Beamer columns with multiple same slides

Question

In beamer, I come across a little problem with the columns environment. In one slide, I always put picture on the left and text on the right. The problem is, when this slide is shown at first, the picture shows twice, i.e. two same slide. Then the text is shown fine. I understand this is not a big issue, but I am wondering is there any solution to get rid of the first one? In other words, when the slide is shown, left column appears and then right column..., not left column appears TWICE.

Apologies for my bad English. Here is a MWE:

%% Test columns
\begin{frame}\frametitle{Test frame}
    \begin{columns}
    \column{.5\textwidth}
        A figure
    \column{.5\textwidth}
        \begin{itemize}
            \item Item 1
            \item Item 2
        \end{itemize}
      \end{columns}
\end{frame}

Answer 1

You can use \uncover<>{} to specify on which slides its contents will be shown. In you case, one for the first slide and other for the second.

\begin{frame}\frametitle{Test frame}
\begin{columns}
\uncover<1>{%
   \column{.5\textwidth}A figure
}
\uncover<2>{%
   \column{.5\textwidth}
        \begin{itemize}
            \item Item 1
            \item Item 2
        \end{itemize}
}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

If you want to show the first slide and after keep it and show the second, then use \uncover<1,2> instead of \uncover<1>.