Frame layout of list changes in beamer depending on figure

Question

I have a beamer frame divided in two columns. The left column contains a bullet list in which the items appear one by one (with \begin{itemize}[<+->]). The right column contains pictures of various aspect ratios which change with the items (using \only<x>{...}).

My problem is that the layout of the bullet list of the left column changes depending on the aspect ratio of the picture on the right column, which is distracting when playing the presentation.

Here is a minimal example:

\documentclass[draft]{beamer}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Test}
  \begin{columns}
    \begin{column}{0.6\textwidth}
      \begin{itemize}[<+->]
        \item Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me
        \item I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed
        \item She was looking kinda dumb with her finger and her thumb
        \item In the shape of an L her forehead
      \end{itemize}
    \end{column}
    \begin{column}{0.4\textwidth}
      \only<1>{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=1.5\linewidth]{fig1.png}}
      \only<2-3>{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=\linewidth]{fig2.png}}
      \only<4>{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=1.5\linewidth]{fig1.png}}
     \end{column}
   \end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

As you can see on the result, the text is not aligned from one subframe to another depending on the aspect ratio of the image.

Is there a way to make the text layout on the left independent of the right side ?

Answer 1

overlayarea is your friend:

\documentclass[draft]{beamer}
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Test}
  \begin{columns}
    \begin{column}{0.6\textwidth}
      \begin{itemize}[<+->]
        \item Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me
        \item I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed
        \item She was looking kinda dumb with her finger and her thumb
        \item In the shape of an L her forehead
      \end{itemize}
    \end{column}
    \begin{column}{0.4\textwidth}
        \begin{overlayarea}{\linewidth}{1.5\linewidth}%
            \includegraphics<1>[width=\linewidth,height=1.5\linewidth]{fig1.png}%
            \includegraphics<2-3>[width=\linewidth,height=\linewidth]{fig2.png}%
            \includegraphics<4>[width=\linewidth,height=1.5\linewidth]{fig1.png}%
        \end{overlayarea}
     \end{column}
   \end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Btw: you don't need \usepackage{graphicx} with beamer