Newk's
Nook: Storing photos on a DVD is a practical way to backup as well as show the files.
Q.
My husband and I would like to put together
an automatic slide show. It's for when either of us passes on. This
would be a
celebration of our life. We have three wonderful children and eight
wonderful
grandchildren. The memories we have are so precious. And they have
brought us
so much joy. We would like this to be remembered long after we're gone.
But we
don't know where to start. Can you help us?
A.We
would all like to be remembered by our
loved ones. I think this is a pretty cool idea. I'm sure your kids and
grandkids would love to have it.
Putting
your slide show on a DVD is your
best option. You'll be able play it on a computer or standard DVD
player. But
you'll need to use the right software to get it done.
I'm
not sure what kind of computer you are
using. So, I'm going to cover all the bases. I'll show you how to do it
on
Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X.
Windows
XP
Building
your slide show is going to take
the most work. But the right software can be a big help. Microsoft has
a cool
program called Photo Story 3.
It'll allow you to edit your photos. You can add things like effects
and
transitions. Inserting music and narration will add a personal touch.
With
Photo Story 3, your slide show is
saved as a WMV file. Just burning this file to a DVD won't make it
start
automatically. For that, you need DVD authoring software.
You
can get a plug-in for Photo Story 3
called Sonic DVD.
It will cost you $20. Or you could check out DVD Flick.
It's a free DVD
authoring program. You'll burn your DVD from the authoring software.
You
could also look for all-in-one slide
show programs. These are slide show creation programs with DVD
authoring
included. You could try Ulead CD
&
DVD PictureShow 4 ($40), Nero PhotoShow
Deluxe 5
($40) or Roxio PhotoShow 5
($40).
Windows
Vista
Windows
Vista has all the tools you'll need
built-in. Start by going into Windows Photo Gallery. Here you can
review all of
your photos. Select the ones you want to use. Then, click Make a Movie
at the
top of the window.
This
will transfer your selected photos
into Windows Movie Maker. It will automatically build a random slide
show out
of your photos. You probably won't be happy with this. But you can
reorder the
photos however you'd like. Then, add effects, transitions, narration
and music.
When
you're finished, click DVD under
“Publish to.” You'll find it on the left side of the window. This will
transfer
your slide show to Windows DVD Maker. Here you can customize a DVD
menu. And
then, burn your slide show to DVD.
DVD
Maker is only found in Vista Home
Premium and Vista Ultimate. If you have another version of Vista,
you'll need
separate DVD authoring software. Again, you could use DVD Flick. Or you
could
purchase programs like Ulead DVD
MovieFactory 6 ($50), Nero 8 Ultra
($80) or Pinnacle Studio
($50).
Mac
OS X
Mac
OS X also has all the tools you'll
need. They're part of your iLife package. First, open up iPhoto. Select
the
photos you like, and click the Slide show button. You'll build and
customize
the slide show right in iPhoto. It has all the audio tools and effects
you'll
need.
When
you're satisfied, click
Share>>Send to iDVD. Here you can customize the DVD menu.
There are
several themes to choose from. Burn your DVD when finished.
Back
up
Whatever
system you use, be sure to make
backups. Burn several copies of the DVD. Store a few outside your home.
A
safety deposit box is probably a good option. Also, back up your slide
show as
you would any important file. I have a great tip
on easy ways to
back up your data.
Now,
remember that DVDs can degrade over
time. Consider burning your DVDs again from time to time. This will
ensure your
children and grandchildren get a working copy.
More
photo tips:
•
Put a slide show
in a digital photo
frame
• Share your photos
while on vacation
• Get great photos
with a high-end
digital SLR