Do you want to transform your photos into videos? A slideshow maker might be a good option for you. With a slideshow maker, you can mix your photos, video clips, and songs together and create a terrific video.
In this article, I will offer you the two best free photo slideshow makers and show you how to make a slideshow video with photos and music step by step.
What to Prepare for Making a Slideshow Video
Before you make a slideshow video, it is important to know what you need to prepare for a slideshow.
Select the photos you want to use
Before making a slideshow video, select the photos you want to include in the video. It is important to make sure that all the images are clear and sharp. Also, ensure that they are not cropped and that there is no background noise. After selecting the photos, you can start editing them using software like Adobe Lightroom or Luminar AI.
Find the song for your slideshow video
When making a slideshow video, you’ll need a song that fits well with the theme of your presentation. It should match the mood of your audience and the content of your slides. Choose a song that has a beat and rhythm that matches the pace of your presentation. Also, make sure that the lyrics fit with the purpose of your slideshow video. A good option for royalty-free music is Artlist.
Find the best slideshow maker
An excellent slideshow maker can make your slideshow video look more professional. Here I would like to recommend the two best photo slideshow makers—MiniTool MovieMaker and iMovie. They are free to use and let you create slideshow videos without watermarks.
More importantly, they are perfect for beginners.
Now, let’s see how to create a video from photos with MiniTool MovieMaker and iMovie.
How to Make a Slideshow Video with MiniTool MovieMaker
MiniTool MovieMaker is a photo slideshow maker and a video editor available for Windows. It supports a wide range of media file formats.
Supported Input Format:
- Video: MP4, MKV, MPG, MOV, WMV, RMVB, AVI, FLV, 3GP, VOB, WebM
- Image: JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ICO, GIF
- Audio: MP3, FLAC, M4R, WAV, M4A, AAC, AMR, APE
Supported Output Format:
- Video: MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, F4V, MKV, TS, 3GP, MPEG2, WebM
- Image: GIF
- Audio: MP3
With MiniTool MovieMaker, you can make a slideshow video from photos in various formats. It offers you ready-made movie templates, animated text templates, Instagram-like filters, motion effects, and Iris transitions to make your video more professional and attractive.
Besides that, this slideshow maker has all the basic editing functions. It allows you to split, trim, reverse, change video speed, adds text and add music, changes the video/photo length, does color correction, and rotate the video/photo by any certain angle.
Below is the guide on how to make a slideshow with music and pictures.
Step 1. Launch MiniTool MovieMaker
Download and install MiniTool MovieMaker. Launch MiniTool MovieMaker and close the pop-up window to enter its primary interface.
Step 2. Import the photos and the song
Click on Import Media Files to import the photos and the song prepared in advance. Choose Pictures to access the imported photos. Then click the first photo and press “Ctrl + A” to select all the imported photos. Drag and drop them into the timeline.
To change the order of the photos, choose the target photo and move it to the desired position.
Step 3. Edit the photos
- Add transitions between photos: Click Transition and drag the transition you want to use between two clips.
- Apply effects and motion effects: Go to the Effect tab and drag the effect over the photo on the timeline. Click Motion to browse motion effects and select the right motion effects for your photos.
- Add text: Click Text, select the text template you want to use, and click the + to add it to the timeline. Enter the text, change the text’s size, color, and font type.
- Change the photo duration: Choose the photo you want to adjust the length of. Go to Image Property and use the Duration slider to extend or shorten the duration of the photo.
- Add music: Head to Media > Music, select the imported song, and click the +.
Step 4. Export the slideshow video
Click the Export to configure the output settings. After that, hit the Export button to export the photo slideshow.
How to Make a Slideshow Video with iMovie
If you’re a Mac user and want to make a photo slideshow, iMovie is suitable for you as it is a simple-to-use video editor pre-installed on Mac. It supports the following formats.
Supported input formats
- Video: MOV, MP4, M4V, 3GP
- Image: JPEG, PNG, HEIF, PSD, RAW, TIFF, BMP, TGA, GIF
- Audio: MP3, AAC, AIFF, WAV, RF64, CAF, BWF
Supported output formats video:
- Video: MOV, MP4, AVI, DV
iMovie is a good tool to help you make awesome slideshow videos without installing third-party apps on your computer. It provides a user-friendly interface and offers many editing functions to help beginners edit videos.
There are many features available in iMovie such as filters, green effect, split-screen effect, Ken Burns effect, transitions, movie trailers, and sound effects.
Here’s how to make a slideshow with iMovie.
Step 1. Open the iMovie app on your Mac.
Step 2. Create a new project
After launching iMovie, click on Project > Create New. From the drop-down menu, select Movie to make a slideshow comprising photos, music, and video clips.
Step 3. Add the photos and music
Go to the My Media tab and import the needed photos and music from your Mac. Add the photos to the timeline and rearrange the order of them in the timeline.
Step 4. Edit the photos
- Add transitions between photos: There are lots of transitions available in iMovie, go to the Transitions tab, drag and drop the transition you want to apply between two photos in the timeline.
- Apply filters: Filters can change the way your photos look. Click the Filter and Audio Effects button above the viewer. Click Clip Filter to choose a filter for your photos.
- Add titles and text: Click on Titles to select a title or text template. Then enter the text and change its font type, size, color.
- Change photo duration: Drag the edge of the photo toward or away from the center of the photo.
- Add music: Add the imported music to the timeline and trim the audio as needed.
Step 5. Export the slideshow video
Preview the slideshow video. If you are satisfied with the result, click File > Share > File to export the video.
Conclusion
Now, choose the slideshow you like best and make a slideshow video with your favorite photos and music!
Comments