How to turn photos into a video with captions
Photos to finished story video in five steps: import, pace, caption, style, export.
A captioned photo video is the most portable story format there is — it works muted in a feed, narrated on YouTube, and vertical in Stories. The workflow in Motion Text is built around one idea: the timeline is the story, and photos and words are just layers on it.
You need photos, optionally an audio track, and fifteen minutes.
Import your photos in order
Select all your images at once; each becomes a five-second scene, in order, on the timeline. Reorder scenes anytime — durations retime automatically.
Add audio and set the pace
Import music or narration. Match the project duration to the track, then drag scene edges so photo changes land on beats or sentence breaks.
Write the captions
Add a text layer per moment, or import existing SRT/VTT subtitles. With Pro, narration is transcribed into word-timed captions automatically.
Give it motion and a look
Set a gentle Ken Burns move on each photo, pick crossfade transitions, and apply one visual preset so color, grain, and typography match end to end.
Export everywhere
Export the MP4 in the browser, then create 9:16 and 1:1 variants in one click — each an independent, editable project.
Questions
How long should each photo stay on screen?
Three to five seconds with a caption, two to three without. If a caption takes longer to read, the photo stays — the timeline makes that a drag, not a setting hunt.
Can I mix photos and generated backgrounds?
Yes. Generated scenes behave exactly like photo scenes: same timing, motion, and transitions.
What if my photos are different shapes?
Per-scene fit (cover or contain) plus a focal point control decide how each image sits in the frame — no manual cropping needed.