Every few years, we would go to my grandparents’ house and my grandpa would show us slides from long trips they had taken as they crossed the country in search of air museums, botanical gardens and natural parks.

It’s strange that technology has given us the ability to take more pictures than ever, but we hardly ever see a good slideshow anymore.

This month, I want to encourage readers to change that. You’ve been collecting photos on your phones, digital cameras and email. Turn your vacation photos and family memories into something that friends and family can enjoy. Here are a few tips that will help you create a slideshow that is interesting for almost any viewer.

Photo selection

Choosing photos can be challenging because nobody will ever be as interested in your photos as you are. When you select photos, try to choose one photo from each event or setting. I usually try to avoid consecutively running two photos from the same era or with the same people.

Do some math beforehand

Six seconds is the perfect amount of time for a photo to appear on screen. The number of photos times six divided by 60 will tell you how long your slideshow will be. If you’re using the slideshow for a wedding, funeral or other special event, it can be as long as 15 minutes. If it’s a vacation or series of baby photos, five minutes is probably as long as you want to make it.

Make it a video

Use simple video editing software to turn your presentation into a video. Sure, they are still pictures, but the video format will be playable without special software. Adobe Spark may be a good place to start if you have a PC. If you own a Mac, I suggest using iMovie. Both programs are free.

Add a little motion

Your slideshow will be more interesting if you add slight zooms, pans and fade transitions to your photos. This added motion is also called the Ken Burns effect. Don’t go crazy with it, but a little motion can guide the viewer’s eye to the area of interest and help them interpret the photo.

Add music

Even with interesting photos and a steady pace, a slideshow can become boring. Add emotion by adding music to the slideshow. Most computers come with software that will rip music from CDs, but you can also use music that you have downloaded from the internet.

Keep in mind that your video may not be shareable on social media if it contains copyrighted music.

If a photo is worth a thousand words, we should all tell more stories by sharing the images locked away in our phones with others who will appreciate them.