Slideshow module Confused about terminology and workflow for simple slideshows

[Kirby Krieger]

Lightroom Version Number

13.4

Operating System

1. macOS 13 Ventura

Have never used slideshow much, but I have a need to create several now each with hundreds of images. These are simple – I don’t need transitions or backgrounds or overlays or sound, though I would like to use backgrounds and overlays if possible. I have saved my own templates. They work well.

I am befuddled, and slowed to the consistency of iced honey, by Lightroom’s insistence on re-creating what it calls “previews” for the slides every time I run or preview the slideshow.

What does “preview” mean in this context? It does not seem to mean the same thing that “preview” means in the Library module.

That Lightroom re-creates Slideshow-module previews each time I want to preview the slideshow leads to two workflow issues.

1. Must use mock-ups to create slideshow templates
I need to make test slideshows with a handful of images in order to develop a slideshow. I save these as templates in order not to lose the settings, then apply the template to a full grouping of images. The workflow of making mock slideshows in order to develop them, and then saving those settings to use to make a slideshow using the images I want to use seems inane – or at least has been superseded by more efficient workflows across all computer use I know of. It also makes me question with the selection of quality is used for.

2. Saved slideshows are practically useless
Saved slideshows appear to be nothing more than a grouping of images (a Catalog equivalent) and a slideshow template. There is no actual slideshow saved – every time I play a saved slideshow, Lightroom re-creates all the Slideshow-module previews. I want to be able to play a saved slideshow with minimal delay. My workflow for having a playable slideshow at the ready is to export as video and import the video back into the catalog. If that is the only way to have playable slideshows at the ready, imho the saved slideshows are barely worth the vertical space they take up in the Collections Panel.

I assumed I was misusing or misunderstanding the software. But a review of the slideshow chapter in the Missing FAQ book, and a search of this forum, led me to conclude that I am not astray, and that my experience is not unique.

What is the best practice for having ready-to-play slideshows?

• 720p is high enough resolution for my needs.
• Some slideshows have 4000 images. All of them have at least a few hundred.
• I am willing to not have any transitions in order to save storage space.
• All the originals can be JPGs. All the originals are in one Catalog.

As I see it, the only impediment I’m encountering is Lightroom’s insistence on re-creating Slideshow Module previews every time a slideshow is viewed (even as a preview of the slideshow).

Thx.

 

[Gnits]

I assume you are creating templates to add text , opening /closing slides, titles, etc.

If you are running the slideshow on your Mac… export the slideshow as jpgs to a folder and use the basic slideshow feature from Finder to control the slideshow.

I presume it is creating a preview to merge the images and text elements for presentation purposes.

 

[Kirby Krieger]

“I presume it is creating a preview to merge the images and text elements for presentation purposes.”

Brilliant. Or at least shinier than me . Yes — three metadata and a graded background.

Thanks for the suggested workaround. Giving it a try now.

But the module workflow should flow with overlays and backgrounds, shouldn’t it?

 

[Gnits]

But the module workflow should flow with overlays and backgrounds, shouldn’t it?

Yes.... this is my standard test slideshow image / template. [I have a different template for camera club style slideshows which includes exposure metadata.

I do not know the internal workings of the slideshow module.... but I assume it builds an internal model so various navigation and other features work.

On Windows if I use the Alt button... the Export as PDF option changes to export as Jpg and you further have the option to specify the pixel dimensions.

I am not sure of the Mac equivalent.

Also... I image there are lots of apps which can be used to drive a pdf based presentation.... either Apple or maybe Acrobat reader app itself. This would allow you package your presentation as a pdf.

However... 4000 plus slides is a lot and actually saving as jpgs might (odd as it may appear) be the most efficient.

 

[clee01l]

Have never used slideshow much, but I have a need to create several now each with hundreds of images. These are simple – I don’t need transitions or backgrounds or overlays or sound, though I would like to use backgrounds and overlays if possible. I have saved my own templates. They work well.

I am befuddled, and slowed to the consistency of iced honey, by Lightroom’s insistence on re-creating what it calls “previews” for the slides every time I run or preview the slideshow.

What does “preview” mean in this context? It does not seem to mean the same thing that “preview” means in the Library module.

That Lightroom re-creates Slideshow-module previews each time I want to preview the slideshow leads to two workflow issues.

1. Must use mock-ups to create slideshow templates
I need to make test slideshows with a handful of images in order to develop a slideshow. I save these as templates in order not to lose the settings, then apply the template to a full grouping of images. The workflow of making mock slideshows in order to develop them, and then saving those settings to use to make a slideshow using the images I want to use seems inane – or at least has been superseded by more efficient workflows across all computer use I know of. It also makes me question with the selection of quality is used for.

2. Saved slideshows are practically useless
Saved slideshows appear to be nothing more than a grouping of images (a Catalog equivalent) and a slideshow template. There is no actual slideshow saved – every time I play a saved slideshow, Lightroom re-creates all the Slideshow-module previews. I want to be able to play a saved slideshow with minimal delay. My workflow for having a playable slideshow at the ready is to export as video and import the video back into the catalog. If that is the only way to have playable slideshows at the ready, imho the saved slideshows are barely worth the vertical space they take up in the Collections Panel.

I assumed I was misusing or misunderstanding the software. But a review of the slideshow chapter in the Missing FAQ book, and a search of this forum, led me to conclude that I am not astray, and that my experience is not unique.

What is the best practice for having ready-to-play slideshows?

• 720p is high enough resolution for my needs.
• Some slideshows have 4000 images. All of them have at least a few hundred.
• I am willing to not have any transitions in order to save storage space.
• All the originals can be JPGs. All the originals are in one Catalog.

As I see it, the only impediment I’m encountering is Lightroom’s insistence on re-creating Slideshow Module previews every time a slideshow is viewed (even as a preview of the slideshow).

Thx.

When I needed to generate a presentation, I found that the Lightroom slide module not really adequate for presentation work.

Lightroom does not store a finished product, it uses a preview of the needed size or creates one from the original and applies any edits to that. The slideshow module generates temporary JPEGs of the edited image in the required size . I think this is the “preview” that you mention. Since these temporary files are stored in working storage temporary folders, they are deleted every time working storage is cleared or the computer restarted to LrC is restarted.

I found I had better control over the finished presentation if I exported the images as JPEGs in permanent folders and used KeyNote (or PowerPoint) to create the presentation.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Gnits]

PowerPoint is my presentation tool of choice and default tool for corporate presentations.

For Camera Club type image presentations, the Lr Slide Show module is close to perfect…. as optionally, Titles, Capture Time, Exposure Details , etc can be professionally placed with absolute min of effort.

For slideshows to be used in a kiosk or commercial environment then I would probably convert the slide show to a video and run the video on a loop.

I think slideshows with circa 4000 images probably need a fairly individual approach, as I could see difficulties where the PowerPoint ( or PDf or Keynote) files become very large and difficult to manage.

If transitions and complex animation features are required then the Lr Slideshow would not be the tool of choice…. but it could be a good vehicle to generate the jpgs required to prepare a presentation with more Pro Level tools.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Some great answers here.

1. Must use mock-ups to create slideshow templates
I need to make test slideshows with a handful of images in order to develop a slideshow. I save these as templates in order not to lose the settings, then apply the template to a full grouping of images. The workflow of making mock slideshows in order to develop them, and then saving those settings to use to make a slideshow using the images I want to use seems inane – or at least has been superseded by more efficient workflows across all computer use I know of. It also makes me question with the selection of quality is used for.

There is a quicker option for that... just set the pop-up in the toolbar to Selected Photos while you're making the design, and only have a few photos selected. When you're ready to do the whole thing, change it to All Photos and away you go.

 

[Gnits]

I have a test folder with a few test images and work / refine templates with this small test folder active.

The reason is that I can ensure any metadata fields of interest have the respective image metadata populated. Also I can have a few images with crop ratios of interest.. so I can see the effect of crop sizes relative to selected screen format.

There is no one correct method. However , as Victoria has identified, if dealing with slide shows with 4000 then small efficiencies become vip.

The beauty of Lr Slideshow templates is that they can be applied to any folder, collection or filtered image set.