Mastering Images in PowerPoint

In ‘‘How to Use Images’ I will help you with the fundamentals of mastering images in PowerPoint.

If the image that you want to use as a background is quite busy the text can be difficult to see. Here's how to add a panel over the image see the text is easier to read.

A great use for an image that I'm going to show you is to make a high impact title slide. To do this the image must be cropped and sized to fit the entire slide.

Another useful technique is to lighten or darken and image so the text is visible.

Here is a quick and easy alternative method for making a photo background.

This is how to crop photos to any size for any slide design.

Images in PowerPoint do not have to be rectangular, they can be any shape. To do this we use the Crop to shape function.

Download this PowerPoint file and see if you can add a new photo into the slide.

Here's how I completed the task.

Sometimes you may want to use a custom shape that is not included in the PowerPoint shape selection. We will use the Merge Shapes function to achieve this.

It's best not to stretch an image or make it bigger than it's actual size.

Some of PowerPoint's Picture Styles can look good, some not so so good.

PowerPoint has a selection of effects that you can apply to an image to achieve a specific artistic look.

Picture Effects are more original and less generic than style presets. Be careful not to overuse the less subtle effects.

Download this PowerPoint file and see if you can add a new photo into the chart and format it to look like the others.

Here's how I completed the task.

Certain images include transparent areas and can be used in interesting and impactful ways.

If your image is not transparent you can remove the background using the tools in PowerPoint.

You can adjust the colour in photos or make them black and white.

Pictures can be used as a fill colour, which is good for more complex shapes or showing the picture in multiple shapes.

It's important to choose the right images for your presentation. In this section we will cover where to find images and the various factors to consider.

The are many places to get great images for your PowerPoint presentation. Here I show you some of the options.

When choosing images focus on simplicity and clarity to give you audience the best chance to absorb your message.

The quality of the photos you put on the screen indicates the quality of your information.

If you’re making a presentation for a company, make sure that all of the images you use convey the brand and ethos.

Photos can evoke emotions much more powerfully than most words.

Choose photos that compliment each other to create a consistent and engaging story.

Download this PowerPoint file and choose four photos for this fictional business.

Here are the photos I chose to complete the task, and how they could appear in a presentation.

A lot of business presentations include cliched graphics and photos, which are best avoided.

When and how to use portrait or landscape shape photos.

If you find a suitable photo that has enough white space (light or dark enough to write text on) it will allow you to add content without having to fade the image out.

In this section we will show you some tips and tricks to boost your workflow and save time.

The format painter can be a very powerful tool that really saves time.

Most formatting in PowerPoint is non-destructive. Here's how to reset your images.

Here's how to replace one image with another without losing formatting, grouping and animation.

You can easily compress your images to reduce the presentation file size.

Animated GIFs are a format of image file that contain animation. They can be a way to display animations or effects that would be difficult or impossible to create using PowerPoint animation.

It is also possible to make animated GIFs using PowerPoint.

The selection pane can be a very useful tool.

The eyedropper is used to match colours. You can create colour themes from photos.

Subtle animations can make your slides more dynamic and engaging.

Some slide transition examples when working with images.

The Photo Album function is a great time saver if you want to display many photos.

The Quick Access Toolbar can speed up your workflow considerably. Download my toolbar or make your own.

Please download this PDF which shows the best keyboard shortcuts when working with images to improve your workflow and save time.

In our Advanced Examples, we will show you advanced ways to use images and wow your audience.

A look at PowerPoint's powerful 3D rotation and format effects.

A simple method for highlighting areas of an image using a panel.

A more flexible method using a duplicate image which allows more customization.

This method using the slide background fill function allow you to add extra highlight areas and change the shape easily.

This final method using the crop tool will allow you to add animation effects.

Re-create this slow panning zoom effect in PowerPoint.

Using the format background function to create a parallax type animated background.

Using the format background function to create an animated custom reveal effect.

You can use images to add interest and style to large bold text.

Here's how to fill large bold text with a video.

A knockout text effect can look good over images or video.

Here's how to create some three dimensional photo cubes using the 3D rotation presets.

Adding images and applying some simple formatting to a table can make it much more engaging.