fixing photos in powerpoint - 02. media production · each other and with your presentation’s...

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The trouble with photos is that it is difficult (and expensive) to acquire images that meet your needs and do not look like a haphazard collection. For professional-looking presentations, you need images that are consistent with each other and with your presentation�s style. You also may need to adapt the image to the point you want to make. If you own (and know) image editing software like PhotoShop or PaintShop, you can manipulate the images to improve their uniformity or add special effects. However, you can use PowerPoint techniques, some simple and some more complicated, to help your photos fit your scheme:

� Size and crop to focus on the relevant part of the picture.� �Frame� the images using your color scheme. � Select picture shapes to reinforce themes or to improve uniformity.� Work with brightness, contrast and color to unify or de-emphasize

images.� Accent or highlight parts of an image with semitransparent shapes.� Use images as backgrounds for text or other objects.

You can use combinations of these techniques to create picture �styles� (or use and modify PowerPoint style �presets�).

Fixing Photos in PowerPoint

Note: This document (and others in this series) assumes that you know (or can figure out) the detailed clicks to accomplish these techniques. There are many books available to show you how to use your version of PowerPoint. The purpose of these documents is to indicate what is possible with PowerPoint and to inspire variations on these themes. If you want a PowerPoint version of this document so that you can see the details, email me.


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Cropping and Sizing In these examples, cropping has been used to select smaller groups or individuals from group pictures. You may want to do this simply because you need a picture of an single person or to make the image more dramatic.

The cropped images below focus on the executive or decision maker rather than the group.The smaller group emphasizes an intense discussion and is easier to �read� than the larger group.



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Cropping and Sizing This is a collection of images of various people using cell phones in various settings. The original images vary in size and composition. Since we don�t want to emphasize any specific venue or demographic, we need to make them more uniform.

To unify these images, we start by cropping them to have a common composition (a �head shot�) and a common shape (square).The crops retain a suggestion of the various venues where the cell phones are used.

Below, the pictures are set to the same size and further unified by a �frame� and a background.

Tip: Use precise numeric sizing rather than struggling with the picture handles.

Note that it�s important to have pictures of good quality at the final size.The outdoorsman picture in this set is of questionable quality; it probably should be replaced even though the subject helps with the mix.



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Frames You can use various �frames� to help unify the photos on a slide or across your entire presentation. This technique is relatively simple yet adds consistency to images; of course, you will use your presentation color scheme.

Original image

Line color (use a line weight that can be seen)

Shadow

Gradient rectangle �underlay� with a line color on the original image (you could also apply a shadow to the image)

Pattern fill rectangle underlay (you could also use a patterned line).

Two-color underlay



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Picture ShapesPicture shape is another property that can be used to unify a group of pictures.

You can apply a shape directly to a picture or use the Fill/Picture option. (Only the fill option is available in PowerPoint 2003). Make sure you lock the picture aspect ratio; otherwise the picture may be distorted to fit your shape.

The picture shape process may crop the original image � this may not produce the results you want.In the example below, the original image is used to fill a circle.


The image is cropped to the geometric center; we can make the woman more central to the circle by pre-cropping the image.In the example below, we manually crop the picture to a square, making sure that the woman�s face stays reasonably centered.

We cropped the photo then saved it as a picture so that it could be used to fill the shape.You may have to use a different crop (or none at all) depending on the shape. Try filling the shape with the original picture to get a sense of what cropping is needed.


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Picture Shapes (continued)Here are some other variations.


Rounded rectangle with line color

Rounded rectangle with shadow and rounded rectangle underlay

Parallelogram with line color (this image happens to work with this shape � this will not always be the case)

Circle with line and gradient underlay

�Freeform� hand-drawn shape

Hand-drawn shape, filled with picture aspect ration NOT locked, with underlay

(Editing the points in the shape allows a perspective-like distortion. Experiment to get the effect you want. Obviously, use distortions for a purpose, not just for the fun of it.)


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Picture Shapes (continued)Here is an application of these ideas; picture shapes with frames are used to show various technologies and situations in a hospital setting.Since most of the photos contain shades of blue, the use of the blue frame and pointer helps to unify the collection.



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Overlay EffectsYou can overlay photos with semitransparent shapes (a shape with semitransparent fill) to add color or texture. This is a technique that is easy to abuse � you don�t want a wild variety of these effects.


70% blue overlay; blue line color

70% light orange overlay

Diagonal gradient overlay (diagonal is more transparent)

From-center gradient overlay (more transparent center)

Original image


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Overlay Effects (continued)These examples use overlays filled with semitransparent pattern or standard textures.Note: In PowerPoint 2003, use Format (Auto)Shape rather than the Fill tool to get access to the transparency setting for gradients, textures and patterns.


TV effect -70% pattern overlay (narrow horizontal -grays)

70% pattern overlay (small confetti -grays)

80% texture overlay (woven mat)

70% texture overlay (water droplets)


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Overlay Effects (continued)These examples use pictures with transparency as overlays.


70% transparent picture

Drawn object with transparent elements

Another drawn object with transparency


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Overlay Effects (continued)These examples apply transparency to the original image and overlay the semitransparent image on other objects. The effect is similar to overlaying the original image with semitransparent objects except that the original image may be sharper. You decide.


Overlay picture (tapestry) with semitransparent original picture

Picture-filled rectangle 50% transparent over original image, slightly offset to create blur (you could use animation to sharpen the picture)

Overlay pattern-filled shape with semitransparent picture-filled shape


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RecoloringRecolor (colorization) changes all the colors in the image to shades of a particular color. You may want to do this to de-emphasize the picture (when you use a picture as a background, for example) or to unify a group of pictures.PowerPoint 2007 offers recolor directly. For Office 2003, the feature is found in Publisher, but not in PowerPoint (!); you can recolor an image in Publisher, save it and insert it into your PowerPoint presentation.


Brown overlay (sepia effect)

Gradient overlay

2-color gradient overlay

A similar effect results from to overlaying a grayscale version of the image with a semitransparent colored shape. This method allows you to use gradients, textures, etc., as overlays. In any of these methods, you will probably want to adjust the brightness and/or contrast of the image to get the effect you want.

Recolored image with line

Low contrast grayscale with transparent overlay and line

High-contrast grayscale and overlay


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Accents and HighlightsUse semitransparent objects to add highlights to images.


Center-gradient circle (with transparency) over original image

Same effect with grayscale image

To highlight an object in the image, create a corresponding shape and fill with transparency.


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Accents and Highlights (continued)Another way to highlight something in the image is to use a brightened part of the original picture as a highlight.

� Copy and crop the original picture; save.� Fill a shape (e.g., oval) with the cropped

picture (retain proportions).� Carefully overlay the shape; you may need

to re-size.� Adjust the brightness of the original and

the overlay. Or use a grayscale version of the original.



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Images as BackgroundsIt�s often difficult to make text legible against a picture background; that is, to achieve contrast between the text and the background. A good approach is to select a picture with a fairly uniform palette and then manipulate the text and the image to achieve clarity.


Using text with pictures

• Use contrasting text color

• Use text shadows

• Manipulate contrast and brightness






























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Images as Backgrounds (continued)You can also use a �colorized� image to achieve contrast � in this case, with a chart.


An image background works well on a title slide, assuming the contrast is handled effectively. This example uses a cityscape to reinforce the �building� theme.

fixing photos in powerpoint - 02. media production · each other and with your presentation’s...

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