I selected my photos, put in the transitions; that all works, but the slideshow is ...boring...with a black background. Can I put in watermarked images or color or a video???
You can certainly use images or color or a video as a background to your slideshow as long as you use Timeline mode.. All you have to remember is that Magix products "read" from the lower track on the timeline upwards; IOW, you place your background "image" on Track 1 (the "highest" on the workscreen/Timeline view) and your main slideshow images on Track 2.