Then I open Lightroom, highlight a few "test" images in the Filmstrip, go to the Slideshow Module, and drag the background image from the desktop onto the slide area in the main workspace. It automatically takes the place of whatever current background is showing. Whatever image is currently selected in the filmstrip is automatically there in front of the background. Chances are, you'll have to re-position it to fit your background design. Go to the Layout panel in the Slideshow module and fiddle with the sliders until your image is sized and positioned for your layout.

Note that in the example above, I have a title for the show. That was placed there as an Identity Plate Overlay so that it stays the same for every slide and doesn't need to be moved or edited for individual slides. I don't need the Identity Plate for my own logo, because it's already a part of the background. This also saves me from having to enter Metadata for individual slides that might have to be changed later.

The rest of the text was made by clicking the ABC button in the Slideshow Toolbar, then clicking the tiny (and nearly impossible to find) up/down arrowhead icon immediately preceding the Custom Text field that appears. What you get is the dialog shown below. It lets you add the text from virtually any metadata field you might consider to be useful to the audience for the slideshow. In this case, I've kept it simple in the interest of wanting to keep the focus on the photo. So I've included only the Caption and the original filename (notice that I've kept it small and out-of-the way, but not hard to find).

You will probably want to re-size and reposition the text, once it appears. Nothing could be easier. Just click on it and a scaling marquee appears around it. Drag the handles to re-scale it any way you like. If you highlight the words, you can also change the font or any of its characteristics. If you place your cursor in the center of the text, it turns into a clenched fist and you can drag the type to any position you like. Even slicker: You'll automatically see how your text is justified or centered.

By the way, I should mention that a slide-show is a great way to make a presentation for just about any type of assignment you want to solicit. Every once in a while, I realize that I have a 'theme' in my collection of photos. So I make one of the special backgrounds mentioned above (and make sure to keep it very neutral and professional so that it's not competing with the photos for attention), write a form letter to editors of magazines, calendars, or what-have-you that might be interested in this or a similar story, put the slide show together, then burn it to a printable CD. I use some "theme" from the image collection as a background and title the slide show with the theme and my contact information. Then I put the CDs into a thin, clear plastic box that has a color insert, also made in Photoshop, that is the "pitch". BTW, Epson makes some very inexpensive desktop printers that can print right onto a CD and they're also great for printing the inserts. In case you haven't noticed, most of the contemporary CD/DVD burning utilities that are around today, such as Roxio's and NTI's, will provide a layout for a small or large CD/DVD case and provide space for a title, date, and a photo. You can include photos on those pages, though. So what you can do is create a layout in Photoshop that has on the text and picture information that you want to use for promotional purposes. Then you just insert that file as a photo.