Do You Use Animoto? Check Out This New Simple Theme

Animoto.com has revolutionized photo slideshow creation. I believe that for my wedding photography business in Charleston, slideshows are the most valuable form of marketing I have. I've always had one problem with Animoto though, most of their themes were really over the top. That was until they let me design my own.

A few months ago I was offered the opportunity to design my own slideshow theme (or style) for Animoto. I knew exactly what I wanted because I had been wishing for it for years. I wanted the most simple slideshow theme possible to make my pictures and video the stars of the show.

My theme had 5 basic concepts
1. Horizontal images must remain full screen (no black bars)
2. 1, 2, or 3 vertical images can show up side by side together
3. Video files must remain full screen (no black bars)
4. The pictures and video transitions will either dip to black or dip to white (you choose)
5. You can choose if you want a black or white version to match your website or taste

Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE the "Animoto Original Style." I still plan on using the original style occasionally but every wedding has a different vibe and sometimes the original style doesn't feel very romantic. Sometimes the theme itself sets the mood rather than allowing the pictures themselves to portray an emotion.

I've mixed the same wedding with my new theme that has been named "Classic" on top and the "Original" theme on the bottom. Play them both at the same time and mute the music on one of them to get a side by side comparison.

For those of you who have never tried out Animoto before I'd suggest giving it a try. It's web based (nothing to install), it's affordable, and incredibly easy to use. If you still don't understand what exactly Animoto is, you may want to check out this promo below.