Selecting Photographs

StoryWeaversPlanning your Story

Selecting photographs

Selecting the photos to appear in your presentation can be the fun part…..but also the most time consuming.  Before you begin flipping through old photos and getting caught up in memories, here are some guidelines for working with photos for a memorable presentation.

Be clear on the type of presentation you want to create as well as your audience.  Refer to our page on Planning Your Story for some guidelines on things to consider.

When selecting photos:

  • Choose images that will evoke an emotion or memory
  • Choose action shots
  • Choose close-ups rather than distance shots where possible
  • As television screens are wider than they are high, photographs in a “landscape” orientation will display well in the full-screen, while photos that are “portrait” in orientation are best viewed with borders or a frame.
  • Although Story Weavers can go some way towards restoring damaged images, there are some things that simply can’t be fixed.  Try to choose pictures that are well framed (no one has their head missing for example!) and have minimal damage from water, adhesives or tears. Learn more about the care and handling of photographs.
  • Remember the time limit you have set for your presentation.  Each photo is typically displayed for between 3 – 5 seconds.  If you’re running close to your time limit and have two photos that are similar, consider eliminating one of them.
  • Remember that your content does not have to be limited to photographs.  Any image that can be scanned can be included such as children’s drawings, wedding invitations or certificates.  See our page on Scanning for further ideas.
  • Once you have selected your photos you may choose to scan them yourself, or you can send us your originals and we can take care of this for you.