slideshow module

I had been reading quite a bit about Adobe's Lightroom application during its beta testing period. I have never been eager to take part in beta's as there are problems-enough to be had with nearly all applications, even after their release to the public at large! I don't know about you, but I'm not getting paid by the hour, I get paid for what I get done.

As a location scout, a production service I have provided both filmmakers and photographers since 1984, it has been my experience that I never have enough time to review, edit, and optimize all I shoot then turn around an easy-to-navigate, project-specific website in a snap for clients who always want everything 'done yesterday'. So just as soon as I purchased the inaugural release of Lightroom (February, 2007) I immediately set to work in the Develop and Web modules and when I found a little spare time (yeah, right) I focused on refining my ever-growing Library (image database), adding to its keyword list, rating or tagging selects and throwing out redundant images or the inevitable bit of garbage I'd find.

I don't make 'picture packages' so I have little use, personally, for Adobe's layout templates in the Print module and until recently I had no need to create a slideshow either.

But, as it occurred to me one day not so long ago that I hadn't sent out a promo piece in months to the photographers, their reps or agents and photo producers who are currently my most actively supportive clients – and as I hadn't done anything yet with a wonderful series I shot while scouting for a Volkswagon print campaign I helped-out with two years ago already – I decided it was time to give Lightroom's Slideshow module a look. At last!

I believe wholeheartedly in the 'KISS principle' (the acronym for 'keep it simple, stupid' – or 'keep it short and simple'). So I was pleased to find the developers of Lightroom have provided users pretty-much straightforward controls with which we are able to build clean (read stylish and versatile, yet 'sophisticated') and engaging presentations.

At first glance the design controls appear to be straightforward and, like most of the Lightroom application, reasonably intuitive elements to work with. However, for the precocious sort, there is enough available here under-the-hood to create remarkable productions. (More on that at the workshop.) But here, let's look at what we have in the Slideshow module to work with.

     
An expanded view of the Slideshow module. (larger view)
 

In this screen capture you will recognize the familiar Lightroom layout each of the modules share. In the center is your content window. For both the Slideshow and Web modules at least, it seems to me more fitting to think of this as your 'stage'. To the left of the content window, from top to bottom, are your Preview window, Template Browser and a panel that will contain various Collections you have established from within the Library and are conveniently available here.

The Preview window provides a different thumbnail reference in each of the Lightroom modules. Here, in Slideshow as in the Web module's workspace, Preview gives you a quick example of what the currently active image – from whatever currently active collection or series of photos you are working with – will look like inside a slide page. As you roll your cursor over or select from the list of various templates available the example will change. Lightroom has five templates pre-loaded into the application and each has merit as a starting point from which you can design your own 'User' templates you can save

for future slideshow projects. (I have six I have been working on you can see under my 'User Templates' folder here.)

The right panel contains palettes with controllers that allow you to enhance Lightroom's provided templates, designs you have saved or templates you can obtain from third parties and import into Lightroom to work with. From the top:

Stroke Border (#1), when selected, will put either a keyline (a 1 pixel stroke) or a larger 'frame' around each image of your slideshow; also, what color you want to assign to that border. The second controller window within the Options panel is for you to decide whether or not to include a 'cast shadow' (#2) with each photo – or not. As with the drop shadow layer style in Photoshop, you are able to assign an angle to have your shadow fall as well as controls for the shadow's opacity, radius (spread) and offset (distance from its source, the image itself).

  

The Layout panel provides you control over the distance from the top, bottom, left and right edges of your series' slides. I will explain this palette more at the workshop as this web page is simply an overview and there is a lot to understand about this controller, how it affects the images you are using and the presentation you will be exporting.

From within the Overlays panel select whether or not you want to utilize an Identity Plate or not (#3) and control its opacity, scale and whether or not you want your ID Plate design to be situated over or be rendered behind each slide's image. >This can be a great way to situate a custom copyright 'stamp' over each image you eventually publish either as a printable, playable animation-PDF or as a series of JPEG's. We all know how prevalent it is these days for people to appropriate others' images as their own or for them to utilize our work to illustrate their designs!< Text Overlays (#4) can be positioned anywhere you choose within a slide. NOTE though, wherever you decide to place text that placement will remain the same throughout the series' show. This is a 'global' effect you are assigning to each slide in your presentation! Text placement is a real consideration when producing slideshows that include both horizontal and vertical images! You also have the option here to select from all the fonts you have loaded on your system and are able to access for other applications like Photoshop, TextEdit or Word, inDesign, Quark, etc.; and you can choose to add text drawing from each image's metadata: caption, title, each photo's date and capture time, exposure, image filename, sequence or you can create your own custom text to include for a slideshow's design – LOTS of options here, but easy to get flummoxed-by with all these choices! Another interesting option here is for you to assign a drop shadow to be associated with your text 'overlays'. The Slideshow module is a really fun, exciting environment to experiment and desgin with if you care to invest the time and effort.

In the Backdrop panel (#5) find options for you to consider including a Background Image if you choose (very cool if done 'right' – in my mind, read 'subtly'), or you might consider selecting a custom Background Color. The 'Color Wash' option I have played with some, but this effect feels to me a bit too-artsy fartsy, as one choosing a mauve-colored matte for their art work in the framing process 'Cuz like, it works so well-like with the wall treatment in my bedroom!' Yikes!

Working down to both the Titles and Playback controls, one has the opportunity to imagine being The Director working with his or her favorite film editor developing their final cut, deciding how their blockbuster will begin (the Intro Screen) and end (the uh... 'Ending Screen'). What I find so interesting about the Titles palette (#6) are the potentially-limitless creative possibilities one has at their disposal for devising a terrific Intro plate to get things off and running and then an appropriate wrap-up to the slideshow by creating a well-conceived End plate. You can choose to work with either a text editor or build a graphic from within Photoshop for them each individually.

From the Playback panel (#7) we can specify how our production will unfold and what the soundtrack will be, if we want music to accompany it. However (BIG caveat here), these (Playback) controls are only in-play if you are presenting your slideshow from within Lightroom, on the computer you authored the slideshow – NOT as a rendered and exported PDF – yet. I'll explain. Currently, Lightroom does not embed music files into their application-rendered PDF's. And, even though – as you can see from the screen capture – you are able to assign global time sequences for both slide reveals and fade transitions, these elements are controlled independent of your authored settings from within Adobe Acrobat/Acrobat Reader upon playback, set-parameters built into these applications' code. (More about all this – and potential work-arounds to these current restrictions – of course, at the workshop...)

All in all, once you really dig into this part of Lightroom, you will find the Slideshow module a fertile environment for developing remarkable presentations to exhibit your work to others. (The Web module is cool too. But that's coming up later. Next to have a look at here is the all-important Develop module – This sentence will become an active link when I have launched that page.)

As an example of what a bit of play and experimentation may produce, by way of the slideshow promotion I designed and referred to above, here are three versions of the 'Blue Motion' Volkswagon campaign I scouted for. Lightroom provides us the opportunity to custom-size our PDF animated presentations for various screen resolutions! (I feel like a broken record here but, more at the workshop...)

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