Fads vs. Media

Everyday, cinemagraphs evolve. As more people create and experiment with the medium, the more it becomes obvious that this isn’t a “one-trick-pony”. There’s something special here.

Fads; we’ve all been through them. Perms, tie dye and tamagotchis. How about photo effect fads, like HDR, grain and selective colouring? These techniques come and go, (and sometimes return), while the medium remains throughout – the medium being cinemagraphs, in our case.

Selective colouring, by Brandon Godfrey

Here’s how to tell the main difference. Fads, in the form of an editing technique, can be applied to mediums. HDR, grain and selective colouring can be applied to photography, videography, and cinemagraph creation. Without media, these techniques are unable to exist.

Some people say cinemagraphs are a fad. Yes, cinemagraphs are new, but as a medium, they have longevity. Cinemagraphs are the natural evolution of photography and video and will soon be everywhere. It’s a new digital medium. Even though cinemagraphs are still in the early stage of adoption, we can already name some classic fads/techniques within the medium itself. Flowing hair, moving liquid and rising smoke are a few.

Flowing hair by Beck and Burg

Not that these techniques aren’t effective and beautiful, (because they often are), but, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Sadly, it’s the overuse of these techniques that makes people think cinemagraphs are a fad. We have galleries full of different genres of cinemagraphs. Every so often we pick up on a new trend and create another gallery, encouraging our community to test the boundaries, while also giving new users inspiration for their shoots. Recently, we’ve been seeing more of our community trying out time-lapse techniques with their cinemagraphs. Trailing lights and blurred movements pair wonderfully with the still surroundings, as seen below.

Time-lapse cinemagraph by Jason Teale

Motion is everywhere. Motion tells stories.

Where there is motion, there is potential for a beautiful, compelling cinemagraph. Our world is full of motion; it’s all around us. Leafs dancing on trees, reflections on shop windows as cars drive by, bubbles rising from a freshly poured beer… Take a look around you right now. What do you see?

Video captures the whole scene, photo captures a moment, and cinemagraphs highlight minor movements. They all serve different purposes, they all tell stories, they all capture motion in different ways, they’re all different mediums. Every scene is full of movement just waiting to be discovered.

Hair Care, by Josh Rose

Those subtle moments in everyday life that we miss, that we walk past without a second glance, those moments often make the best cinemagraphs. They’re unusual, thought provoking and provide a different way of looking at the world around us. With more and more of these types of living photos being created, the harder it becomes to label cinemagraphs as a fad. People are starting to realize this.

Seagull on the Bosphorus, by Ali Kabas

The time is coming. Cinemagraphs are on the rise. Act now or forever wish you had picked up on it before you become just one in a million. You have the opportunity to be an early adaptor, an evangelist and an innovator. Try it out for free today.