Microsoft Power Point Design Template

PowerPoint can create shadows that follow the contour of objects in an image. Here's how to do it:

1. First, I planted some tulips! That happened a few years ago, but the point is simply that you need to find something to photograph. Choose something fairly small. (However, if you have a perfectly blue sky, you could try a tree against the sky.)

2. Find something of a solid color to put behind your photo subject. In this case, I had an off-white table that I keep on my porch. I stood it on its side so that it was taller than it was wide and moved it behind the tulips. (If you're using the sky as your background, you can skip this step.)

3. Take your photograph, making sure that the subject is completely in front of your solid background. Good lighting helps -- I had a sunny day.

4. Upload your photo to your computer. If you're still using film, you'll have to develop it, and then scan it.

5. In PowerPoint, click the Insert Picture button on the Drawing toolbar or choose Insert> Picture> From File. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Insert tab> Illustrations group> Picture.) Double-click your picture file.

6. Adjust the placement of the photo as desired. You may also want to resize it by dragging on the corner handles.

7. With the photo selected, choose Set Transparent Color from the Picture toolbar. (If the Picture toolbar isn't visible, right-click any toolbar and choose Picture from the list of toolbars.) (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Format tab> Adjust group> Recolor drop-down list> Set Transparent Color.) You'll see a special cursor.

8. Click anywhere on your solid background. The background becomes transparent. You can now see the placeholder through the image. Notice that the area at the top that wasn't off-white is still there.

9. Crop any areas that you don't want. To crop, click the Crop button on the Picture toolbar. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Format tab> Size group> Crop.) Then drag inward on the cropping handles as necessary. The result is beautiful as is, and would be worth a tutorial by itself, but there's more!

10. You're now ready to add a shadow. Select the image, and choose Shadow Style from the Drawing toolbar. Then choose one of the Shadow styles. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Format tab, Picture Styles group, Picture Effects drop-down list> Shadow. and choose one of the styles.) PowerPoint draws the shadow around the object, ignoring transparent areas! With no transparent areas, the shadow would display around the rectangular shape of the entire image.

11. You can adjust the shadow to make it more dramatic. Click Shadow Style from the Drawing toolbar again and choose Shadow Settings. On the Shadow Settings toolbar, click the middle four buttons to move the shadow. The farther away the shadow is from the object, the more visible it is, and the more dramatic it becomes. You can also click the Shadow Color drop-down list and change the color of the shadow. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Format tab, Picture Styles group, Picture Effects drop-down list> Shadow> Shadow Options, or click the dialog box launcher in the Picture Styles group to open the Format Picture dialog box, and then choose the Shadow category. There you can change the color, transparency, size, blur, angle, and distance of the shadow, for truly amazing flexibility!)

Ellen Finkelstein, is the best-selling author of How to Do Everything with PowerPoint 2007 (and previous editions for PowerPoint 2002 and PowerPoint 2003) Her award-winning Web site features loads of free tips on PowerPoint, the monthly PowerPoint Tips Newsletter, and the PowerPoint Tips Blog - http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com

Take this training course to learn how to change a slide background using a color or picture, customize the theme of your presentation, and save your customized theme for reuse in future presentations.

Free Christian Power Point Background

Every presentation should generate interest and arouse curiosity in order to keep the attention of audience and ensure that they will remember the key points of your message. However, the first thing to do is make sure you have an audience! Therefore, We you must always try to select a "catchy" title that will make people want to hear what you have got to say. We notice in many Presentations, that it was the largest crowd they'd had in ages...not because of the person making the presentation, but because the topic/title of the program sounded interesting or unique.

1. Important criteria: When selecting a title for any presentation, keep the following criteria in mind:

#Does it stress benefits, results, or action?

#Does it stress WIIFM?

#Does it reflect the theme of the presentation?

#Does it elicit drama, mystery, or controversy?

#Does it stimulate the imagination?

#Does it have a double meaning?

#Does it play off a well-known title or phrase?

#Is it easily remembered? Bottom-line...does it sound like something you don't want to miss?

2. Best Hint:

Having kept these points in mind, your vision about your presentation subject certainly helps you to create a suitable TITLE. Take hint of the headlines in a Newspaper that reflects a whole summary of the story. At the same time Newspaper headings try to attract the readers and motivate them to read the story. Same logic applies here for Presentations also to give a memorable title to the presentation.

3. Steps:

First list out few initial captions suitable for your presentation. Secondly, keep changing the titles as you get ahead with the preparation of presentation. Finally select two alternative titles that look short [few words] but convey your powerful message -one for using as main title and the other for content summary title.

4. Quick Tips:

1. Focus on three key points of your message to prepare Presentation title.

2. If you try to communicate more than three points, people will remember nothing.

3. Write down everything you remember from the last presentation on the same subject.

4. State your most important message first [ don't bury your main message ]

5. Messages that come out of your Title need to be shorter, simpler, and less complex

While finalizing your Presentation Title keep in view the following quotation:

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Suryanarayana S V - http://www.suryanarayana.com

He is by profession a Company Secretary with over 20 years of experience worked in several organizations and consultant to many corporations in India, Australia, Canada and USA. He is a self-made webmaster who creates and maintains websites thus thoroughly conversant with online transactions and IT related aspects. He has rich experience of over 33 years in making presentations in electronic media and live public presentations in training programmes, workshops, seminars, conferences, professional meetings etc., on topics ranging from Communication skills to Motivation & Mentor programmes intended for Corporate Executives, Bank Staff & Students He has been Director & lead Facilitator for workshops on "Presentation Skills" ;"Get ahead with Soft Skills" and "Career Events" being organized or partnered by http://www.editin.com

Check out this article to see how you can download new layouts for SmartArt graphics from Microsoft Office Online for free.

Microsoft Power Point Design Template