How about this latest offering from Microsoft to whet your appetite for creating photo stories.

The software is called, strangely enough, 'Photo Story' and you can download a trial version, or buy the plus version at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c96ad0d2-623e-4d92-aef3-8974af3a427c&displaylang=en

Now, I'll have to give credit to some colleagues at Wodonga TAFE who told me recently about the ease of use of this software. They have included some half-hour training vignettes for their flexible learning practitioners so they too can leave the training room with their 'digital stories of the third kind' - photo stories, created with simplicity, no fuss and a lot of fun.

Well, I just had to have a go. I proceeded to the above website, downloaded my trial copy and I had my first story done in about 10 minutes. I could add my own voiceover, recorded directly at my PC using my microphone and I could have a choice of two pieces of music to accompany the story. The software automatically gave me the transitions (the panning effect that you see in moving pictures) and allowed me to add a title page. It was just sooooo easy, I was over the moon. Here is yet another easy way for practitioners to capture a short story with just a few digital photos, some thought to the script and a little bit of time.

Have a go at this software and come back and tell us what you think!

Next I'll be talking to you about the 'digital stories of the second kind' using PhotoJam!