Cretique my first slideshow, please...

[Henry111]

Considering my limited knowledge of PSG--so much more to learn--I have probably carried this first slideshow as far as I can.
It would not have gotten this far had it not been for the wonderful help I received from the good folks on this site.
This was orginally a video assignment from the Long Beach Sailing Club in Long Beach, CA. (June 27, 2009)
While on the video assignment I shot some stills having no idea at the time that I was going to attempt a slideshow. I did not even own PSG at the time. Otherwise would have shot more and a greater variety of angles. So I had to made do with what I had. The long shots were snapped off handholding a 300mm lens--never a good idea, but as I said I didn't know.
Excusses, excusses...
Your criticisms--good, bad, or indifferent--will be sincerely appreciated. One favour please: If you tell that I should have done something else, please take a moment and tell me how to do that "something else."
It has 56 slides and runs 7minutes and 12 seconds.
Here's the link at photodex:

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... 7674&alb=0

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

Henry,
I watched your show. In reality it was pretty good. However, there are some things that kept re-occurring throughout the show. I have listed some of them below. I did not call them out on every slide. I will leave that up to you to apply where appropriate. The one thing that I would like to offer is that you pay a bit more attention to the misspelled words. I would recommend that you put your captions into a spell checker. While this would not capture all of the misspelled words, it would have caught most. If you do not have one, then Google has one you can access for free. Keep ProShowing...

Regards,
-Vernon

My thoughts on your show.....

I would put "where else to view" the show at the end. In this way people can visit at their leisure.

2. I would break the long captions into shorter ones. Each paragraph being a little larger and each projected over multiple slides added to the time line.

In your first sequence, I would do something like put a shot of the ship taking one half of the screen and the caption on the right half. Then use 3 slides to show the entire cpations.

3. I am not sure what Pravado is, but Bravado I understand. Spelling?

4.The shot of the child and the caption. I would zoom the slide of the child, but not so large as to interfere with the caption area. Hard to read the caption with part of it in black and part of it overlapping the picture. Just move the picture a little more left and use a smidge less zoom.

5. Picture of the boy with the caption underneath. You had been using captions to the left. I would probably stay with it. Also, the caption is being overlapped by the picture. Leave some white space so as not to appear so crowded.

6. Slides of the boy and father also of the Pirate. It is ok to have the picture come on the screen and not be in constant motion. In this case I think it would add strength and also allow people to read the captions.

7. Fort Pirates/Raising Jolly Roger. The text flies in from off screen making it hard to read. If you do this then consider a movement from Right to Left instead of what you have from Left to right. Makes it easier to read. I would recommend just putting the caption in place. No fly in.

8. Pirate Garret slide. I would change the volume so that the canon blast does not cause the volume to dip. In Slide/Slide Options/Sounds/Sound Effets - Set the "override soundtrack during this slide" to (100%). I would also adjust the fade in/out to make the sound a little less abrupt. Maybe 0.3 seconds.

9. Use the "Copy Start To End" to prevent your pictures from jumping at the end of the zoom. For example, order to sink the Dirigio and the cute lady pirate.


10 Spelling, Spelling, Spelling. Remember, this is representing you to your clients. eg. wreaking havoc, Honchos,

[debngar Profile Private message]

Pretty good for your first show. You told a good story and that certainly helped. Nice pics!

Most newbies use too much zooming (I did this too) and in this show, some of it could have been tamed. Since most of the time the viewer must read text, having the images moving was a distraction. IMO I'd think about limiting the image movement a little but still allow some keeping in mind to use the movement with a purpose, not just to move things around because you can.

There were some misspelled words - "monitor" (first slide) and the word "Children" was capitalized where it didn't need to be and instead of the word "pravado" I think you probably meant to use the word "bravado".

The biggest improvement you could make would be to simply choose one font and color for your storyline and stick with that for continuity. There was a slide with a black caption against a black background which made it illegible until the text appeared over the image moving into place. Using the drop shadow and/or outline if necessary will make it pop and stand out from similar toned backgrounds. So white on light color usually still shows up.

You did a nice job with the story. If there was a way simplify and do it with less words I think it would be even more enjoyable since that was more of a task and I'd like to have had more time to enjoy your images instead of spending most of the time reading.

You can vary the sound effects by cutting them short, editing them either on the beginning or end with the editor in ProShow. Experiment with fading in and out and offsets can give you more control when the sound is played.

I liked your choice of Bolero. It has a great mystique to it that went well with the show and story.

Just my 2 cents. Others may vary in opinion.

[Henry111]

Vernon, thank you so much.
All of your comments are well taken and I will certainly make some changes.
I did not know that I could control the sound on a single single slide. I''ll try that.
Also, the start/stop funtion: I'll work on that.
Spelling: Vernon, would you believe that over a period of some 16 years, that I was the editor of some good sized slick natioal magazines? Four Wheeler Magazine, Dog Fancy, Plane and Pilot, Science and Mechanics, Underwater News and others. Also, owner and publisher of Nevada Business Journal and Trade-A-Horse. And have sold over 100 articles to national magazines?
How did I do that?
Maybe it was because I had some good English majors working on my stuff. On the other hand, that was all some years ago, and maybe I'm just getting old. Even now, as I check back through this post I've had to correct some spelling and still may not have caught them all.
Thinks again for calling it to my attention. I will exercise more care.

[Henry111]

Thanks debngar. Very helpful thoughts.

[Rosemary Profile Private message]

Hi Henry 111

I am not proficient enough using ProShow to critique your show. It takes a lot of courage to post that first show but I found that the helpful feedback I received makes all the difference in what to me, was/is a very steep learning curve. That being said I enjoyed the show - the music was so appropriate and the pictures are just great. You told the story in a very exciting manner and one could feel the rivalry and as for those naughty wenches......

Thanks for sharing,

Rosemary

[Henry111]

Thank you for the nice words, Rosemary.
Courage? Yeah! Sure!
But it is well worth it. That's why I posted it. The advice I have received is priceless.

[Snorococo Profile Private message]

Hello Henry 111

First for Vernon ... and for all of you ... sorry for my poor english ... I'm french canadian !
I'm also new with PSG. I also posted my first show today. And like me I'm sure you had fun «playing» with this! That's the most important. Family and friends are a good public. Usualy they know the story, the people and most of all they know you and are amazed with this magic thing we did !
Now, posting it on this web site is another thing !!! But essential for progressing. At this point I won't critisize your show. If you did not I suggest that you buy the «Visual quickstart guide Photodex ProShow» by Jon Canfield. It's not expensive and I find it complete. For the rest ... Have fun !

Robert

[AMD Profile Private message]

Henry,

The show was so creative, and I was so entertained that I let your misspellings just add to the character of the show--rare for me since I am an old ex-teacher whom my students always accused of thriving on catching every typo, misspelled word, undotted i, and uncrossed t. I thought it was an absolutely darling show! I believe I got "lost" in the adventure of the show more than I have when viewing one in a long time. I liked the fact that it was quite different from most posted shows. Good job!

Ann

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

Before I get labelled the spelling police, I offered this up as I think it detracts from an otherwise great effort. If Henry is doing this professionally, as he has indicated that he might, then it is absolutely imperative that he nails it. Otherwise, he will have a lot of rework to do along with tarnishing his efforts with his clients. So...does it appear a bit harsh? Some might think so, but I think it was appropriate and given Henry's publishing background, I am sure he agrees also.

Regards,
-Vernon

[Henry111]

Vernon, you are absolutely right.
No problem here; I appreciate your spellin' policein'.
Problem is, I always edited for content and structure, rather than spelling.
A silly saying in the publishing business goes:
Journalism majors can write, but not spell.
English majors can spell but not write.
PHDs can't do either one.
And then there is the old story (too long to tell here) circulated among New York book editors as to how Edgar Rice Burroughs (the original Tarzan series) was an illiterate with an idea.
AMT, thank you for the nice words.
You say my slideshow is different from most. After looking at more of the others, I agree. However, that is not say that they are not beautiful; and most of them definitely more professionally done than mine. I still have so much to learn.
But my approach to slideshows is, and will always be, different from most. My idea of a slideshow is to tell a story, not to just display a series of pretty pictures. Although, as a photographer, I mostly certainly do enjoy looking at well done photographs.

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

Henry,
You have been very gracious in two posts now. As I pointed out initially, I thought your show as actually pretty good. The reason I thought so was exactly the reason you just mentioned. You told a story. A lot of the times this is missing. If it is a family get together, then sometimes there is no clear story. I guess you would have to revert to somethin like the Wonder Years and talk about family, fun, etc. Steve Grisetti, a member on another forum, really stresses the need to tell a story with your pictures. Great job.

[iknowwhereitis123 Profile Private message]

Ahoy! I'm so glad you posted, what a fun show! I agree with everything that was said. Yep, I couldn't see the pictures because I was to busy reading. Maybe do a slide with a pic and captions, then the same slide for a couple seconds, with no captions.

Vernon, You wernt harsh at all, exalent advise. Speeling arrors bother me to!

Although I never even noticed any.
Sue

[Rosemary Profile Private message]

Hi Sue,
I absolutely love your sense of humour!! Spelling is not my forte either I agree that Vernon and Debbie gave excellent advise and I remember when I was so grateful to Vernon and subsequently Debbie for their advice on a show I posted. My goal now is to get so good with ProShow that Debbie and Vernon amongst others, will be asking my advice - well I can always dream

Rosemary

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]