I believe the slideshow module could be improved. In my opinion, MP4 videos or PDF files alone aren't sufficient for creating great slideshows. Instead, I propose that Adobe creates a new companion app, which I'll refer to as "PhotoPlay," that works seamlessly on all Adobe-supported platforms and allows users to play their slideshows. Lightroom's slideshow module should export a curated playlist file that includes all the settings for slideshow playback with PhotoPlay.
The slideshow module should include sections for:
- Background
- Image display and effects
- Transition effects
- Text display
- Background music
To ensure a seamless experience, the slideshow images should be sourced directly from the user's Lightroom Classic library. A great way to accomplish this would be through the use of collections or smart collections. By utilizing collections, users can easily select and organize their preferred images, while smart collections offer the added benefit of automatically updating the collection based on specific criteria. With this in mind, users should be able to easily choose which collections (including smart collections) will serve as the source of images for a slideshow script.
As an example, I like to use my outdated Google Nexus 7 tablet as a digital photo frame to display slideshows. Since my tablet is mounted in a portrait orientation, I can utilize a smart collection that filters for images in the same portrait orientation. Similarly, if I have another outdated tablet like my Google Nexus 11 mounted in landscape orientation, I can set up another smart collection that filters for landscape-oriented images. This way, the slideshow will always display perfectly on any device, regardless of its orientation.
Smart collections offer another powerful advantage for slideshows: the ability to filter and select specific photos based on criteria like rating and date. For instance, imagine you want to create a slideshow of your favorite photos from a recent vacation to the Boundary Waters. You could set up a smart collection that includes only photos from that trip with a rating of three stars or higher. You could even give this collection a specific name, like "Best of the Boundary Waters 2022", making it easy to reuse for future slideshows.
Apart from sourcing photos from the user's Lightroom library collections, the slideshow module could also allow users to give preference to certain photos when generating a random photo playlist. For instance, users could set a higher weight for recent photos, or during the holidays, give a higher preference to photos captured during the month of December. While the playlist would still choose photos from the selected collections, those from December would play more frequently, thereby adding a personal touch to the slideshow experience.
Ideally, I would like the ability to use multiple (smart) collections as sources of images for slideshows, potentially resulting in a photo playlist consisting of thousands of photos.
At present, I am achieving some of what I have described by using a combination of Google Photos and several apps.
I use a Chrome plugin called 'Photo Screen Saver' on my Windows 11 laptop that doubles as both a slideshow program and a screensaver. The plugin can be found at https://opus1269.github.io/screensaver/index.html. Regrettably, it is no longer supported because the author has passed away and is unable to grant access to Google Photo albums for updates.
I use an Android app called Fotoo on my Google Nexus 7 and Nexus 11 tablets, which can also be installed on my large TV connected to an NVIDIA Shield running Android TV. The app doubles up as both a slideshow player and a screensaver. You can download it from the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bo.fotoo&hl=en_US&gl=US.
Both Photo Screen Saver and Fotoo work with my Google Photo albums. I don't believe there are any limits to the number of albums I can specify as sources but I think they limit the number of photos per album to 1,000.
Once I'm done editing my RAW photos in Lightroom CC, I export high-quality JPEG files to a designated folder on my local drive. From there, I upload the JPEGs to Google Photos albums using the storage-saving option, which converts the images from their original size of 45 MP (8192 x 5464 pixels) to a more manageable, yet still sufficient for slideshow purposes, 16 MP (4897 x 3266 pixels).
Rather than depending on Google Photos albums, I believe it would be beneficial for Adobe to provide an alternative cloud storage option for the new Lightroom compatible PhotoPlay app. Google charges $30/year for 200 GB of cloud storage, but Adobe could potentially offer a comparable plan that includes 200 GB for $150/year. Currently, I am only using 12.5 GB of storage for my photos uploaded to Google Photos, so it's possible that the 20 GB of cloud storage included in my Adobe photography plan could suffice. However, if the new app is going to be heavily reliant on cloud storage for slideshow functionality, then it may be necessary to consider upgrading to a higher storage plan.
If needed, I can provide more details for the features within each section of the slideshow module.
In conclusion, I hope my suggestion will be taken into consideration. I believe the PhotoPlay app could enhance the Lightroom Classic experience and provide a better way for users to create and share their slideshows. Thank you for your attention.
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