Cinemagraphs: What They Are and Why You Should Make One
The real essence of a cinemagraph is the unique blend of moving and still images.
At its most basic level a cinemagraph is usually just a GIF. Sometimes cinemagraphs come in actual .gif format, and other times they’re just cleverly disguised looping videos. But the real essence of a cinemagraph is the unique blend of moving and still images. Cinemagraphs are like the anti-timelapse, because despite movement, the scene will never change. They are the ultimate still-life for the modern age, using movement to keep our restless minds engaged, while providing the depth and often other-worldly intrigue of a moment captured in time.
Unlike the GIF, which has been looping the internet since right around the internet was “invented,” cinemagraphs have only been around since 2011. Photographers Kevin Burg and Jamie beck coined the term when they used it to animate fashion and news photography. These are created by creating multiple layers of the image and isolating certain moving elements while allowing other parts of the image to loop. It’s a tricky technique to pull off, so successful cinemagraphs are often framed very intentionally.
It makes sense that this subtle-yet-flashy image format took hold in the fashion industry, and since then it has found niche applications and gained passionate support on social networks like Reddit, Tumblr (where the gifs roam wild), and to a lesser degree as looping movies on Instagram.
Because of the amount of work involved in creating them, cinemagraphs will have a tough time catching up to the ubiquity of a normal looping GIF, but with Photoshop, a smartphone, and an hour or two you can create truly stunning images.
If the thought of shooting original content is just too daunting, you can follow in the footsteps of many redditors at r/cinemagraphs in capturing iconic moments from existing materials like film or TV.
The real reason you should try to make a cinemagraph, be it original or adapted from some other source, is because it helps you see in a new way. Our experience of the world is deeply shaped by the things we are able to take part in creating ourselves. Just as photography, parkour, or poetry might make you see the world in a new, perhaps profound way, so can the process of creating a cinemagraph. In an interview with The Washington Post, one of the original photographers who created the first cinemagraphs said:
“I’m forced to learn new things every time I create a cinemagraph. I learn how to better control things, and how to better explain what’s happening in the picture.” — Kevin Burg, as quoted in the Washington Post
The critical part is finding scenes that have an isolated element(s) of movement. Often things that spin like fans or wheels make great subjects, because there is movement, but always in the same place. The same applies for liquids and natural scenes.
If you take on this artistic quest, I’d be lying if I said I could create a tutorial better than this one from Phlearn, take at their video on YouTube below.
If you are creating a new cinemagraph for the first time, don’t make it too hard on yourself. Sometimes even simple cinemagraphs can create a mesmerizing experience.
The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.
-Bruce Lee
Plus, they look great on Medium. 😉
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