Alexandre Miguel, also known as Ixhumni, is a Portuguese freelance media artist from Lisbon. Multitalented, his work includes music, photography, videography, video mapping and now cinemagraphs. Ixhumni is a true artist, pouring emotion and creativity into everything he touches. When first introduced to cinemagraphs, Ixhumni instantly found the medium to be mesmerizing and intensely interactive. Initially discouraged by the time consuming process to create cinemagraphs in other photo-editing software, Ixhumni found a solution with Flixel Cinemagraph Pro. A mix between photos and video, cinemagraphs quickly became a great outlet to interweave his interests and media talents.

Why Ixhumni Loves Cinemagraphs

Ixhumni loves how cinemagraphs provide the ability to “create subtle movement in static photographs, and at the same time, freeze and enhance that beauty”. Inspired by “life, love and the natural beauty that surrounds us,” his cinemagraphs capture not only a stunning scene, but the genuine emotion that comes with it. After a bit of practice and mounds of passion, Ixhumni has become one of the most talented and inspiring cinemagraph creators in the world. When asked what he enjoys most about creating cinemagraphs, Ixhumni explains how they’re like “opening visual windows inside of a closed frame…/ exposing and enhancing the surrounding reality from the unique perspective each of individual.” His hope, and ours as well, is that cinemagraphs will have a significant place of their own in the digital age.

Cinemagraph Series, & Featured in Apple Stores Worldwide

From his very first Flixel cinemagraph,  Ixhumni  has demonstrated a deep understanding of the artistry and beauty of living photos. With more time spent exploring the power of Cinemagraph Pro throughout 2014, Ixhumni’s work has evolved to include an extraordinary collection  of cinemagraphs – such as fireworks, sunrises, nature and trains – his collections are varying, each telling a unique story.

Seaside, Surfer & Fisherman Cinemagraph Series

Much of Ixhumni’s recent work has been by the water. These nautical themes depict jellyfish drying in the sun, surfers strolling the beach, birds flocking across the horizon, and boats being hauled ashore by fisherman.

Lisbon Bridge Series

This series is a Flixel HQ favourite, containing beautiful angles and stark contrasts. The mix of organic rolling fog enveloping the sleek, dark bridge is absolutely incredible.

Autumn Leaves Series

One of his first collections, Autumn Leaves Series is full of rich, warm colours, and subtle movements. The cinemagraph below is featured in Apple Stores around the world as part of the Cinemagraph Pro for Mac demo that is installed on Macs in each store.

Equipment and Steps

Ixhumni typically uses a Canon 5DMKIII with various Canon L, Carl Zeiss and OMzuiko lenses. From filming to editing to final cinemagraph, it takes him only a couple of hours on average. After planning out the shot, researching the best lighting and weather conditions and capturing the footage, post production is the fastest part. Ixhumni exclaims that editing only takes “a few minutes, unless there are some more complicated masks to isolate.”

Though naturally blessed with an array of artistic talents, creating cinemagraphs was brand new to him earlier this year. That’s one reason why we chose him as Flixographer of the Year. With practice and a keen understanding of the basic principles of creating cinemagraphs, Ixhumni has produced an huge array of amazing living photos in a short period of time.

A large portion of his work is created from repurposed video footage, he explains “I have some cinemagraphs that were created from video content recorded back in 2009, and only now in 2014 are edited- so a 5 year gap went by for them to exist, such as the Autumn Leaves Series.” Ixhumni is creating multiple cinemagraphs a week, sometimes up to 5, 6, 7 daily. It’s incredible to watch the quality of his work improve, and The Flixel Team is always excited to see what he will turn out next.

Advice & Last Words

Ixhumni’s advice for new cinemagraph creators is this: “Shoot what you love, with love, and try to feel from within you; that is what has the potential for a great cinemagraph. The rules of photography are important as a guideline, but keep an open mind to what you feel from within, it’s the best way for you to start generating and developing your own creativity.” He also says that believing in your talent and being open to criticism and advice is critical to becoming a successful artist. One of the first steps to creating beautiful cinemagraphs is knowing how to technically capture the footage, then enhancing the beauty that already surrounds us.

All great art makes you feel something, and Ixhumni’s work is no exception. Inspiring, talented, and humble; we are excited to announce Ixhumni as our Featured Flixographer for 2014.