From photos to video: a practical editing plan

Choose the frame first

Decide where people will watch. A landscape screen and a portrait phone story need different compositions. Keep important faces away from edges and use a background or border when a photo does not fit the frame. Do not stretch a portrait image to fill a wide screen.

Prepare a small working folder

Copy your chosen photos into a dedicated folder and give them numbered prefixes. Keep the source originals elsewhere. Resize oversized working copies only when needed; a photo you intend to pan across or zoom into may need extra resolution.

Assemble the first cut

• Lay out the photos in the intended order before adding effects.
• Set a consistent starting duration, such as four or five seconds per photo.
• Give important images and text more time.
• Use restrained transitions and preview how they affect the timeline.
• Add opening and closing text, then review the whole sequence.

Choose sound thoughtfully

A simple music track can set the mood, but the images should still tell a coherent story with the sound off. Use audio you have permission to use. If you add narration, lower the music enough for the words to be clear and include captions for spoken content when possible.

Check the actual exported file

Watch the exported video from beginning to end, rather than relying only on the editor preview. Check for cropped faces, soft text, missing photographs, timing surprises, and abrupt audio endings. Test it on the intended device. SkyAlbum’s current tools resize photos, create contact sheets, and calculate timing; video rendering and MP4 export are future work.