If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a slide projector must be worth quite a bit more. Many lecturers and public speakers have long since discovered the value of enhancing their words with images from a slide projector. Even simple images can add greatly to a verbal presentation, but today, thanks to the digital image and simple-to-use scanners, it is very easy to add many images to a public speech by the way of a slide projector.
Instructions
1. Arrange your slides in a carousel in order of appearance. Place each slide upside down with the emulsion side toward the screen. Choose your images carefully, so as not to have a presentation with images that will be of the utmost interest to the audience.
2. Cull through your slides and find the pictures that will be interesting to the viewers. Weed out the poor pictures. One of the keys to giving a good public presentation is to take as much time and care with selecting your pictures as you would when you choose the words to your speech.
3. Set up the slide projector and screen in the place where the presentation will occur, so that you can do a test run. Turn the machine on and make sure the projector lamp is working. Then be certain that the screen is properly placed and that the images are the right size on the screen.
4. Check the focus. Most newer projectors are automatic focus, but you might have a projector with a manual focus or some combination of the two. A state-of-the-art slide projector also will have a zoom lens, so you can simply adjust that to get the correct proportion of image to screen. If the projector does not have a zoom lens, then it may be advantageous to set the machine on a cart with wheels, so you can change the location of the projector until you have the image where you would like it on the projected surface.
5. Test the remote control for the projector. This allows you, the speaker, to stand in front of the audience and advance the pictures by the push of a button. Usually the remote control is connected to the projector by a small wire, and it has a button for both forward and reverse.
6. Run through the presentation so that you are familiar with all the features of the slide projector and also so you get a feel as to how the presentation will look. Decide on different variables, such as if you want to dissolve from one picture to another, or the size of the overall image on the screen.
Digital Slide Projectors
7. Convert all images to digital form. With the advent of digital imaging and scanners, it is now much easier to convert pictures to a form that can be projected. This includes images that can be taken with a digital camera plus everyday graphics or magazine articles, which can be converted quickly and cleanly to a projected image with equal ease. The challenge here is to limit your visual imagery to where each picture carries maximum impact.
8. Save your digital images in the correct file format. Most digital slide projectors use a limited amount of file types, such as JPG GIF files, so make sure your picture is in this format. This can be done in a very simple software program, such as "Photoshop Elements". Save your images at a resolution around 200 pixels per inch. This will give you a much better quality picture and prevent "pixellation" of your pictures.
9. Organize and label your files so that they are shown in the correct order. A computerized projector will show everything in alphabetical order. So to keep the slides organized properly, every file name needs a numerical or alphabetical prefix. For example, if your first picture is entitled "Zion National Park," add a prefix such as "1-Zion National Park" or "a-Zion National Park," so that it will be shown first. In this manner, the computer will read the first letter or number and show the image, according to how the numbers and letters are arranged.
10. Make sure you have a good screen that is in working order, and find a location for the projector. The zoom lens on the projector should make this task easier, and don't forget to try out the remote control apparatus beforehand, so that you can stand in front of the audience when you talk.
11. Do a trial run so that you are certain everything runs smoothly. There are a lot more variables with digital projectors, so you will have to take some time and explore the different ways you can dissolve or change images, but the basics of a good presentation have not changed. A moderate amount of well-planned images works best, no matter what kind of projector you use.
Tags: slide projector, National Park, remote control, that will, zoom lens