20 Stunning Cinemagraph Examples + How-To Tutorials

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

The concept of “cinemagraph” was invented by U.S. photographers Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck. In the early 2011s, these two used the technique to animate their fashion photos. After this, dozens of photographers have found the technique very attractive.

Cinemagraphs are sleek photos which have been described as amped-up versions of GIFs. Similar to most GIF animations, a cinemagraph is the result of a still photo with a few elements moving on. Basically, while part of the image moves in a subtle, seamless loop, the rest of the image remains still. It may not sound very spectacular, but what makes cinemagraph unique is that it brings back to life some part of the photo, thus making the entire photo more realistic and intriguing.

Although it may seem obvious, an outstanding cinemagraph needs to be well thought out. If you really want to make a cinemagraph that captivates and fascinates your audience, you need to make sure you have a plan in place before you start.

So, in order to create a cinemagraph, you need a high-quality picture that looks amazing as a still photo. For this, you must record a video in the highest resolution that your video camera supports. A useful tip is to utilize a tripod to minimize camera shake. Once you did this, it’s time to make the cinemagraph with the help of professional tools like Photoshop (see the tutorials below the cinemagraphs to learn more).

Cinemagraphs have rapidly become omnipresent on social media. Nowadays, brands need to pay attention to cinemagraphs for visual storytelling, because every image has the visual hit and immediacy of a video, without the impediment of a play button. The use of cinemagraphs by brands has grown as social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram and improved their reach and engagement. This has encouraged brands to use cinemagraphs in more natural and integrated ways that help them reach more and more consumers.

Moreover, researchers show that cinemagraph content is more likely to have boosted virality with 70% higher organic reach than photographs without movement. However, cinemagraphs are not suited for all kind of brands.

Not only photographers and brands find cinemagraphs intriguing, we do too! That’s why, in this article, we’ve gathered 20 stunning cinemagraph examples. Moreover, we selected 3 amazing tutorials for your enjoyment and inspiration. Browse through our cool collection, get inspired and create your own mind-blowing cinemagraph!

Don’t forget to let us know what you think about our list. Enjoy!