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Photo Sharing

Automatically display your favorite family photos from Google Photos on displays throughout your home. Turn any screen into a beautiful digital photo frame.

Overview​

FamilyCast's photo sharing feature connects to Google Photos and displays albums as beautiful slideshows on your family displays. Perfect for reliving memories and keeping family close.

Key Features:

  • Sync Google Photos albums automatically
  • Customizable slideshow transitions
  • Multiple albums per display
  • Photo rotation and shuffle
  • Timeframe filtering (recent photos only)
  • Facial recognition album support
  • Safe photo filtering

Connecting Google Photos​

Initial Setup​

  1. Go to Integrations → Google Photos
  2. Click Connect Google Photos
  3. Sign in to your Google account
  4. Select albums to sync
  5. Click Allow Access

What Syncs:

  • Album photos (not all photos)
  • Album names and dates
  • Photo metadata
  • Recent uploads automatically

Privacy: Only selected albums sync, not your entire Google Photos library.

Selecting Albums​

Family Albums:

  • "Family Favorites"
  • "Year 2024"
  • "Vacation Memories"
  • "Kids Growing Up"

Event Albums:

  • "Christmas 2024"
  • "Emma's Birthday"
  • "Beach Trip"
  • "School Year"

People Albums:

  • Google Photos creates albums by person
  • "Emma" album
  • "Grandparents" album
  • Auto-populated as you tag photos

Best Practice: Create a dedicated "FamilyCast" album in Google Photos specifically for display content.

Photo Display Options​

Slideshow Settings​

Transition Style:

  • Fade (smooth, professional)
  • Slide (dynamic movement)
  • Zoom (Ken Burns effect)
  • Instant (no transition)

Duration Per Photo:

  • 5 seconds (quick rotation)
  • 10 seconds (recommended)
  • 15 seconds (leisurely pace)
  • 30 seconds (slow, meditative)
  • Custom timing

Shuffle:

  • Random order (keeps it fresh)
  • Chronological (oldest to newest)
  • Reverse chronological (newest first)
  • Album order (as organized in Google Photos)

Photo Filters​

Timeframe:

  • Last week
  • Last month
  • Last 3 months
  • Last year
  • All time
  • Custom date range

Orientation:

  • All photos
  • Landscape only (better for horizontal displays)
  • Portrait only (better for vertical displays)
  • Auto-crop to fit

Quality:

  • High resolution (original quality)
  • Medium (faster loading)
  • Low (for slow connections)

Display Layouts​

Photo-Only Display​

100% Photos:

  • Full-screen slideshow
  • Immersive experience
  • Perfect for living room or hallway
  • Like a digital photo frame

Example Use: Living room TV displaying family memories

Photo + Calendar​

70% Photos / 30% Calendar:

  • Large photo slideshow
  • Small calendar in corner
  • Best of both worlds
  • Kitchen display favorite

60% Photos / 40% Info:

  • Photo slideshow main focus
  • Calendar, weather, messages sidebar
  • Information hub with visual appeal

Multiple Photo Areas​

Split-Screen:

  • Current family photos (left)
  • Throwback photos (right)
  • "Then and Now" layout
  • Great for reminiscing

Rotating Albums:

  • Album 1: Family photos (2 min)
  • Album 2: Vacation photos (2 min)
  • Album 3: Kids' photos (2 min)
  • Cycles through different albums

Album Management​

Creating Display Albums​

In Google Photos:

  1. Open Google Photos app
  2. Go to Albums
  3. Create new album: "FamilyCast - Living Room"
  4. Add 50-100 photos
  5. Update monthly

Album Naming:

  • "FamilyCast - Kitchen" (location-specific)
  • "FamilyCast - Kids Safe" (appropriate for kids' displays)
  • "FamilyCast - Recent" (last 3 months only)
  • "FamilyCast - Favorites" (best photos)

Curating Content​

Photo Selection Tips:

  • Mix of people and places
  • Variety of events and everyday moments
  • Avoid duplicate similar photos
  • Remove blurry or bad photos
  • Include extended family
  • Balance old and new memories

How Many Photos:

  • Minimum: 20-30 (won't feel repetitive daily)
  • Recommended: 50-100 (good variety)
  • Maximum: 500+ (lots of variety, slower sync)

Update Frequency:

  • Monthly: Add new favorites
  • Quarterly: Remove outdated photos
  • Annually: Refresh entire album
  • Event-based: Add vacation photos immediately

Multiple Albums​

Use Different Albums For:

  • Living room: All family photos
  • Kitchen: Recent 3 months + calendar
  • Kids' rooms: Individual child's photos only
  • Guest bathroom: Landscape/travel photos (no people)
  • Office: Motivational family photos

Album Rotation:

  • Summer album (June-August)
  • School year album (Sept-May)
  • Holiday album (Nov-Dec)
  • Automatically switch by date

Kid-Safe Photo Sharing​

Safe Albums for Kids' Displays​

Content Guidelines:

  • G-rated photos only
  • No embarrassing photos
  • Age-appropriate content
  • Individual child's photos
  • Family activities

Kid's Album Examples:

  • "Emma's Highlights" - her activities, friends, achievements
  • "Family Fun" - everyone together, appropriate for all ages
  • "Nature & Animals" - pets, zoo visits, outdoor adventures

Privacy Controls​

Exclude:

  • Work events
  • Adult-only gatherings
  • Private family moments
  • Photos with non-family members (privacy)
  • Sensitive content

Safe Mode:

  • Enable in display settings
  • Filters questionable content
  • Family-friendly only
  • Parent-approved albums

Advanced Features​

Facial Recognition​

Google Photos creates albums by person:

Setup:

  1. Tag faces in Google Photos
  2. Google creates person albums automatically
  3. Select person albums in FamilyCast
  4. Display shows only that person

Use Cases:

  • Grandma's display: Grandkids' photos only
  • Individual kid displays: Photos they're in
  • Parent's office: Whole family photos
  • Living room: Everyone included

Live Photos & Videos​

If Supported:

  • Live Photos from iPhone (short animations)
  • Short video clips (5-15 seconds)
  • Adds movement to slideshow
  • More engaging than static photos

Settings:

  • Enable/disable video clips
  • Max video length
  • Sound on/off (usually off for displays)

Shared Albums​

Collaborative Albums:

  • Multiple family members can add photos
  • Grandparents add photos remotely
  • Kids add favorite moments (supervised)
  • Everyone contributes to family album

Setup:

  1. Create shared album in Google Photos
  2. Invite family members
  3. Everyone adds photos
  4. Album syncs to FamilyCast automatically

Troubleshooting​

Photos Not Showing​

Check:

  1. Google Photos integration connected
  2. Album selected in layout
  3. Album has photos (minimum 1)
  4. Display is online

Solutions:

  • Reconnect Google Photos integration
  • Verify album selection
  • Add photos to album
  • Refresh display

Photos Not Updating​

Sync Frequency:

  • FamilyCast syncs every 6 hours
  • New photos appear within 6 hours
  • Force sync: Disconnect and reconnect

Manual Refresh:

  1. Go to Integrations → Google Photos
  2. Click "Sync Now"
  3. Wait 2-5 minutes
  4. Check display

Wrong Photos Showing​

Issue: Photos from wrong album or old photos

Solutions:

  • Verify correct album selected in layout
  • Check album filters (timeframe, etc.)
  • Remove unwanted photos from Google Photos album
  • Clear display cache and refresh

Photos Too Slow​

Performance:

  • High-res photos load slowly
  • Reduce quality setting
  • Use smaller albums
  • Check internet speed

Best Practices​

Photo Quality​

Resolution:

  • 1920x1080 (Full HD) ideal for most displays
  • 4K photos work but load slower
  • Don't use tiny phone screenshots
  • Google Photos optimizes automatically

Orientation:

  • Landscape (horizontal) for most displays
  • Portrait (vertical) for portrait-mounted tablets
  • Mix both if display rotates

Lighting:

  • Bright, clear photos work best
  • Avoid very dark photos
  • Good color and contrast
  • Professional or high-quality phone photos

Display Placement​

Living Room Photo Display:

  • Large screen (TV or large tablet)
  • Visible from couch
  • Conversation piece
  • Update monthly with latest

Kitchen Display:

  • Photos + calendar combination
  • Recent photos keep it current
  • Family sees while cooking/eating
  • Update every few weeks

Hallway/Entryway:

  • Photo-only display
  • Greeting as family comes/goes
  • Mix of old and new memories
  • "Memory lane" feeling

Bedroom Displays:

  • Individual child's photos
  • Calming, positive images
  • Nighttime-appropriate
  • Personal connection

Album Strategy​

Start Simple:

  • One album with 50 best photos
  • Use on all displays initially
  • Get comfortable with system
  • Expand to multiple albums later

Seasonal Rotation:

  • Spring: Outdoor activities, flowers
  • Summer: Vacations, pool, beach
  • Fall: Back to school, autumn colors
  • Winter: Holidays, snow, cozy indoor

Memory Themes:

  • "This Month Last Year" album
  • "Throwback Thursdays" (old photos)
  • "New Memories" (recent month)
  • "All-Time Favorites" (best ever)

Integration with Other Features​

Combined Displays​

Photos + Calendar:

  • 70% photo slideshow
  • 30% family calendar
  • Most popular combination
  • Information + memories

Photos + Messages:

  • Photos as background
  • Messages overlay
  • Love notes over family photos
  • Meaningful combination

Photos + Weather:

  • Full-screen photos
  • Weather widget in corner
  • Practical + beautiful
  • Entryway display favorite

Calendar-Triggered Albums​

Event-Based:

  • Soccer game day → Sports photos album
  • Christmas → Holiday photos album
  • Birthday → Birthday person's album
  • Vacation → Recent vacation photos

Time-Based:

  • Morning: Energizing photos (outdoors, activities)
  • Evening: Calm photos (sunsets, peaceful)
  • Weekend: Family fun photos
  • Weekday: Motivational photos

Tips for Success​

Start Small:

  • One album, 50 photos
  • One display (living room)
  • Simple slideshow settings
  • Expand after success

Involve Family:

  • Kids help pick photos
  • Everyone adds favorites
  • Collaborative family album
  • Shared ownership

Keep It Fresh:

  • Add new photos monthly
  • Remove outdated/seasonal photos
  • Rotate albums by season
  • Surprise family with new additions

Make It Special:

  • Include everyone (not just kids)
  • Mix events with everyday moments
  • Include extended family
  • Tell your family's story

Next Steps​

Enhance Photo Displays:

Integrations:

Family Management:

Questions? Contact [email protected] or check Common Issues