How do you change the background color inthe preview monitor?

[Beatrice]

The preview monitor shows black. Not all my pictures fill the entire space.
Is there some way to change the background color? I wouldn't think you would
have to alter the pictures, just that background color.

 

[walter]

The preview monitor shows black.
Yes.

Not all my pictures fill the entire
space. Is there some way to change the background color? I wouldn't
think you would have to alter the pictures, just that background
color.

Pictures?

While it will produce rudimentary slideshows, WMM is geared more toward
creating/editing movies.

IF you're looking to create a "slideshow" from still pictures, may I suggest
PhotoStory3?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/PhotoStory/default.mspx

It's free, and is specifically designed for that task.

You can even add music and narration if you like, just like you can with
WMM.

 

[Beatrice]

Walter,

That would be fine if I had not already spent 8 hours getting this file
together. I really don't want to start from scratch again. In all my
searching it seems no one can say definitively if that background color can
be changed from black. I'm not the only one asking, but responders only send
the person to some other file or program, or instruct on how to change the
title color (which is not the issue). I have EVERYTHING the way I want it,
except for the black background. Can you, or anyone out there, help?

Thanks

 

[John Inzer]

The preview monitor shows black. Not all my pictures fill the entire
space. Is there some way to change the background color? I wouldn't
think you would have to alter the pictures, just that background
color.

================================
This has been asked many times but I
cannot recall seeing a solution posted.

Walter's suggestion of PhotoStory 3 is a
good one...and it has a utility included that
allows you to crop the photos to fit the screen.

Might be worth your time to prepare the
pictures in advance (before importing).
Then there would not be any black bars.

Easiest way would be to crop the photos
that are in Portrait orientation to the same
size as the ones in Landscape orientation
before importing them.

Another method but more involved would
be to create blank frames of the correct size
in the color of your choice and add the
Portrait photos to them as a second layer...
(this requires advanced image editing
software...I use MS Digital Image Suite)

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Beatrice]

John,

Does PhotoStory 3 have a way to make the background a different color? Or is
that background black as well?

 

[walter]

Walter,

That would be fine if I had not already spent 8 hours getting this
file together.

I understand your frustration, but it is not my fault that you opted to use
a program not specifically suited to your task.

I really don't want to start from scratch again.

I really didn't want to pay my taxes a few days ago, but I had to. Oh well.

In
all my searching it seems no one can say definitively if that
background color can be changed from black.

To my knowledge, it cannot.

I'm not the only one
asking, but responders only send the person to some other file or
program, or instruct on how to change the title color (which is not
the issue). I have EVERYTHING the way I want it, except for the black
background. Can you, or anyone out there, help?

I did the best I could by suggesting PhotoStory3. I do not believe (though
I could be wrong) what you WANT to do is "doable".

 

[walter]

John,

Does PhotoStory 3 have a way to make the background a different
color? Or is that background black as well?

I'm not John, but... well.... yes and no.

If you select "Remove black border" from all the pics you add to your
"story", the pics will then take up the entire screen in the finished
product.

You can also add transisitons, music, narration etc. with PS3

 

[John Inzer]

John,

Does PhotoStory 3 have a way to make the background a different
color? Or is that background black as well?

============================
You cannot change the color of the
black bars but you can eliminate them
as I previously told you by cropping...
and PhotoStory has the utility for
cropping built in.

FWIW...PhotoStory has a photo limit
of 300 and even less if you use lots of
motion effects.

My previous suggestion of preparing
your photos before you import them into
Movie Maker might be your best option.

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Beatrice]

Alright, I'm slowly getting there. My next comments are what I think is
right-can you (Walter, John, whoever) please let me know if my thinking is
right?

What the programs require is a specific aspect ratio in order for the
pictures to "fit" within the space the program allocates for each picture. I
see from previous posts (other threads) that the preferred aspect ratio is
4:3, or 4 pixels (?) up with three across. Cropping will not alter the
picture size, but instead cuts it down to result in that program's preferred
size ratio. Using the square peg...round hole analogy, right now I'm trying
to fit a large rectangle into a smaller, slightly different shaped rectangle
hole.

Unfortunately, my pictures are scans from an assortment of hardcopies, and
are all different original sizes. A couple of them are very tall, a couple
very wide. So my ratios are more like 10-4 if really tall, or 4-10 if really
wide. If using Office Picture Manager is there any way to re-size them
correctly? The pixel options are in the hundreds and thousands-do I look for
an option that has as close to 4-3 (whatever fraction of the full size times
4 up, and 3 across) as possible? When I look at the specific aspect ratio
options in re-sizing the options are 3-4, 3-5, 4-6, 5-7, and 8-10, none are
4-3 (in portrait).

I've downloaded PS3, and been through the "remove black border" process,
which doesn't really remove the borders as much as it crops the pics. I'm
losing major portions of some of them, and it just looks terrible.

I'm one step closer to understanding, but not any closer to what I want. Why
can't the programs just let you change the background to something that
matches your pictures or theme better? (rhetorical question)

Thanks for your help-I really do appreciate it!

Beatrice

 

[PapaJohn]

I'm late to the party... your comment about blackness or not reminds me of
the big screen movies, which little screen movies tend to emulate. When the
lights go down, it's all blackness. When the movie starts playing at
whatever size or aspect ratio it is, the area around it is blackness. So
blackness is normal. It would be easy for digital video editors to let you
choose a different color, but that would appear abnormal. That's my theory.

I use IrfanView for picture cropping/resizing/manipulation. It has a batch
processing feature and an option to color the background anything you want.

 

[John Inzer]

Alright, I'm slowly getting there. My next comments are what I think
is right-can you (Walter, John, whoever) please let me know if my
thinking is right?

What the programs require is a specific aspect ratio in order for the
pictures to "fit" within the space the program allocates for each
picture. I see from previous posts (other threads) that the preferred
aspect ratio is 4:3, or 4 pixels (?) up with three across. Cropping
will not alter the picture size, but instead cuts it down to result
in that program's preferred size ratio. Using the square peg...round
hole analogy, right now I'm trying to fit a large rectangle into a
smaller, slightly different shaped rectangle hole.

Unfortunately, my pictures are scans from an assortment of
hardcopies, and are all different original sizes. A couple of them
are very tall, a couple very wide. So my ratios are more like 10-4 if
really tall, or 4-10 if really wide. If using Office Picture Manager
is there any way to re-size them correctly? The pixel options are in
the hundreds and thousands-do I look for an option that has as close
to 4-3 (whatever fraction of the full size times 4 up, and 3 across)
as possible? When I look at the specific aspect ratio options in
re-sizing the options are 3-4, 3-5, 4-6, 5-7, and 8-10, none are 4-3
(in portrait).

I've downloaded PS3, and been through the "remove black border"
process, which doesn't really remove the borders as much as it crops
the pics. I'm losing major portions of some of them, and it just
looks terrible.

I'm one step closer to understanding, but not any closer to what I
want. Why can't the programs just let you change the background to
something that matches your pictures or theme better? (rhetorical
question)

Thanks for your help-I really do appreciate it!

Beatrice

===============================
Do the black borders really bother you
that much? I doubt that your viewers will
even notice unless you point it out to them...
that's just the way a slide show looks.

Anyway.....

Yes, cropping removes portions of the
original photo. If this is unacceptable...
and if the black bars must be a different
color...you will have to prepare your photos
in an editing program before you import
them into Movie Maker.

Here's an example of what I am referring
to. This is a portrait orientation scan of an
old photograph on a 4:3 landscape orientation
background.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3463764517_bb8acd29aa.jpg

As for cropping...if you use a cropping
tool like the one in the freeware 'FastStone
Image Viewer' you can choose the aspect
ratio you require and not be bothered with
pixel dimensions.

Info on FastStone Image Viewer
===========================
To achieve a particular size without
distorting the image, you must "Crop"
a portion the size you need. Imagine
cutting out a particular size with scissors...

If you download the freeware FastStone
Image Viewer...and install it...you can
open your image in the program and go
to...Edit / Crop Board...

On the Crop Board screen, you will see
a button below the image with three dots
on it...if you click it you will see a menu
of sizes to choose from. If the size you
need is not present, you can add it. Then
click OK. Now you can left click/drag the
corners of the selection box to frame the
portion of the image you wish to keep.
And you can reposition the box by
dragging the 4 way arrow.

When you are happy with the selection ...
click the Crop button.

Now...File / save As...choose a save
location / enter a name / click...save.

FastStone Image Viewer
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Beatrice]

John, you ask..."Do the black borders really bother you
that much? "

For the movie, some of the people in the pictures are deceased, and I need
to add a black border to their individual pictures to reflect this. A black
border with a black background just looks like a smaller picture.

The picture you show me is exactly what I'd like.

Thanks

 

[Beatrice]

Thanks, PapaJohn. I'll try IrfanView today and see what I come up with.

I understand what you mean about the movies, though. But as I mentioned to
John-I'm trying to put black borders around images of certain people to
reflect that they have passed, and the border just does not show with a black
background.

At least I better understand WHY the pictures don't fit.

Thanks

 

[John Inzer]

John, you ask..."Do the black borders really bother you
that much? "

For the movie, some of the people in the pictures are deceased, and I
need to add a black border to their individual pictures to reflect
this. A black border with a black background just looks like a
smaller picture.

The picture you show me is exactly what I'd like.

Thanks

=====================================
Ok...now I understand why you need to
change the color of the color bars.

I created the sample I posted for you
with MS Digital Image Suite. Here's a
sample with the black frame added.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/3465683418_469f67cd2e.jpg

Even though Microsoft has discontinued
Digital Image Suite...there's still a 60 day
trial version available for download if you
would like to give it a try:

Microsoft Digital Image
Starter Edition 2006
http://tinyurl.com/28loxr
or...
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ED-A15F-48C5-B724-7796FE8C151E&displaylang=en

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[PapaJohn]

You could embed the pictures in colored rectangles the size of your movie
frame. Or you might add custom image overlays to superimpose what you want
over the blackness.

 

[Beatrice]

Thanks, John. I've downloaded it (although there were a number of errors and
missing files (??) when doing so), and it's working. It didn't say anything
about a trial version, though. I made a plain blue jpeg to use as a
background and am inserting each picture into it, then re-save. Does this
sound like what you did to get the blue in your picture? I had already added
the borders using Paint-simple but effective.

Beatrice

 

[John Inzer]

Thanks, John. I've downloaded it (although there were a number of
errors and missing files (??) when doing so), and it's working. It
didn't say anything about a trial version, though. I made a plain
blue jpeg to use as a background and am inserting each picture into
it, then re-save. Does this sound like what you did to get the blue
in your picture? I had already added the borders using Paint-simple
but effective.

Beatrice

====================================
It is a trial version and will de-feature in 60 days.

Sorry...I have no idea what the errors were....maybe
you installed from the net instead of downloading the
complete file to your hard drive first.

What I did for my background was to open a photo
of the correct size and aspect ratio and then go to...
Effects / Fill with texture or color / Choose a color /
Done. Now...as you suggested...use that canvas for
all of the projects by dragging that various photos
onto a new instance of it and saving under a new
name for each one.

To center a photo on the canvas...left click the photo
to select it and go to...Format / Resize object to fit
canvas / Scale to fit.

Now all you have to do is save that one and make
another....

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[John Inzer]

FWIW...if you decide to use an existing photo
as your background by filling it with color as
I suggested and if you want to save it for future
use...be sure to go to...File / Save As...and
give it a new name so you will not overwrite
your original photo.

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

================================