How to Do a Cinemagraph – Step By Step Guide

Cinemagraphs are, no doubt, awesome! We all like them, don’t we? But how exactly do you create something that look almost like a still image but still has an eye-catching motion?

Worry not. In the following few lines, we’ll teach you everything you need to know on how to make cinemagraph.

What is a Cinemagraph?

Simply put, a cinemagraph is a cross-breed of still images and videos. Some pundits often refer to it as a “living moment in a still photograph.” Put otherwise, this is a picture that has some of its parts moving and others remaining still.

How to Do a Cinemagraph

Planning Ahead for Cinemagraph

The best way to make a cinemagraph is by thinking through the footage even before you create it. So, you want to think about the scene first before your proceed.

For instance, you can think of stuff like a burning candle, a bottle of champagne, a cup of coffee with steam rising from it- and so forth.

Get the Shot for Cinemagraph

The good news is that you don’t need any advanced equipment to get an ideal shot. You can even use a smartphone for this, provided it has a good camera.

It’s important to have a tripod for this shot. That’s because you want the image to be as still as possible.

Cinemagraph Editing

This is where the fun starts. The best tool for the job is none other than Photoshop. That’s because the plan here is to create a GIF file.

• Import the images you shot into Photoshop
• Identify and choose a 3 to 10 second sequence that fits within your style (delete the rest)
• Create an autoloop transition
• Be sure to duplicate the clip layer to create 2 different clips
• Position Clip 2 such that it starts when clip 1 ends
• Be sure to extend Clip 2’s images so to starts at about the middle of Clip 1
• Adjust Clip 1’s opacity from 100% to 0% from the start to the end
• Go ahead, and select an ideal fram for the video you want to create (create it as a static top layer using Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E shortcut)
• Create a mask covering the area where you’d like to keep the motion (use a black brush for this)
• Proceed to export your design by following these steps: File>Export>Save for Web (256 colors, Forever Looping, Diffusion 100%, Selective format)

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Your Cinemagraph is read! It’s time to go ahead and share it with the world. You can do so through social media or even on your website. All the best.