Photo Slideshow

The new version of Flash CS3 includes a Photo Slideshow template that is a great starting point for making a quick, easy-to-use, pre-scripted photo slideshow. To create a Photo Slideshow, start by opening up a New Document and under the "Templates" tab, choose "Photo Slideshow" -> "Modern Photo Slideshow"

Flash will automate a Photo Slideshow as seen below:

Below is the same Photo Slideshow with slight modifications to the style of the controls. This particular modification took less than 5 minutes to complete. Any beginner - with limited knowledge of Flash - can transform this basic Photo Slideshow into a really great looking component to any photo or portfolio slideshow. The best part about utilizing a template like this is that the scripting has already been completed for you! Adding images and captions is quick and straight-forward.

TIP: The one disadvantage to working with photographs in Flash is that they take up a lot of space in the file. Make sure that if you use photos or graphics in your Flash file that they have been properly re-sized AND OPTIMIZED FOR THE WEB. Flash also has its own settings for image optimization that can also drastically decrease your file size while still retaining the quality of your images.