margoann55

I am going to make a birthday video for my friend. She wants me to make a video of her still photos so she can show them at a gathering. I may even add a video or two.

Which program do you suggest that is user friendly and has an easy learning curve?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Most don't ever seem to say that their first video feels friendly and easy!

If you have a windows computer, the current and included offering from Microsoft is called ClipChamp. You can still get what they call the "legacy Photos" app with video capability built in.

If you have a Apple computer, the current and included offering is called iMovie.

CapCut is currently popular and the free version is very good. It comes from the TikTok people. I think there are versions for everything from phones up.

Another free app is Davinci Resolve. It is loved by all that choose to become videographers. The features are so numerous that it will appear to have a steep learning curve. But, sticking to a basic video creation workflow makes it easy enough.

I think the single app that tries to be the easiest of all is called Premiere Elements. Its from Adobe and, for this app, they make every effort to target the home and family movie maker. It is $100.

If you know and already have Lightroom classic it is relatively easy to use the Slideshow module to make composite videos that combine stills with video.

Explain more about what gear you have, the software you have, the source of the photos and your intentions and you'll get more precise advice.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Movavi, cheap, easy to use.
Luxea

Free:

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

As a Mac user, I'd use iMovie. I've made many slide shows over the last two decades using iMovie or Final Cut Pro. But if you just want a simple, silent show to run in the background on a timer, Apple Photos and Lemkesoft's Graphic Converter are good choices.

Bear in mind that video is almost never very simple. If you want pans and zooms, titles, music, special effects, etc., it can get out of hand very quickly.

MJPerini

@Burkphoto has this one correct.
I would simply add that on a Mac , PHOTOS does a very good job for SIMPLE slide shows that include video clips.
But if you want to vary timing, add music, adjust the length of video clips, you will need iMovie

margoann55

Thank you for responding. I have Windows 11. I have looked at both Clipchamp and Cap Cut, but haven't tried out either. I did download cap cut, but it seems it will take some time to learn the ins and outs. I am current using Lightroom classic. Not sure if that will do everything I need it to do.

margoann55

Unfortunately, I am a windows kinda gal.

margoann55

Thanks for your tips. However, I am a windows kinda gal. I won't need the finished product until June, so hopefully that will give me time enough to figure out something that I can work with.

margoann55

I was look at that software, but haven't downloaded as yet. Wanted to get more feedback on what people felt was good, cheap and easy. Thanks for your input.

margoann55

I have a Dell compute and I use windows. I am using LR classic, but want something that would be easy to learn and impressive to the client I am making the video for. (Yuk! ending a sentence with a preposition). I definitely want something a little more the LR classic offers. Someone else told me about Clipchamp, and I downloaded the software, but have been a little intimidated. I have until June to figure it out.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

If you are using Lightroom Classic and comfortable with it, stick with the Slideshow module. Not well known, but it does video! You can watch Adobe's Terry White explain it. Unless you really want to learn complex video editing, do it the way Terry explains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etkk5VnUeYY

The short version is that you can make basic adjustments to your video clips in the Library module. That includes minor color correction and trimming the length of clips.

Then you make a collection of your trimmed clips and stills. With that collection, you got to the slideshow module.

margoann55

Thank you. I like Terry White. He is easy to follow and gives good instruction

AviRoad Loc: Westchester County, NY

While not always "enough", if you use a Mac, iMovie is already on your computer and it would serve the purposes you mention well. One thing to know if you've not done this yet is that you can just drag a "photo" (jpg, png, etc.) in, and then once in, "stretch" it to use just to make frames just like it were a video in the first place.

warrenm

For a milestone birthday last year I did a four minute video using clip champ. Did a selfie intro followed by pix of me and the family over the years with captions. Downloaded some appropriate music which I think is as important as the pix. Got rave reviews from the party guests. I’m 90 and if I can do it, anyone can. Truth is that I really enjoyed the project. Wishing you good luck.

margoann55

Thank you so much for the information. I am looking into that software and Movavi. 90? You give me something to look forward to.