What's a Cinemagraph?

This is the question I had when I got an email from Lara Moore of Katchup, a business that is pretty keen on getting useful info out there for photographers. A while back I posted a cool graphic they produced which is essentially a cheat sheet for photographers.
Now they've done it again with something that may be pretty valuable in the online advertising world. Cinemagraphs are eye catching photos that you can add motion to in desired areas. At least that's my take on it.




Lara was kind enough to put together the following just for me and my readers. Pretty cool!

Cinemagraphs are photos combined with subtle motion on a seamless loop. Although similar to traditional GIFs in many ways, a stronger emphasis is placed on cinemagraphs as a piece of art.

KatchUp have produced an infographic and accompanying guides that cover everything from tips and inspiration, to how you can create your own cinemagraph. Our takeaway tips are:

1. Use a tripod to steady your camera – this will dramatically improve the quality of your cinemagraphs.

2. Frame your scene like you would a photo – a great cinemagraph would also make a great photo.

3. Make sure your loop is smooth – perhaps one of the most difficult but essential parts of making a cinemagraph.

4. Experiment! Don’t be afraid to step away from the common trends you’ll often see.

5. Align your story with your audience’s interest.

6. Less is more – try to trim your footage under 100 frames.

7. Use the right file format – .MP4 is a much less resource intensive format for the web.