Photo Slide Show and Memory Montage Services from DJ Bri Swatek
A number of my brides and grooms at DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style decide that as part of their wedding day, they want to share a Photo Slideshow or “Memory Montage” with their friends and family. At www.djbriswatek.com, I describe the service as follows:
Memory Montage / Photo Slideshow Service
Share your memories with your friends and family at your event! Choose pictures and songs to look back on special people and moments through the years. Or, supply DJ Bri with your own custom-made photo slideshow if you prefer. DJ Bri will provide the projector and screen to display your Memory Montage during dinner at your event for all your guests to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
After deciding on a package that suits their wedding, my brides and grooms (as well as any parents, siblings, or friends who are involved in the planning process) usually have a few questions about their Memory Montage. The most common questions are When, How, and What?
The first two questions have fairly quick and easy answers. The third one requires a more detailed explanation.
When Do We Show It?
Typically the best spots for a Memory Montage or Photo Slideshow during a wedding reception are during dinner (after the main course is served) or after cake cutting (following the service of dessert and coffee). Your guests are seated already, and they now get to share your memories during this point in the wedding.
How Do You Show It?
At Spinning with Style, I use a projector and screen to present your Memory Montage or Photo Slideshow to your guests. For those on the technical side of things, I use an 80 inch 4:3 widescreen and a 2000 lumen projector. What does this mean? Your guests will enjoy a large, widescreen experience of your photos over the years that will be bright enough and big enough to be seen throughout your reception venue room. The photos are set to the songs you choose, directly synced to the Memory Montage, and played at the appropriate volume.
Occasionally, I am asked why I don’t use an LCD monitor instead, since the projector and screen I use create a similar size and quality of image to a large screen TV. The main reason is that the projector and screen don’t need to be set up until just prior to the Memory Montage, and can be immediately removed and stored after the slideshow is done. An LCD monitor takes much more time to set up and typically remains there throughout the wedding, even when it is not in use. The end result is less of a focus on the DJ booth throughout the wedding, and more focus on the other visual aspects of your wedding that matter the most!
What Do We Need to Give to You?
I provide all of my brides and grooms at DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style with a Memory Montage Planner as a guide through the process of planning the photos, songs, and text to share with their family and friends on their wedding day. The Memory Montage Planner provides information about how many photos and songs to choose, as well as the best way to order these memories from beginning to end.
Some brides and grooms choose to hire me to create their entire Memory Montage, while others choose to do part or all of the scanning and arranging themselves. In the second case, to ensure the best results for the Memory Montage or Photo Slideshow, here are a few suggested guidelines to follow when scanning the photos.
Guidelines for Scanning Your Memory Montage Photos
Prior to Scanning
The Scanner Glass: Make sure your scanner’s glass is clean and free of dust and / or dirt. You may need to re-clean the glass occasionally throughout the scanning process, as older photos collect dust and dirt. Use a soft cloth and the manufacturer’s recommended glass-cleaner only.
The Photos: Your photos may also need to be cleaned or prepared for scanning. Never apply any cleaning solutions or liquids to your photos, as that may damage them. Rather, use a soft, dry, low-dust cloth to gently wipe any dust or dirt off of your photos prior to scanning.
Order: Place your photos in the order that they will appear during the actual Memory Montage, from first to last.
Orientation: Place your photo on the scanner glass in the orientation in which it will be used, either vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape).
Scanner Software Settings
Size: For 3.5 x 5″ or 4 x 6″ photos (or larger), set your scanning software to at least 100% of the original photo’s size. For wallet-sized or older photos that are especially small, set the output size to 200% of the original photo’s size. Do not make the scanned image any smaller than the original photo’s size during the scanning process.
DPI: Set your scanning software to at least 200 dpi (dots per inch) for the best resolution.
JPEG: Set your scanning software to save files in the “.jpg” or “.jpeg” format.
(If you follow these guidelines, your scanned images should be around 1 mb or larger when saved. If your file sizes are much smaller than 500 kb, consider raising the output size or DPI.)
During or After Scanning
Filters: If your scanning software offers the option of a dust and / or scratch filter to enhance your photos, please turn it on and use it.
Tools: Your scanning software may offer tools such as red-eye removal, automatic correction of color, brightness, and / or contrast, and the ability to crop your photos. Use any of these tools as well if they enhance your photo.
Saving and Sending Your Scanned Photos
Saving: After you have the scanned image of your photo, save it with a file name that corresponds to the list you are creating on your Memory Montage Planner. Consider using a numbering system for the file names to keep them in the correct order.
Sending: If DJ Bri is creating your Memory Montage, burn your scanned image files to a data CD or save them to a jump drive to send (along with your planner) through the mail.
Memory Montage / Photo Slideshow
If DJ Bri is creating your Memory Montage, you will receive a proof on DVD about 2 weeks prior to your event.
If you are creating your own Memory Montage or Photo Slideshow, please send it to DJ Bri on a ready-to-play DVD at least 2 weeks prior to the event to ensure playability and/or compatibility.
Final Thoughts
A Memory Montage or Photo Slideshow is just one of the many ways you can customize your wedding to share your unique style with your friends and family on your wedding day. For more ideas, visit this blog at djbriswatek.wordpress.com or Spinning with Style at www.djbriswatek.com.
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DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
