render it as a .wmv file and when I watch it once it's finished rendering, I get a blank screen. Is there a way to fix that?

[guerillabill]

Be sure you have not checked ' render selected area only', as this will only render the highlighted area of the video.

[SoCalDanM]

I'm making DVDs using a few hundred photos and some videos (MPEG files). I usually group the photos & put them to music. DVD Arch has an easy function for this, but if I want the duration of a group of photos to be > 1 song I think I need to merge 2 music files. It also didn't seem to handle adding MPEG videos. In Movie studio I think I need a production for each group; and I'm unsure how to get a group to have a duration equal to 2 songs. Any help/demo would be appreciated!

[SoCalDanM]

Can you describe or show, how to move a group of files (photos or videos) on the timeline to somewhere else on the timeline? Thank you!

[guerillabill]

You can create a group by selecting them all, and then right click and then select 'group. Then will can be moved as a group.

Or you can turn on ripple edit, and everything to the right of a insert or delete will be moved to reflect the insert or delete.

[colonel3link]

can you add captions to it?

[guerillabill]

Yes, you can use the 'text media' tool to add text, titles or captions to each photo.

[edikenkoy]

like this tut..

simple and easy...

[bloodytom27]

great tutorial. i have a presentation for tomorrow and this saves me a lot of time. thanks.

[Darklemon10]

Thankyou so much ive been sitting here for 2 hours trying to figure out how to get the transition between all photos

[JaayPell]

Hey! great video. Helped a lot :)

I have one question though. Is there a way to change the photo duration once its added to the timeline? Like lets say for a stop motion effect video, or claymation?

Please reply and thnx :P

[guerillabill]

Yes, you can change the duration of any photo by grabbing either end and sliding or pulling it.

[Manwithjeep]

Hi Bill!

I have Sony Movie Studio platinum edition.

Do you know if it has the slideshow pullback effect where the pictures look as though they are moving?

Thank you

[guerillabill]

You can use event pan and crop to animate (add motion) to the slides.

See my YouTube video on event pand & crop and you can see how to to do this.

[kadzbiz]

G'day Bill, great series BTW. Was wondering if there is a way to make a whole track of photos pan in a little instead of setting it for each individual photo? Cheers.

[guerillabill]

You can use to pan to create a 'pan and crop' preset, then apply that preset to each image on the timeline.

[kadzbiz]

Can you explain briefly how to crete such panning preset please? Thanks.

[guerillabill]

Open pan and crop effect on a photo, create the pan and crop they way you want, click the disk icon and enter a name to save as a preset.

[lolaboricua]

Is there a way to select a couple of transitions and add them to display randomly?

[guerillabill]

You can use the slideshow creator plug-ins found in Ultimate S or Excalibur for Vegas.

Search google to find those.

[Futuretime101]

Is it more advantageous to create a slideshow in Vegas Movie Studio in preference to creating a slideshow in DVD Architect ??? If so, can you still create a separate menu for your slideshow slides in DVDA as opposed to the menu you have created for your video movie in DVDA ?????? Thanks Bill ....

[guerillabill]

You have more creative control in Sony Vegas - which is a video editing program - than in DVD Architect, which is a DVD Authoring program.

If you add chapter markers to your slides in Sony Vegas, those chapter markers can automatically create menu entries in DVD Architect

[deemi007]

thanks for sharing

[muzico]

good info.. only one question,,, how can i arrange the photos?? it doesnt let me move them in the Prejecy Media

[guerillabill]

Select the photos in the sequence you want to add them to the timeline.

I usually hold down the ctrl key, and select multiple images, one at a time in the order I want them to appear on the timeline.

So I select 30 photos or more at a time, but select each one in sequence.

[trancefuel]

Bill, great tutorials btw. But I have 2 questions. I followed your tutorial and it worked brilliantly. However, now that I want to make the slideshow its not auto adding the transitions anymore even though I have the setting in the preferences -> editing tab. Any reason why this is happening? Also, I have like 100 photos I want to add to my slideshow and I tried to control click the photos in the project media window in the order I want them to appear on the timeline like you said,

[guerillabill]

It should work - assuming you followed the instructions as shown in the above video.

Works for me everytime.

[Glidinatt]

I also have problem with the overlap.

I have set the "Automatically overlap multiple....." in the Editing window as described, but it does not work! aaarg

[guerillabill]

You have to set the automatic overlap before you drag the images onto the timeline

[beer12beer12]

thnx alot!

517257625197216276527162472045­2/5 xD

[ael1988monsters]

the video is great!

I want to ask something. When i add the photos in time line the duration is at 5sec.

You do i change that and put the photo duration at 2 sec?

[guerillabill]

From the top menu, select Options, preferences, editing, still image length.

Use that to set the time new photos added to the timeline will appear on the timeline.

On that same page, you can also set the length of the transition.

[ael1988monsters]

You are great man!

Thank you very much!

One more question that I forgot to ask. Is there a tutorial to show me how to transit the photos that i will put in the video track with the tempo of the song that i will put in the audio track?

Thank you again!

[guerillabill]

I haven't created a video to do that, but you can do it easily by turning on 'auto ripple' in the video track with photos, and then manually matching the transitions to the audio.

Turning on autoripple, will automatically move all the photos down the timeline as you change the length of each photo on the timeline.

[ael1988monsters]

Thank you very much mate!!!!

[dainik]

i think you are the best teacher ! what's is the configuration of your computer ?

[garystorey]

Just a quick question , how would I insert text at the bottom of each photo for the duration each one is shown for ?

[guerillabill]

See how to add text in my YouTube video about adding text in Sony Vegas Movie Studio

You can adjust the length the text is on-screen by dragging the text element to match the length of the photo.

[garystorey]

Thanks alot ! just what I wanted to know and very easy to follow.5 stars.

[frameaddict]

guerillabill, thank you so much for your tutorials.

I´ve been messing around with sony vegas for quite a while now and have learned a lot watching your tutorials.

keep them coming.

cheers!

[JacobianProductions]

Hey, I was working with DVD Architect 4 and I wanted to make a Picture Compilation. Unfortunately, the only two effects I see are Pan and Tilt. This makes for a very boring, very repetitive slideshow DVD, even with music and text. Are there any other effects available? Are there any third-party plugins that have effects?

If not, do you know of any other programs that would allow me to make a nice looking picture compilation with cool effects? All of yours fade in and out, what about flips?

[guerillabill]

There are over 100 customizable transitions in Sony Vegas, Sony Movie Studio. Plus there is pan and zoom, and many other effects which can be used with video or photos.

[enalxrim]

you the best man thanx

[bradtube1]

I assume there's a for how long each photo is displayed? 

I use Microsoft PhotoStory (free) because it adds motion automatically - although you have to fix almost every one but... I still like it better than manually adding motion using Vegas. Then I create the movie out of PhotoStory slideshow and use that in Vegas.

Oh - BUT - If I want to time the photos to switch at specific beats in the music, then I use Vegas only.

[guerillabill]

Yes, you can set the photo duration on the same screen where you set the transition length. Options, preferences, editing, still image length.

While is is easy to create photo slideshows with PhotoStory, you'll get higher resolution results from Sony Vegas.

Plus you have more control over titles, transitions, effects, music, audio, etc in Sony Vegas.

Both are good tools.

[twowinds]

Excellent !!! Thank you very much !!!!