By Joshua Hunt & Nick Kelly
Slide presentations are a primary communication tool in worship services. Adding a photo to a church presentation is a great way to support the message of a slide—from song lyrics to announcements to sermon points.
Photos that purposefully communicate a specific feeling or topic are more effective than pretty pictures of landscapes. Here are some tips for choosing and editing photos so they work effectively with your text.
1. Choose the right image
Use photos with optimal contrast for readability. Crop in on a certain area when necessary to create space for text (more on this below). Think of your photo as a way to frame your text. Look for photos that have simple areas of dark or light that would work well for text to go over. Photos with areas out of focus are great for this. It’s better to use authentic photos of your congregation than stock photos. Ideally, someone at your church can take professional-quality authentic photos.
