How to Create a Cinemagraph A cinemagraph is a hypnotic, innovating and mesmerising piece of art that seamlessly combines a still image with a looped video by clever use of masking layers. Cinemagraphs are ultimately still a photograph but with small areas that are replaced by a matching video clip. When blended correctly, they create a pattern of repeated motion within the photograph to give the effect of an action stuck in an eternal loop. Creating one of these never-ending clips is fairly straightforward but it does require a little bit of planning and thought. Therefore, there are certain compositions and structures that you will need to adhere to. Plan Your Cinemagraph To begin with, you will need to start off with a short video clip to form the base of the action in the cinemagraph. Although this may sound easy enough, as you can see from the example on the left-hand side, the action needs to be subtle and repeatable. Fast, erratic action will be inconsistent and tricky to loop. We would recommend avoiding busy surroundings behind the subject since it’s going to be difficult to mask out afterwards. Working in a controlled environment is best – which is why this is such a great technique to try at home! Here are a few ideas we’ve put together to inspire your cinemagraph; Stirring a spoon in a cup of coffee Ferris Wheel spinning Waving Pouring water in a glass Candle burning A dripping tap Blinking Eyes Throwing a Yo-Yo Tapping a keyboard Top Tip – Try to avoid making blowing hair as your moving feature. Hair is so...
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.AcceptRead more
