What is a Ken Burns video?
It's a slideshow where each photo moves slowly.
The picture zooms in, zooms out, or pans across, and soft fades join one photo to the next. It feels calm, like a documentary.
Step 1: Pick your best photos. Remove blurry photos and ones that look almost the same. Keep a mix of wide shots and close-ups.
Step 2: Put them in order. Tell a little story. Start wide, move in closer to the details, and end with a calm, wide shot.
Step 3: Add slow movement. Give each photo 5 to 7 seconds. Zoom slowly, and change direction from photo to photo.
Step 4: Add fades. Use a soft 1 to 2 second crossfade between photos. Fade in from black at the start and out to black at the end.
Step 5: Bring a photo to life. Show a still photo, then fade it into a video clip of the same spot.
Step 6: Add gentle sound. Birds, wind, or soft music work well. Keep it quiet, but make sure people can hear it.
Step 7: Add a title and your name. Put a title card at the start and your business name at the end.
Step 8: Save and share. Post the full video on YouTube and your website, and make a 30-second tall version for Reels and Shorts.
Want one made for you?
Real Wisconsin Website Design makes videos like this for small businesses and nonprofits in Green Bay and across Wisconsin.