Libya - Day 08

[thedom]

After some demos, here is finally my first slideshow made with PTE v5.

It is about my vaccation in March in Libya. The trip was 16 days long.

The slideshow is only the 8th day : trekking in the south of the country in a region called Akakus.

(Click on the picture to download the EXE)

There is so much work that we are two people to make our vaccation "movie".

We have to synchronise each other to decide what will be the general look of our big slideshow.

That's why there is no explanation at all for instance, no map, nothing, only pictures in this first show...

But I already made this almost 9 minutes show (121 slides - 65.9 Mo).

I still have to synchronize the music with pictures.

But please tell me what you think (is it too long, too many motions, boring, ... ?)

Thanks for your feedback.

[Johnwnjr]

I downloaded this in about 15 to 20 minutes, and finished up with a PTE with 140 slides which I viewed. That is I have not been able to see an .exe file. My comments on what I saw would be, that you have an host of different formats to deal with, a lot of editing to do, and it will need a commentary. The photography and conditions were excellent. Avoid too many personal pictures of people, and those examining the results of photos, focus on the general trek. I would think five or six minutes would probably be long enough on this one topic.

John

[LumenLux]

Hey, it is fun to see a whole presentation by you. I commented already at your own website, but will copy most of the same here.

Dom I much appreciated your show. (The download took about 15 minutes.)

Someone in the PTE Forum offered some constructive criticism of so many formats and movements you used. And your inclusion of many people. I can agree only to a degree. I always try to think of the purpose or purposes of the presentation. Often there are multiple and sometimes conflicting purposes. I think for many authors, (me included) it is not necessary to make multiple versions of a show to please all the possible audiences. I think the length of presentation was just fine and expect if you give your show to other trip participants they would like it even longer.

I understand your huge technical ability and of course that PTE V5 offers much to experiment. I think you did a pretty good job aesthetically and I expect you wil get even better as you do more presentations. I think your Libya landscape is a natural for use of panning. I also thought the stationary stacked panoramas were useful if used on limited occasions. I think the split screens (photo left and right) were useful for some slides and less for others. I liked the split screen (L&R) for the camel close up and for the lizard with the other small creatures on screen to the right. As a novelty, I liked the stationary background scene where you then changed the various trekkers as they "passed" in the foreground.

Beyond the "technical" and "artistic" factors, I enjoyed the "experience" of your journey. It was very interesting to me that some of the photos seemed like they could be right here in my Utah, USA desert - if you remove the camels. On the other hand, your traveled land somehow seemed more "unyielding" and certainly the sand seemed more "unending" than what I have ever experienced. It was interesting to see the rock-art. Are those genuine ancient drawings on the rock? We have "ancient" indian drawings on some of our locations but I had never thought about such that might be where you were. Bottom line, I enjoyed seeing the landscape and the rather candid insight of a guided vacation tour as you took. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Lin Evans]

After some demos, here is finally my first slideshow made with PTE v5.

It is about my vaccation in March in Libya. The trip was 16 days long.

The slideshow is only the 8th day : trekking in the south of the country in a region called Akakus.

(Click on the picture to download the EXE)

There is so much work that we are two people to make our vaccation "movie".

We have to synchronise each other to decide what will be the general look of our big slideshow.

That's why there is no explanation at all for instance, no map, nothing, only pictures in this first show...

But I already made this almost 9 minutes show (121 slides - 65.9 Mo).

I still have to synchronize the music with pictures.

But please tell me what you think (is it too long, too many motions, boring, ... ?)

Thanks for your feedback.

Anything but boring! It was a delightful trip through an exotic place. One must keep in mind that the purpose was to remember your vacation and that includes not only the scenery and landscapes, but also the people who shared your experience. I would love to see the final version as well!

Best regards,

Lin

[Ken Cox]

Dom

got it at 02:00 am at full speed - +- 10 mins

you have to wonder what the people had to worry about that carved in the stone

little long but great picts.

ken

[Cèlou]

Hello Dom,

concerning this assembly of which I found the images superb, I find it a little length.

I absolutely did not take down because it is worth the blow that one views it until the end.

If the executives do not obstruct me at all, the différents format which exist that and there, they obstruct me.

Thus in what concerns to me it would be preferable to adopt larger homogénéity of the formats, to remove some images and I think that one slide show will be stronger to you.

Cèlou friendships

[alrobin]

Dom,

I finally successfully downloaded your fine show, and enjoyed it very much as I love the desert and all it's hidden and/or unexpected visual photographic delights.

Your show portrays the beauty of the rocks, sand dunes, pictographs, and also the people and animals very well - the photographs are very beautiful. Thank-you very much for sharing this unfinished version of your show - I hope we will see more of it soon.

Re the different image formats, my wife, when she watched it, commented that they made the presentation even more interesting (and she has watched a lot of slideshows!).

Re the length, it may seem a little repetitive in places, but that all depends on whether you will superimpose a narrative over the background music, which I also find very appropriate for the mood and pace of the trip into the desert. Nothing there moves very quickly (it is too hot), and the music and repetition both complement the leisurely walk into the desert. Re narration, I hope you do include a narrative, as this type of show lends itself very well to one, as there are many questions in the viewers' minds in watching it.

I find that the inclusion of people helps also to break up the monotony which some might experience with a show of this length.

I'm not a big fan of multiple images unless the situation calls for them, so I felt that this was overdone a bit. I like to enjoy a single image (particularly a panorama), without having my eyes dart back and forth between two images trying to get everything all in before the scene changes. The pans and zooms, however, I felt were very tastefully done, and also complement the theme of travel through the desert.

I hope you won't find these remarks overly critical, or even too presumptious - they are just my own personal views, and everyone sees something different in every show.

Overall, I thought it was very well done, and as I said, I hope we will soon see more.

[thedom]

Thank you all for those very interesting and constructive answers.

One sure is certain : I need to shorten my show.

I think I'm gonna keep some pictures of people though and different pictures formats with 2 pics on the same slide, because I think it's a good way to break up the monotony of the show.

And I wanted to be a tribute to PTE V5 !

Seriously, I think I think I will remove some PZR too.

I have an other slideshow (day 13) ready but I think I will think about it again before posting because it has exactly the same problems I'm afraid.

Anyway, thank you again for your comments.