How can I get my pictures off a cd?

The problem is you were given a CD slideshow of your images, not the high resolution CD negatives (originals). This is something that you really have to be careful with when selecting a photographer. We always give a CD of the negatives free of charge to our clients and make sure they understand the difference when comparing our competitors who often offer a CD slideshow such as the one you were given. My only suggestions is to contact the photographer and try to buy the negatives from them. It will probably cost you an extra few hundred bucks. For some other tips on picking photographers in the future, check out the page on our blog about 5 things to consider to make sure you hire the right photographer. Good luck!