JQown Memory Lane with s lides Hot New Trend for Graduations, Weddings and Reunions THE lights dim, the projector hums, and sud- denly you're all back in the magic of yesteryear. You laugh and wipe away a tear or iwo, remembering the good times you shared together. Slide shows today are a high-tech, low-cost and casy- to prepare alternative for sharing, memories with large groups of people — which is why thev’ve become such a big, hit at weddings, family get togethers, and reunions of all kinds. Putting together a fantas- tic slide show requires some fanning. Take some tips rom Elegant Graphics, a slide service bureau in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, which is deluged with requests for heip during wedding and reunion season. “Keep it simple,” advises Kay Sieverding, president. of Elegant Graphics. “One per- son usually gets stuck with the job of whipping up a pre- sentation, and they typically don’t have any prior experi- ence. Realistically, there’s no time for multimedia, moving images, fades and fancy graphics, especially given the other time constraints of preparing for travel, food ‘and lodging for a large event. So don’ expect a lot of spe- cial effects.” Start with historical docu- ments, like snapshots, framed photos, newspaper articles, diplomas and marriage and birth certificates. If old slides exist, great. But if not, con- vert images into 35-mm slides. . “' This can be done at a nominal cost, and the slides look just like the original. Once on film, the images are ‘safely preserved forever, and can be reused in a multitude of ways. To get a good selection of images, put out a call to the ~ entire family. Ask relatives to empty their drawers and scrapbooks, and send them to you with boti identifica- -.; tion and return information written on. the back. ; That way you can return pictures and. documents when they come back from the service bureau several > days later. “| The next step is to create tide slides, like “The Erikson Family Reunion, Yellowstone Park, 1999,” or “Grandpa Opens Medical Practice in 1922.” These can be . designed using a computer program like PowerPoint, or written by hand on a piece of paper. . ‘ The service bureau dovs *. the rest. Another alternative __isto.scan in photos and com- “bine them with type. An example would be a photo ~~“ entided “Dad, age 4” beside one called “Son, age 4.” Or add a funny comment like, “ts this Grandma or Aunt Doreen?” Software like — Adobe PhotoShop makes it possible to cut out background clut- ter or delete your ex-wife from a photo. You can even make people look thinner or Although software programs are relatively easy to work with, Sieverding reports that few of her clients go to the trouble of fiddling with pic- tures. “Nobody has the time,” she says. Once a slide show is creat- ed, it’s easy to make Guplicare sets of slides or color print- outs. That way everyone attending the event has a trea- add = hair.” sured memento to take home. Slide projectors can be purchased new from = many manufacturers, or picked up used from newspapers or earage sales. They can also be rented at most party stores, camera -shops or large horels. “Preparation for a_ first- class slide show usually only costs about $150, not includ- ing cquipment purchase or rental,” says Sieverding. “This is a fantastic bar- gain, given what a multime- dia show would cost — and considering how much fun the audience always has dur- ry souk tery tent ales wee. Photo homesiesd.com/aawedding Love online THE orida and groom go hi-tech, with wedding infor- maiion; accommodation; and a gift registry all on the Internet. “t's an incredibly useful idea. Who wants to get in their car and drive to The Bay, when you can just point and click to order what you want?” says Andrew Beatty (pictured above, right}, who created a “wedding web page” for his forthcoming nuptials. Lingerie, lovers toys & kama sutra massage products. We have many of the products featured on Sunday night TV. Love Nest | Adding spice to your love life Jor 20 years 161 East Ist St. N. Vancouver "_Open Late: Thurs, & Fri. Open Sunday 987-1175 * 4 night cruise agoard the Triumph » Airfare from Vancouver on Cathay Pacific * 2 night stay in New York City * Theatre tickets © Sightseeing tours person,\ba ntwo sharingzan re subj : Vo ing the presentation!” Elegant Graphics pro- duces slides and other graph- ic presentations from its headquarters in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. 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