As someone who both appreciates and creates still photography and motion footage, I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking of the best ways they might come together. After all, we live in a world of web browsers, tablets, smart phones and moving billboards where still imagery can move and film that is still in places can make the viewer deeply reflective.
Living Photography, or Cinemagraphs, is just that; it is literally the merging of a still photograph with selective elements of motion footage. To create a great Living Photograph I actually shoot video, directing talent in a way that makes sense for the execution of the movement and the still image being used. It’s a fun process that has its own special requirements to make it work.
The effect of Living Photography is not only surprising and unexpected, but from a marketing perspective it is effective – Living Photography is clicked 60 to 80% more often than a still photograph.
I believe this melding of still photography and motion footage is the future of imagery – which makes me excited about creating it. Please let me know what you think of these examples of Living Photography. – Michael
Recent work for Panasonic Avionics