How to use iOS 10 Memories for Great Slideshow Videos

How do you make a great youth ministry slide show. Whether it is a week long camp or an evening event, slide shows are a great way for you and your group to remember the fun and relive the memories. Over the past 20 years there have been many methods used to create a great slide show. Before computers I remember developing pictures into slides for a slide projector, using a video camera to take video of photos. Once desktops, scanners and digital cameras came around I’ve used everything from powerpoint and windows movie maker to animoto.

With the invention of smart phones it has become even easier to capture and preserve moments. I’ve used animoto’s mobile app along with flipagram and others. Imovie has always been a solid, easy choice.

Since the release of iOS 10 however, there is a new, simple but awesome way to make a slide show. Photo Memories.

The iOS 10 app does many things like facial recognition, and expanded search. The memories slide show is perfect for making quick but great looking video or photo slide shows like this one.

Here’s how it works:

Capture your photos / videos-

I suggest you be intentional what what you capture. It will save you time as you are editing later on. Use your phone in landscape mode. If capturing video keep it to 5-10 second clips. That will give you enough content with the ability to edit some. Figure around 10 video clips or photos per 30 seconds of video. (Note: The album is kept in sequential order which you cannot change. Keep this in mind when taking your photos.)

Make an album-

Memories will automatically make some albums for you, but for your purpose you will want to create an album. Select “Albums” and “All Photos” then hit select and choose the photos you wish to include. Click “add to” and then “New album.” Name your album and you are good to go. (Name your album what you would like your slide show name to be.)
Create the Show – 

In “albums” select the album you wish to use. Then click the right arrow at the top of the album above the photos. This will pull up a screen with a slide show playing at the top and a gallery of the photos underneath. The slide show will have a “play” button (triangle) in the bottom right corner that you will need to press.
Preview – 

Once you press this you will get a slide show created by the iphone. It includes a free music track and your photos or videos set to music. It might be all you need however there is more.

Basic Edit-

Now is where it can get a little more fun. While the show is playing, or when it ends, click on your screen and under the slide show will appear some bars with different info. The first says things like “Gentle, Chill, Happy, Uplifting” Press this and the entire theme of your video will change. The background music, font, even timing will adjust to the new theme. Below that you can choose your length between short, medium or long. Finally under that is a timeline of your photos that will scroll as your show plays.

Finish and Preview-

When you are done click back. Then hit play at the bottom to preview your video. Edit again as needed. Finally when you are complete click “Done” in the top right.

Save and Upload-

To save your video click the box with the up arrow in the bottom left then choose how you would like to save your video. You can save to your camera roll or, depending on what apps you have installed, you can send it to youtube, vimeo, facebook or even import to imovie for further editing. 

Personally this is my new “go to” app for making videos. And these are the basics. Want to customize your shows even more? Check out the next post “iOS 10 memory slide shows part 2”