PhotoGraphic Specialties is a 35mm slide service bureau which creates sharp, brilliant 35mm slides from Powerpoint 2002(XP), 2000, 97 (8.0) 7.0, and 4.0 for use in business, personal, scientific, medical, and educational presentations. We accept Powerpoint .ppt files from either a PC or a Mac. You should let us know which version of Powerpoint you used to create your presentation, as we prefer to open it in the same version if possible. If you have to compress a Mac file, you should use Stuffit (from Aladdin Systems) to produce a .sit file instead of a .zip file, and then follow the instructions on the How to Order page.) Same-day and overnight delivery service is available.
When you begin making your slides, go to the drop-down menu in the upper left of your screen; choose "File," then "Page Setup" (or "Slide Setup)." Set "Slides sized for 35mm slides" and "Landscape Orientation." Do not use the default, which is always "on screen show."
If you use a different size page, you get 35mm slides which have black areas on two sides, unless you ask us to correct them for you. If you create your presentation for an On-screen Show, and then later change the shape to 35mm Slide, you must go back and look at the placement of the text and the line breaks on each image, as Powerpoint will make some changes automatically, and you may not like all of them.
When you insert an object (such as a chart or table) from another program in Powerpoint slides, you should right-click it and choose "grouping", then the "ungroup" command to be sure they image correctly on our system.
Some service bureaus tell you that using the "semi-transparency" feature does not work. Our response is - send your slide imaging order to PhotoGraphic Specialties - we have no problem with transparency. Some service bureaus tell you that the marble-look backgrounds image with a visible grid design superimposed over them. Well, as we just said, send your slide imaging order to PhotoGraphic Specialties - we image the backgrounds correctly.
If you have made some hidden slides, please tell us whether you want them printed or not. If we find them, we will print them unless told otherwise.
When you save your file, go to the drop-down menu in the upper left of your screen; choose "File," then "Save As." Under the "Tools" drop-down menu, choose "Embed True Type Fonts."
If you get a message that some fonts cannot be saved because they are "Not Installed," you may or may not have a type problem. To be safe, go to "Replace Fonts" (under the "Format" drop-down menu in Powerpoint 2000 or 97, or under the "Tools" drop-down menu in earlier versions) and replace the fonts which are supposedly not installed. Also note that some type designers do not want you to be able to embed their fonts and make it impossible for you to do so, but make the attempt. We have installed on our machine all the fonts which came with all of these versions of Powerpoint as well as with Windows 3.1, Windows95, and Windows98.
If you adjust the standard blue background colors of a Powerpoint template to be closer to the pink or red area of the color chart, you may find that your monitor does not show an accurate portrayal of the color you have chosen. The color on slides and prints will probably be much more purple than your monitor is adjusted to show. Print a sample onto paper if you have a color printer, and you will see exactly what we mean. The color is acceptable as a background but may surprise you! To see exactly what your colors will look like on a slide, ask us to send you our free Powerpoint color chart slide shown below:
We have created some free Powerpoint Presentation Templates for you to download and use, and we have some low-cost templates for sale.
Photographic Specialties is no longer producing slides and transparencies. I have been self-employed for 35 years, but looking forward to retirement since my wife died five years ago. With the decline of conventional photography and the recent recession, the availability of film and chemicals as well as the volume of work has declined to such an extent that it is no longer possible to have fresh chemicals to develop film. I hope that if you still need conventional slides and transparencies, you will be able to find someone who can produce them for you. Thank you for your orders over the years.
