A few weeks ago I got to teach a workshop on making cinemagraphs. In college, I began incorporating motion work into my work and I found that cinemagraphs were a good entry point for someone with a background in photography. Since then, I’ve loved using the format to experiment with imagery.
Cinemagraphs refer to images that combine still photography with isolated movements. In this workshop, we shot using a DSLR with video capabilities. In the lighting studio, we used two different set-ups.
The first set had everyone taking turns to shoot a “self portrait” video. Each person stood as stationary as possible while blowing bubbles. The goal was to isolate the movement so that only the bubbles would be in motion.
The second set was a common cinemagraph trick – the wine pour. In this one the set is completely still while only the liquid from the bottle into the glass moves. Everyone took turns trying a pour in this set to animate later.
Finally we went into the digital studio to create our videos in Photoshop. There are a few different programs that can be used to create a cinemagraph, but Photoshop is sufficient for short-form video editing. We went through the process of cutting, masking, timing, and looping the video together. In the end, each person walked away with at least two different videos and the knowledge of how to apply this format to any project in the future.
I was so thrilled to get the chance to teach something I love to do so much here. Thanks to those who were able to attend! I hope I get the chance to teach here again someday.