How to prepare old photos for a funeral or memorial slideshow
How many photos you actually need
A typical funeral slideshow runs 5 to 8 minutes, which works out to roughly 60 to 80 photos at 4 to 5 seconds each. For a longer celebration of life, 12 to 15 minutes is a common length, which needs closer to 200 photos at about 4 seconds each. Knowing the target count up front makes it much easier to gather enough photos without scrambling at the last minute.
Working on a tight timeline
A funeral is frequently arranged within days, so there is rarely time to carefully restore every photo in the collection. The practical order is to scan or photograph everything first at a decent resolution, build the photo list and rough order, and only then decide which specific images are worth the extra time to repair.
Which photos are worth restoring
Prioritize the photos that will carry the most weight on screen: a signature portrait, a wedding or milestone photo, and any image that is faded, torn or low-resolution enough to look unclear once it fills a projector screen. A photo that looks fine on a phone can still look washed out or blurry blown up in a slideshow, which is exactly where a quick AI restoration turnaround is useful on a same-week timeline.
You do not have to erase every trace of age
Some families intentionally leave light wear, a soft crease, a faded corner, untouched, since it reflects the photo's history rather than detracting from it. The better rule is to restore what is genuinely hard to see clearly, heavy fading, tears, water stains or blur, and leave the rest as it is.
Scanning and gathering photos from relatives
Ask family members to send their own copies rather than relying on a single album, since duplicates from different relatives often turn out to be in better physical condition. A smartphone scanning app can photograph a print flat and correct the angle automatically, which is fast enough to gather a large batch in a single afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos does a memorial slideshow need?
A standard 5 to 8 minute funeral video runs about 60 to 80 photos at 4 to 5 seconds each. A longer 12 to 15 minute celebration of life typically needs closer to 200 photos shown for about 4 seconds each.
Is there time to restore photos before a funeral?
Usually yes for a small number of key photos. A funeral is often planned within days, so the practical approach is scanning everything quickly, then restoring only the handful of faded or damaged photos that will be shown largest or used as the opening and closing images.
Which photos are worth restoring for a slideshow?
Prioritize the photos most likely to be shown full-screen or used as key images, such as a signature portrait, milestone moments, and any photo that is faded or damaged enough to look unclear from across a room.
Should every scratch and mark be removed before the service?
Not necessarily. Some families prefer to leave light wear untouched since it reflects the photo's age and history, and only restore the images that are hard to see clearly, such as heavily faded, torn, or badly damaged prints.