The right number of photos depends on one thing: how long the slideshow should be. Decide the length first, then the number follows.
The rule of thumb
Most guides suggest showing each photo for about five to seven seconds when the transitions are gentle. Any faster and people cannot take in faces; any slower and the room grows restless. At six seconds per photo you get about ten photos per minute.
- 3 minutes: about 25 to 35 photos.
- 5 minutes: about 45 to 55 photos.
- 10 minutes: about 90 to 110 photos, best split into chapters.
When to show a photo for longer
Group photos, photos with handwriting and the few pictures that matter most deserve more time. A narrated film can hold one photograph for fifteen seconds while the story is told, so it needs fewer photos than a music-only slideshow of the same length.
How long should it be?
For a service, three to eight minutes is usually right: long enough to tell a life, short enough to hold the room. A film made for the family to keep can be longer.
Try our free slideshow calculator: enter the length and the time per photo, and it tells you how many photographs to choose.