The Photopia Blog
Tips, tutorials & inspiration for making slideshows
FEBRUARY 17, By Photopia
Choosing the Best Fonts for Your Show
Fonts can set the tone for your entire slideshow. The right typeface can strengthen your show, while the wrong one can distract from it, no matter how beautiful your images are.
Learn more about choosing the best fonts for your show in today’s blog.
Expanding Your Font Collection
Having a variety of fonts makes it easy to choose the right look for your show. Photopia uses the fonts that are installed on your computer, so you can easily add more options. To do this, close Photopia, install the new font on your system, and then reopen the program. The new font will appear in your font list and be ready to use.
Here are some of our favorite font websites:
Using the same font throughout your slideshow or mixing too many fonts can hurt its impact. For a strong visual impact, choose two or three contrasting fonts. Use one decorative font to add personality and a simple font for better clarity.
Be sure to prioritize readability. If viewers have to work to read it, the font isn’t helping your story. Once you choose your fonts, stick with them throughout your show.
After choosing one or two fonts, use the Font Browser to access them easily by adding them to your favorites or by selecting the “Used in Show” category after they have been applied to the initial slides.
Here are some tried-and-true guidelines for choosing fonts for shows in the following themes.
Memorial Slideshows:
A memorial slideshow should feel warm, sincere, and easy to read. Fonts that are overly decorative or trendy can feel out of place.
What works well:
- Classic serif fonts (elegant and traditional)
- Soft script fonts (used sparingly for names or quotes)
- Clean sans-serif fonts for body text
This example uses Alex Brush for the name and Tahoma (pre-installed on all computers) for the dates. The Slide Style is included in the Lily Memorial Effect Pack.
Tips:
- Keep it simple. Let the photos carry the emotion.
- Use script fonts mainly for names or short phrases, not for full paragraphs.
Wedding Slideshows:
Wedding slideshows give you a little more freedom to add style and personality.
What works well:
- Flowing script fonts paired with clean sans-serifs
- High-contrast serif fonts for a modern, elegant feel
- Light-weight fonts with generous spacing
This example uses Bromello for the main text and Montserrat for the subtext. This Slide Style is included in the Wedding Floral Effect Pack.
Tips:
- Pair one decorative font with one simple font.
- Make sure script fonts remain readable over light or textured backgrounds.
Family or Vacation Slideshows:
For casual or upbeat slideshows, your fonts can reflect personality and energy.
What works well:
- Handwritten-style fonts
- Rounded sans-serif fonts
This example uses Rage Italic for the main title, Barlow Condensed Light for the subtitle, and Times New Roman (pre-installed on all computers) for the description text. This Slide Style is included in the Travel Log Effect Pack.
Tips:
- Keep body text simple, even if titles are playful.
- Match the font mood to the music style.
If your slideshow feels joyful and light, your typography should too.
School, Sports, or Event Slideshows:
These slideshows often need to feel dynamic and strong.
What works well:
- Condensed or bold sans-serif fonts
- Athletic-style display fonts for titles
- All caps (used carefully) for emphasis
This example uses the Permanent Marker font, which is all caps.
Tips:
- Make sure text stands out against busy backgrounds.
- Keep readability in mind for large screens.
Energy is great. Chaos is not.
Fonts are part of your storytelling toolkit. Just like transitions, music, and pacing, they influence how your audience feels.
Before finalizing your slideshow, step back and ask:
- Does this font match the tone of the story?
- Is it easy to read on every slide?
- Does it support the images, or distract from them?
When your typography aligns with your message, everything feels more polished and intentional.
