Working with photos can be dull for editors, as there’s no movement in any of the shots. There are several ways to include movement in still images, including the traditional Ken Burns or trendy Parallax effects. Photo Slideshows are incredibly helpful and allow you to show multiple images quickly, so we’ll show you how to create an incredible look in Final Cut Pro from scratch.
- Learn how to create Photo Slideshows from scratch in Final Cut Pro.
- Follow our step-by-step guide to producing spin-style photo slideshows.
- Discover Motion Arrays’ top slideshow templates, available to download today.
How to Create a Photo Slideshow in FCPX
Photo slideshows are a lot of fun to work with, and creating one from scratch gives you complete control over your project’s look, speed, and animation. Whether you’re making a fast slideshow opener or a full-length event photography showreel, this simple method creates stunning slideshows in under 10 minutes.
Step 1: Create your Background Sequence
The first step is to create a background for your photo slideshow. Depending on the look you want to create, you can use any graphic, image, or video as your background, but for this effect, we’re going to use the same photos as the backdrop.
- Add your photos to the Timeline in the order you want them displayed in your slideshow.
- In the Timeline, hit Command + A to select all your images.
- Hit Command + D, then click in the Timecode window.
- Type into the box the duration you want each image to remain on the screen. Use 12 frames for faster slideshows and up to 3 seconds for a longer display.
- Hold Option and drag up to duplicate all of your images.
- Press V on your keyboard to deactivate all duplicates so you can’t see them.
- Select the bottom row of clips and go to the Inspector.
- Find the Spatial Conform controls, and from the drop-down menu, select Fill.
- In the Effects Browser, search for Gaussian Blur and drag it to the first image in the Timeline.
- Adjust the Blur Amount in the Inspector until you’re happy with the look.
- Select the clip with the blur and hit Command + C.
- Highlight the other clips on the bottom row and hit Command + Shift + V to paste attributes.
- In the pop-up box, select the Gaussian Blur effect from the last and hit OK to paste the effect into the other clips.
Step 2: Create your animated Photo Stack
Now it’s time to create your photo stacking effect. We’re going to create a fast slideshow, but you can play around with the settings to create longer, slower animations or change the style of your overall look.
- Select the top layer of images and hit V on your keyboard to enable them.
- Select the first clip and, in the Inspector, change the Scale to fit the image within the screen.
- In the Effects Browser, search for Simple Border, add it to the first clip, and adjust the Inspector settings until you’re happy with the look.
- Next, search for the Drop Shadow effect and add it to the first photo.
- In the Inspector, adjust the Angle and Opacity of the Drop Shadow until you’re happy with the look.
- Select the clip and hit Command + C to copy it.
- Highlight the rest of the clips and hit Command + Shift + V to paste the attributes, ensuring you select only the Scale, Simple Border, and Drop Shadow Effect.
- Switch the Timeline view of your sequence to labels only.
- Grab the end of each photo and trim it to the end of the sequence.
- Go through each image and adjust the Rotation. Choose random values between -4 and 4 degrees.
- In the Transitions browser, find the Spin transition, drag it to the first clip, and trim it to around 5 frames.
- Copy the Transition to the start of each photo layer.
- Extend the last image and background so the slideshow stays on the screen at the end.
- Select all of the background images except for the first and last one, and hit Command + T on your keyboard to add a Cross Dissolve to the background images.
Top Tip: Try adding some camera shutter sound effects to your slideshow for an added flourish.
Top 4 Motion Array Final Cut Pro Slideshow Templates
Motion Array has a library of fantastic templates you can download with an easy, royalty-free license if you don’t have the time to create your own slideshow or want to produce something a bit more complex.
Travel Book Opener
The Travel Book Opener turns your photos into a stunning paperback photo album. The template includes 15 media and 10 title placeholders, with a customizable color backdrop and speed settings. It’s ideal for travel videos, event photography, and digital photo albums.
Beautiful Slides
Beautiful Slides is the ideal video template for capturing memories such as weddings, birthdays, or special events. The template includes 33 media placeholders and 21 editable text layers, which float gently across the screen, surrounded by light leaks and lens flare effects for a vintage feel.
Historical Horizons
Historical Horizons is a fantastic option for documentaries and timeline-based projects. The template includes an extensive range of slide designs with title placeholders, including full-screen images and picture-in-picture effects.
Slideshow Maker
The Slideshow Maker collection includes 37 modular elements, each featuring one media and one text placeholder. Each slide offers a different in-animation, including swipes, twists, and flips, allowing you to build your own style slideshow with as many images as you want.
Creating a photo slideshow isn’t particularly complicated, but how long it takes will depend on how many photos you want to include. Once you’ve got to grips with the basics, you can experiment with different effects and transitions to suit your composition. If you’re looking for more fun Final Cut Pro techniques, check out our guide to using Vignettes in your videos.
