A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium for performing content based transitions between images. Image content within each image of a set of images are analyzed to determine at least one respective characteristic metric for each image. A respective transition score for each pair of at least a subset of the images is determined with respect to each transition effect of a plurality of transition effects based on the at least one respective characteristic metric for each image. Transition effects implementing transitions between successive images for a sequence of the images are determined based on the transition scores. An indication of the determined transition effects is stored. The determined transition effects are useable to present the images in a slideshow or other image sequence presentation.