A couple of years ago, when the word “multimedia” was so new it didn’t scare me, I took part of a shoot I had done in Amish country for a guidebook assignment about Philadelphia, and made my first “multimedia slideshow.” Of course, I didn’t have any ambient sound, I just took some JPEGs, ran them through a sepia toning action (mmmmnn, so artsy!), licensed a music track and then extemporized some voiceover into the Mac’s mic. I had that show up on my website for, er, years.
Well, I was home again this year during the sale season (March) and so I took my Olympus LS-10 digital recorder and my cameras and went out to get some ambient sound and an interview or two. I barely shot a frame….gathering sound and shooting are two full time undertakings and I haven’t learned how to do both (well) at once. But the new show is definitely an improvement (although I still had to do some voiceover….and as they say, you can take the boy out of Jersey, but….).
Rather than embed it into the blog, where it would have to be small, check it out over on the site, where I can run it larger.
arun
30 May 2009hey Bob
Great presentation. I just missed a Mud Sale during our last visit to lancaster. Got to catch it the next time !!!
Jim
30 May 2009I used to be able to observe the Amish People from my 18 wheeler many times in PA, OH, IN, and south Central TN. I love the simplicity, there love of life,there togetherness. I even witnessed a barn raising in OH, and marveled at there skill in handling there buggies. Great Folks. Thanks for the presentation.
Jack Kurtz
31 May 2009Bob,
I love it. Your background in theatre shows — the VO is great. Wonderful ambient sound, great photos, it’s a winner.
Things in Arizona are okay. Still working. Trying to go to Burma later this year.
Thanks,
jack kurtz
Bob
31 May 2009Hi Jack: Great to hear from you. I’m thinking of Burma again myself later this year, with my sons. Might be harder for guys with big cameras these days. Glad to hear you’re still on the job shooting. Come out East much? cheers, Bob
Dave Hutchinson
31 May 2009A wonderful slide show Bob. What program are you using to build it?
Bob
31 May 2009Dave: It’s Soundslides Plus (www.soundslides.com). Very, very user friendly.
Bob
Dave Hutchinson
1 Jun 2009Many thanks Bob. I have got to check it out. Many thanks for the info!
Arun Paul
1 Jun 2009Quick question. Is there any particular reason you prefer using Sound Slide over say FCP to make a Quicktime video? Thanks.
PS – this post of yours just gave me the needed boost to project my work in a storytelling format that you have done so well.
Bob
1 Jun 2009Arun: I use Soundslides Plus because it is sooo much easier to master and understand than FCP or even FCE! For someone like you, who has mastered FCP, that would be your first (and final) choice for this kind of work. Soundslides Plus’s genius is that it is so simple, anybody can learn to use it.
The big weakness is that you can’t integrate stills and video in SSP, and your export options are also limited compared to FCP or FCE.
My next step is to try to get a handle on iMovie 09 (or is the latest 08). I have to take my software competence in baby steps, since it is all so confusing!
BK
arun
2 Jun 2009thanks Bob
Chris
8 Jul 2009Excellent work, I’m impressed with both this and the Chicago Blues reports. Out of curiosity, what audio equipment did you use in addition to the LS-10? Did you do the interviews with the help of an extra mic, or just use the built-in ones? Did you use extra sound edition software, or was it possible to do a multitrack mix like this in Soundslides?
I found your site by looking for multimedia slideshows because I’m looking myself to get an LS-10, in combination with Audacity, and now probably SSP.
Great work!
Bob
9 Jul 2009Chris: I use a small shotgun, a Sennheiser MKE-400 if I can’t get close enough with the LS-10 and the built in mics. Audacity is great for mixing the soundtrack, but I find it to be confusing and a bit counterintuitive, so I use Garageband. It does almost everything that Audacity does, but it’s more user friendly IMHO. Soundslides Plus at this point does not have the ability to do multiple soundtracks, so you have to do all your mixing in another program and import a finished track into Soundslides. Fotomagico and Photo to Movie are two other very sophisticated slideshow programs. Good luck!
Chris
9 Jul 2009Thanks for your prompt reply, Bob. I also just realized that you’re the same Bob that’s also been on my amazon wishlist for a bit with Spirit of Place! Greetings from Chicago, from real close to Buddy Guy’s! Isn’t the world a small place.