Using Windows Movie Maker to create an audio slideshow

To start this project you should have all of you images in one folder and that folder should be in a place you can easily find it (I would suggest leaving it on your desktop). Using your skills from previous classes your images should be cropped, tweaked and ready to go.

Create a Slide Show using Movie Maker

Using Windows Media Player to convert audio files

In order to use audio files off of a CD they must be converted to a file type MovieMaker can use.

Here is a list of the audio file types MM uses:

Audio files: .aif, .aifc, .aiff .asf, .au, .mp2, .mp3, .mpa, .snd, .wav, and .wma

However, in this class we will use wav files.

How to convert files

PhotoBook (Creating a Book)

Now we start our adventure of creating a PhotoBook. It is quite simple if you have all of your content prepared in advance. Photos should be edited and text ready. If you are ready and your pictures are loaded into Shutterfly, let's get started. Click "Photo Books" (1)


Here is where we select the type of book we want. In this case we are going to create an 8.5 x 11 “Classic Book”. Click on the book and we will jump to the next page.



Absolutely nothing to do here but look at the pretty pictures and click “Get Started” (2)






On this page we can select page (3) and text (4) styles. Do not fret over this, you can go back and make changes later. Unfortunately, Shutterfly does not have many styles. Make your selections, then click “Next” (5)


This is the screen where we will spend the rest of our time. However, we have one more thing to do before we can make out book, we must load out pictures into the lower tray. Out pictures are loaded onto the Shutterfly system, but we must load them into the Photo Book software. To do this click “Get Pictures” (6)


Select any or all of your loaded pictures. If you want to select just a few pictures check off the small box under the picture you want. If you want ALL of your pictures (I suggest you do this) select “All” (7).

Then click “Add” (8)

Ok, we need to understand what each of these areas do.

(9) Is your tray with all of your photos. They are “Drag & Drop” out of this tray.

(10) These are the page templates. Note, at the top you can select from 1 to 5+ images to a page or an ALL text page. The template icons will change depending on how many images you select to put on a page. Most of these templates allow you to add text. The page template icons are also “Drag & Drop”.

(11) These are your book pages. This is the area that you drag your picture to.

(12) These icon indicate the pages of your book. As you complete a page that page’s icon will turn grey. The icon of the page you are working on is indicated by an open book icon.

Ok, I admit, this next page looks complicated, it is not.

Simply, select the number of pictures you want on the page you are working on (1, 2 or more). Once you select the number of picture, all of the template icons will change.

Select a template. Drag & Drop it on the page you are working on. If you don’t like it, try another!

Now, Drag & Drop the picture(s) you want on the page.

If you have TEXT, add it in the area(s) provided.

SAVE and save often. Shutterfly is a little “buggy”.

SIMPLE

PhotoBook (Upload Photos)

Uploading and creating an album

After you have registered and created an account, Shutterfly will take you to this next window. In my example you see how to name your first album (1). If you were already a Shutterfly customer you may have many albums. At this point name your album.

To upload your pictures you should already have a folder on your computer with your edited pictures inside. Click “next” (2).
You should now see this next screen.

Nothing to do here but click "Choose Pictures" (3)





NOTE: If this is your first time on Shutterfly you will be asked at some point to load a small software packet to upload your pictures.


At this point a pop up window which allows you to navigate around your comuter for files should be showing. Use this window to find your photos. The final window should look like this, if so, select "All" (4). All photos should now have a black check mark in the lower left of corner the thumbnail image.

Now click "Add selected pictures"(5)



You should now see an upload progress screen. There is nothing to do here but wait.





When your pictures are finished loading it will jump to this screen. Now click "View pictures" (6)



Here are a collection of thumbnail images of your photos. At anytime you can add or remove pictures to or from this album.

DO NOT CLICK "Continue" This takes you to the photo ordering area.

Click "Shutterfly Store"(7).

This is the final page in this area, we will now create a photobook.

PhotoBook (Create an Account)

While we will be using Shutterfly in this example, there are many companies that produce PhotoBooks.

Apple
Kodak Gallery
WalMart
Ritz
Mpix

SnapFish
and many others……

One company I would like to point out is MyPublisher. They offer two benefits that I think are important to educators. (1) Their system requires you to download a small (free) program that allows you to create your book offline. This has some advantage if you have problems connecting to the internet from your classroom. However, in the end, you will still need an internet connection to upload and publish your book. (2) MyPublisher has a template called “Story Book” that allows greater control of text for publishing our type of book.

At this point please click the Shutterfly link and register. The account you are creating is free (there are no charges until you order your book).