Choose the right presentation mode (mosaic, slideshow, ambient, magazine)

Fotowall ships four presentation modes. The mode determines how photos appear on screen — not which photos appear (that’s moderation) or how guests upload (that’s the same QR for all modes).

This guide is opinionated. We’ve watched a lot of walls run a lot of nights, and the wrong mode in the wrong room is the single most common avoidable mistake.

The four modes at a glance

Mosaic

A grid of recent photos, refreshing as new ones land. Configurable cell count (12 to 60). New photos pop in with a quick scale animation; old photos slide out.

Use it when:

• You have 100+ guests and want to communicate scale.
• The wall is the centerpiece — the screen is large and visible to the whole room.
• Energy is the point — fundraisers, festivals, dance floors.

Don’t use it when:

• The screen is small (under 50”) and guests can’t read individual photos.
• The room is quiet and contemplative — mosaic feels frantic at a chamber music dinner.
• The venue device can’t keep up at 4K density (see 4K displays and projectors).

Slideshow

One photo at a time, fading between. Configurable interval (3 to 30 seconds). Optionally shows the uploader’s name beneath the photo.

Use it when:

• You want each photo to land emotionally — weddings, anniversaries, retirements.
• The audience is seated and the wall is a “look up between courses” element.
• You’re worried about photo quality — slideshow forgives a single weak photo in a way mosaic doesn’t.

Don’t use it when:

• You’re getting hundreds of photos per hour — slideshow can’t keep up, and most photos never get screen time.
• The wall is in a hallway people walk past.

Ambient

A slow Ken Burns-style pan across recent photos in a soft mosaic. Photos drift; the eye relaxes. Configurable pan duration (30 seconds to 2 minutes per cycle).

Use it when:

• Cocktail hour or a lobby backdrop. The wall should feel alive but not demanding.
• The screen is behind a step-and-repeat or a stage where it shouldn’t compete for attention.
• You want guests to glance, smile, look away — not stop and watch.

Don’t use it when:

• You want the wall to be the focus.
• The screen is small — ambient at 1080p on a 32” screen looks like a slow PowerPoint.

Magazine

A hero photo (large) plus 4-8 supporting tiles arranged in an editorial layout. The hero rotates every 30-60 seconds; tiles refresh independently. Sponsor logos can be anchored as part of the layout.

Use it when:

• Corporate events, award nights, or any event with a clear “moment of the day.”
• You have a designer’s eye on the night and want the wall to look like an editorial spread.
• Sponsors are paying for placement and you need anchored real estate.

Don’t use it when:

• You’re getting under 10 photos an hour — magazine looks empty.
• The audience expects rapid-fire energy — magazine is too deliberate.

Mode-by-event-type shortlist

If you don’t want to think about it:

• Wedding reception → Slideshow at 8 seconds, uploader names on.
• Gala fundraiser → Mosaic at 40 cells, sponsor logos rotating.
• Festival or block party → Mosaic at 60 cells, auto-approve moderation.
• Corporate offsite → Magazine for the keynote, Mosaic for the after-party.
• Conference → Ambient in the lobby, Magazine in the main hall.
• Birthday party → Slideshow at 10 seconds for under 50 guests; Mosaic at 24 for over 50.
• Cocktail reception → Ambient on the bar wall, Mosaic on the main screen.

Switching mid-event

You can switch any time from the Wall settings → Layout tab. The wall transitions over about 3 seconds. Photos already approved are preserved; the new mode just rearranges them.

The one exception: switching from Slideshow to Mosaic at 60 cells means you’ll briefly show stale photos that hadn’t gotten screen time. This is fine for most events but worth knowing.

What to do next

• Customize your template for the look-and-feel layer above the mode.
• Configure mode-specific options — cell count, transition speed, etc.
• Use 4K displays and projectors for the right hardware mapping.