Porchlight Slideshow › Celebrations of life
Celebration of life slideshows
Celebrate the life they lived, in photos and song
A celebration of life is about the stories, the laughter and the people. Porchlight turns a pile of photos and their favorite songs into a slideshow that plays full screen at the gathering.
Free to download and try · $39 once to share your slideshow · Mac & Windows
Making a celebration of life slideshow
A celebration of life is often held weeks after a death, at a park, a restaurant, a backyard or a club, and it's usually warmer and lighter than a funeral. The slideshow sets the tone: people gather around the screen, point at old photos and tell stories.
With Porchlight you don't need to learn video editing. Drag in the photos, split them into chapters, add the music they'd have picked, and preview it full screen. Then put it on a USB stick with the free Player, or save it as a video for a TV.
A plan
Chapters for a celebration of life
Each scene gets its own music in Porchlight, so the songs change with the story.
Welcome
Their name and a line in their spirit: "Here's to a life well lived" or a favorite saying of theirs.
Who they were
Growing up, the job, the band, the team, the adventures: the things everybody knows them for.
Their people
Family, old friends, the neighbors, the coworkers. Invite everyone coming to send a photo or two.
The good times
Parties, trips, holidays and the funny photos. This is where the room laughs.
One last toast
A favorite photo and a few words, or a line inviting everyone to share a story.
Tips
Making it feel like a celebration
- Choose upbeat songs they loved rather than solemn ones. It's their party.
- Ask guests to bring or send a photo with a caption. Add the best stories as text slides between photos.
- Candid photos beat posed ones. Include the silly ones.
- At a long gathering, a slideshow that plays again later in the afternoon works well; many guests arrive late.
- If there's no projector, export a video and play it on a TV from a USB stick or laptop.
How long should it be?
10 to 20 minutes is common, around 100 to 200 photos with 3 to 6 songs. Longer is fine when it plays in the background while people talk.
Choosing music for a celebration
- The songs from their own record collection or playlist.
- Music that makes the family smile: a celebration can be joyful.
- The song everyone links with them, saved for the last scene.
- A mix of eras, following the story of their life from scene to scene.
Porchlight plays MP3, WAV and FLAC files you have; it doesn't provide music. You're responsible for having the right to use the music and photos in your slideshow, whether you're building, publishing, uploading, playing or sharing it.
How it works
Your celebration of life slideshow in three steps
Drag in the photos
From a folder or the Photos app. Sort them by the date they were taken with one click, or arrange them by hand.
Add the music
Give each scene its songs. Porchlight fits the photos to the music, so the last photo fades out as the last note ends.
Play it anywhere
Put it on a USB stick with the free Player, or save it as an HD or 4K video.
At the venue
Publish to a USB stick and bring the free Porchlight Player for the venue's computer, Mac or Windows. It opens full screen on the TV or projector and waits on the title until you press Space. Or export a video file for a smart TV.
Questions
Good to know
What's the difference between a memorial slideshow and a celebration of life slideshow?
Mostly the tone. A memorial slideshow for a service is usually shorter and quieter. A celebration of life slideshow is often longer, more playful, and plays while people mingle.
Can several family members work on it?
The slideshow is a folder of photos, songs and a small show file, so you can pass it around on a USB stick or a shared folder. One person at a time should edit it.
Can I add stories and quotes?
Yes. Text slides hold titles, quotes, poems and stories, in elegant fonts, placed wherever you like on the screen.
Is Porchlight Slideshow free?
You can download it free and build and preview your whole slideshow. A one-time $39 license lets you publish it to a USB stick and export it as a video, with no subscription. Porchlight Player, for watching, is always free.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. Porchlight works entirely on your own computer, with no account and no internet needed.
Start your celebration of life slideshow tonight
Download Porchlight Slideshow free, build your slideshow and preview it full screen. Pay once, only when it's ready to share.
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