Many programs offer slideshow option for photos

By: Don Edrington - North County Times | Sunday, June 25, 2006 8:45 PM PDT ∞

Dorothy Sprague wrote to ask how to display photos on her PC as a slideshow. This can be done with many programs, including one that comes with WinXP. Open a folder containing photos, right-click any picture's filename, click Open With, and choose Windows Photo & Fax Viewer, whereupon the clicked photo will appear in the center of your screen.

Click the Monitor icon in the toolbar and a Play, Pause, Forward, Back, and Exit button will appear in your monitor's upper right corner. Also, clicking any picture will advance the display to the next slide, and pressing ESC will end the show.

Irfanview users need only launch the program and open any photo, whereupon clickable Left and Right toolbar arrows will appear, which provide a sequential display of the folder's pictures.

Picasa2 users can click on Tools>Options>Slideshow to begin a presentation, and can even choose MP3 music files to play along with it. For instructions in using other image-editing programs, click Help and type SLIDESHOW into the Find box.

WinXP users can also create a "screen saver slideshow" by right-clicking their Desktop, choosing Properties, and clicking Screen Saver. Click the down-arrow to find the My Pictures Slideshow option, along with various timing choices.

For making pictures available to remote viewers, there are many free "photo-sharing" services that invite us to post snapshots on their Web sites, which then make them accessible to anyone to whom you send a link. Some display thumbnails of each photo so you can pick and choose those you may wish to enlarge, copy and/or print, while others offer only a sequential view, meaning you are expected to click through an entire gallery to see if there is something you like. Not surprisingly, these services are free because of all the advertising that accompanies your pictures.

However, a new photo-sharing site by Google lets Gmail users post albums of photos with no advertising in view. The site includes Picasa2 software that lets users edit their photos, as well as display them.

To many digital camera users, the whole concept of image-editing can be a unique challenge which was never offered with traditional film photography. Programs are available that allow us to edit our photos in ways limited only by our imaginations. These programs, however, have tools that range from wonderfully simple to frustratingly complex. How can we learn to use them?

Well, North County residents can sign up for classes conducted by Al Roller at MiraCosta College. Space here doesn't allow for itemizing their schedules, but information is available at Classroom 3201 on the Oceanside campus, or by calling (760) 795-6820. Al is a longtime resident who specializes in teaching senior citizens.

For those who are disinclined to do their own photo-editing, but who might prefer having it done by a professional, my site lists helpful information. Also, links to the free programs Picassa2 and Irfanview are listed on www.pcdon.com, and calls are welcome at (949) 646-8615.