How to Create a Photo Slideshow in Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro Tutorials

Can you give me step-by step instructions on how to create a photo slideshow/movie in Final Cut Pro? I would like to begin with having images and video in the Apple photo app. creating the project, libraries, events, etc in Final Cut Pro. I would like to add music and titles as well as transitions between images and video. I would also like to be able to do zoom and camera effects on still images.

Absolutely — here’s a clean, step-by-step workflow that starts in Apple Photos and ends with a polished photo + video slideshow “movie” in Final Cut Pro, including music, titles, transitions, and Ken Burns/zoom camera moves on stills.

1) Prep in Apple Photos (so Final Cut is painless)

1. Create an album for the project

• Open Photos
• Go to Albums → + → New Album
• Name it (example: Trip to Utah 2025).
• Add the photos + video clips you want in the slideshow.

1. Do quick cleanup now (optional but recommended)

• In Photos, do basic edits (crop/straighten/exposure) so you don’t fight problems later.
• If you have Live Photos you don’t want as video, decide now (you can still use them in FCP either way).

1. Know the two import approaches

• Option A (common/easiest): Import directly from Photos inside Final Cut Pro.
• Option B (most reliable/portable): Export files from Photos to a folder, then import into Final Cut.
  • This makes your library easier to move to an external drive and avoids “where are my originals?” confusion later.

If you want maximum reliability, do Option B:

Export from Photos (recommended)

• Select your album → Cmd+A to select all
• File → Export
  • Photos: Export [#] Photos…
  • Video: Export Unmodified Original… (or normal export if you want Photos edits baked in)
• Put everything into a single folder like:
  • Movies/Slideshow Projects/Utah 2025/Media/

2) Create a smart Final Cut Pro structure (Library → Events → Project)

1. Create a dedicated Library

• Open Final Cut Pro
• File → New → Library
• Name it: Utah 2025 Slideshow.fcpbundle
• Save it on:
  • External SSD (best for speed and space), or
  • Your internal drive if it’s fast and has room.

1. Set Library storage locations (very important)

• Select the Library in the left sidebar
• Open the Inspector (top right) if needed
• Under Storage Locations, click Modify Settings
  • Set Media and Cache to your fast drive/folder.
  • This prevents storage mess later.

1. Create an Event

• In the Library, click New Event
• Name: 01 Media (or by date)

1. Create the Project (your timeline)

• File → New → Project
• Name: Utah 2025 – Main Edit
• Choose settings:
  • Video Format: usually 1080p (great for YouTube and TV) or 4K (if your footage is mostly 4K and you want extra detail for zooms)
  • Frame Rate: 30p is common; 24p feels “cinematic”; match your video if you can.

3) Import your photos + video into Final Cut Pro

Option A: Import from Photos directly

1. In Final Cut: File → Import → Media
2. On the left, look for Photos (or “Photos Library”)
3. Select your album and import.

Option B: Import exported files (recommended)

1. File → Import → Media
2. Select the Media folder you exported to
3. Import choices:

• Copy to library = safest/portable, but can create a big library file
• Leave files in place = smaller library, but you must keep the Media folder where it is

Tip: If you’re new to FCP, choose Copy to library so nothing goes missing.

4) Organize and set still-photo defaults (duration + motion)

1. Set still-image duration default

• Final Cut Pro → Settings (or Preferences) → Editing
• Set Still images duration (common: 4–6 seconds)

1. Set default photo movement (Ken Burns style)

• Final Cut Pro → Settings/Preferences → Editing
• Look for “Ken Burns” or “Start/End” default behavior for stills (varies by FCP version)
• If you don’t see it, no worries — you can apply it per image (next sections).

1. Sort your album in the Browser

• In the Browser, you can sort by Date Created, Name, etc.
• For storytelling, I often:
  • Put “must use” shots first
  • Rename key clips in the browser (optional)

5) Build the slideshow timeline (fast method)

1. Select your photos in the Browser

• Click first photo, then Shift-click last to select a range (or Cmd-click to pick)

1. Press E to Append to the timeline (Project).

Do the same for video clips (or mix them in story order).

6) Add transitions between photos and clips

1. Open Transitions Browser

• Click the Transitions icon (or press Cmd+5)

1. Pick a style

• Cross Dissolve is classic for slideshows.
• Fade to Color for chapter breaks.
• Use “fancier” transitions sparingly.

1. Apply transitions quickly

• Select where you want them (or select a range of clips)
• Double-click the transition to apply to the selection.

Make transitions look clean

• If a transition won’t apply, it usually means there isn’t enough “handle” media (mostly an issue with video). Photos are fine.

7) Titles (opening title + lower thirds)

1. Open Titles and Generators

• Titles icon (or press Cmd+6)

1. Add an opening title

• Drag a title onto the timeline above your first clips (as a connected title)
• Edit text in the Viewer or Inspector.

1. Add lower thirds for locations/people

• Choose Lower Third style
• Drop it above a clip
• Adjust duration by dragging the ends.

Pro tip: Keep fonts consistent across the whole piece.

8) Add music (and make it sound good)

1. Import music

• File → Import → Media (or drag an audio file in)
• You can also use the Photos/Apple Music/Soundtracks sources depending on what you have available.

1. Place it on the timeline

• Drag the music below your video clips (audio lanes)

1. Make your music fit the slideshow length

• Trim the music clip ends, or blade it:
  • Position playhead → press B (Blade tool) → click to cut → press A to return to Select tool

1. Fade in/out

• Hover near audio clip ends to reveal fade handles
• Drag for a smooth fade.

1. Duck music under dialogue (if any)

• Select music → in Inspector use volume keyframes, or
• Use audio roles/voiceover tools if needed.

9) Zoom / camera moves on still photos (Ken Burns + keyframes)

You have two great options:

Option 1: Ken Burns tool (fast + clean)

1. Select a photo clip in the timeline
2. In the Viewer, choose Crop tools
3. Select Ken Burns
4. You’ll see Start and End rectangles
5. Set the start wide and the end tighter (or pan left→right)
6. Click Done

This is the classic slideshow move and works great.

Option 2: Transform with keyframes (more control)

Use this when you want more than just start/end.

1. Select the photo clip
2. In the Viewer, click Transform
3. Move playhead to the start of the photo
4. In the Inspector (or Viewer), add a keyframe for:
   • Scale
   • Position
   • Rotation (optional)
5. Move playhead later in the clip
6. Change scale/position to create the move
7. FCP animates between keyframes.

Tips for still-photo motion

• Avoid huge zooms on low-resolution images (they’ll look soft).
• Prefer subtle moves: 100% → 115% often looks better than 100% → 160%.
• If you’re editing a 1080p project, high-res photos give you more room to zoom.

10) Make the slideshow feel “edited” (pace + rhythm)

1. Adjust durations

• Select a photo clip → Ctrl+D (type duration like 5. for 5 seconds)
• Use faster cuts for action, longer for scenic shots.

1. Cut on the beat

• Turn on waveforms or enlarge audio track
• Make cuts at musical accents for a pro feel.

1. Use “chapter breaks”

• Add a quick fade to black + a title card between sections (Day 1 / Day 2 / etc.)

11) Color and matching (quick wins)

• For iPhone video mixed with other cameras:
  • Use the Color Inspector for quick exposure/white balance tweaks.
• For still photos, you usually don’t need much if Photos edits are good.

12) Export (Share) your finished movie

1. File → Share → Master File (or Share button)
2. Settings:

• Format: Video and Audio
• Codec: H.264 (smaller) or HEVC (smaller, modern) or ProRes (huge, best quality)

1. Choose destination and export.

Common pitfalls (so you don’t get burned)

• Missing media later: If you used “Leave files in place” then moved the Media folder, FCP will show missing files.
• Gigantic library: If you “Copy to library” with tons of photos/video, the library bundle can get huge.
• Choppy playback: Use a fast SSD and consider generating Proxy media for heavy 4K edits.

If you tell me:

• whether your final output is YouTube, TV, or sharing with family, and
• whether your footage is mostly iPhone / GoPro / Sony, and
• if you want 1080p or 4K,

…I’ll give you a “best settings” recipe (project settings + still durations + transition defaults + export settings) tailored to your gear and how you like to share your videos.