Sage Travel Slideshow Advice

Tooling around on One True Media, I was reminded about the many great tools out there for creating slideshows. But we novices who think every photo and subject we capture captivate everyone as much as they do us can get carried away. To that end, here is some great advice from Brave New Traveler via Lifehacker on how to create a memorable, not yawn-inducing, travel slideslow.

Ian MacKenzie, editor of Brave New Traveler, says his "Ultimate Guide to Memorable Travel Slideshows" is for "the vast majority of amateur photographers that are capable with a camera, possess basic video editing software, and lack the storytelling skills to bring it all together in a killer presentation."

It's really well done, with lots of to-the-point, useful advice. So give it a full read. But here are a few of my favorite tips.

• Know your audience. Include shots from your trip in the show that you think will interest the viewers you have in mind. Family or friends? You can always make more than one slideshow.

• Tell a story. Don't place your photos in any random order. Let the images tell the story of your trip. Remember, telling a story doesn't mean showing every single photo from your trip. As MacKenzie writes: "Your job, as editor, is to convey the 'emotion' of the trip, rather than a comprehensive play-by-play. Nobody wants to see endless photographs of absolutely everything you saw/ate/did." Sage advice.

• Mix in movie clips. Short bits of action can add a lot to a mostly still slideshow. MacKenzie adds that appropriate transitions—choosing when to fade out, cut quickly, or zoom in on an image can help create the right mood (and the wrong mood if transitions are oddly paired with photos.)

• Choose a soundtrack that connects with the images—preferably not including your own voice. MacKenzie warns travelers to avoid the temptation of narrating the slideshow as your audience is watching it for the first time. Let your story pull them into the trip you want to share with them. Talk afterward.

• Finally, keep it short. Leave them wanting more.

Now I just need to go on a wonderful trip to photograph so I can put such great advice to work.