Is Flixel Ushering In A New Era For Photography?

We’ve heard plenty about the death of the humble photo as video proliferates. But photography is still far more accessible than video, often because video editing is still so time intensive. Instagram introduced video more than a year ago yet it is still predominantly a platform for sharing still photographs. But all that could be about to change. Last month I shot video as Flixel partnered with Lindsay Adler and saw something very interesting take place that got me thinking - could we be about to usher in a completely new era for photography?

A Cinema-what?

Before I shot the video for Lindsay’s shoot with Flixel, I’d had limited experience with cinemagraphs, mainly seeing them as something fun to create on a mobile platform.

Things have certainly changed.

As AdWeek reported last month, cinemagraphs have already been used by top tier brands like Balenciaga, Chanel and Armani. Facebook is hoping that their accessibility via autoplay for videos and Instagram’s new ‘auto loop’ feature for video will provide greater engagement for users on those platforms. Berg and Beck, two NYC based photographers have been incorporating cinemagraphs into their work for some time, working with top fashion clients and models for editorial and campaign work. 

The main thing here is that the selective motion against a still image background element really does capture the attention and makes cinemagraphs fundamentally different from a GIF, photo or video. 

Check out these examples below from the shoot with fashion and beauty photographer Lindsay Adler. This was the first time I got to see how Flixel's products worked first hand and the process behind creating these images. Watch the eyes on the model on the 3rd image down - it's so subtle but when you see her blink, it's engaging stuff!

 

Who Is Flixel?

Flixel is the company that has developed Cinemagraph Pro for Mac users, a piece of software that allows users to produce ‘living photos’ (Flixel’s name for cinemagraphs) quickly and easily. The software was pretty damn impressive and in fact last year won an Apple Design Award. Quite simply, you create a still photograph from a frame of video, using this as the “top layer”, then selectively incorporate motion through masking, and bringing in the motion from the video which plays "underneath" the top still image. 

Cinemagraphs have been around for a while, but Flixel is really the first company to take the concept and make the process accessible and intuitive. Their software is becoming more and more integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud and Behance (see below), all of which gives the solid platform and concept some strong foundations for carving out something meaningful in the market - and if we're talking about longevity of new technology, this is critical.

Lindsay talks more about her experience with Flixel on her blog, which is well worth a read - and if you’ve ever wondered just how many images a full time photographer and photo educator sees on any given day, she’ll give you a staggering insight!

 

So How Does It Work?

The process is actually really simple - you shoot a portion of video where you decide what you’re hoping to animate (so in the instance of the balloons image, Lindsay decided she simply wanted some air blowing on the balloons with the model remaining ‘frozen’).

Lindsay shot a number of short video clips until she felt she had the right motion. These files are then imported straight into Flixel’s software and very quickly you simply pick out a section of video that has the motion you want, and mask that motion in – everything else remains as a static image.

You can see more from the process in the video I shot here:

and some stills that were captured from the shoot:

Interestingly we were shooting 4K video form the Panasonic GH4 and it worked really efficiently and quickly. No rendering required or lag on the 4K files – pretty impressive stuff.

 

Who Else Is Using Flixel?

It’s actually pretty impressive how deep the penetration for Flixel’s ‘living photos’  has gone. Here’s some very creepy examples from A&E’s new Bates Motel TV series - the image of an empty rocking chair moving against a backdrop of a 'still portrait' is particularly creepy, and really adds way more depth and engagement than a simple still photograph could.

 

 

Partnering With Adobe & Behance

Partnerships can make or break new technology companies and Flixel seems to be on the right path here. Adobe, the number one player in the creative space for photographers and videographers alike, has become an important partner for Flixel. Flixel's integration with Creative Cloud, as well as Behance support for Flixel HD and 4K cinemagraphs, shows just how well they have worked to get integration with key creative partners. Critically, integration with the Adobe Creative SDK means Flixel is able to provide updates to their mobile user base on iOS devices.

With Cinemagraph Pro’s Creative Cloud integration, you can now work between Photoshop for image adjustments and technical touch ups, and Cinemagraph Pro for the creation of their living photos.

For me, this integration with Adobe is key and says a lot about what Flixel is looking to do and how they are growing. Developers absolutely need to get on board here if they are to stand a chance of setting a strong foundation for their success in the market place.

Additionally, Behance, the large online creative network, has added support for the Flixel iFrame. This enables those using Flixel to post their cinemagraphs to Behance in full HD resolution and avoids the need to degrade their work as a poor-quality GIF. Flixel Cinemagraphs will now display on Behance in millions of colors at the quality originally envisioned by the creator.

You can read more about these partnerships on Flixel’s blog here. The bottom line is the industry is moving swiftly to incorporate Flixel and cinemagraphs into it's portfolio for creatives to tap into - more signs that this could be ushering in a possible new era of converging visual media.

 

The Future?

I spoke briefly with both Lindsay on her thoughts about what living photos can do for her work, and she had this to say:

A Flixel Cinemagraph helps taking my work into another real of surrealism. I can create unusual sets or concepts and bring them to life with a hint of movement in a still frame. We are constantly bombarded by imagery. As a photographer it is a challenge to get our images to grab a viewer's attention.

I also chatted with Mark Homza, Co-Founder and CMO for Flixel. Mark reiterated the desire Flixel has to help drive story telling for photographers:

One must always select the appropriate medium to convey their particular story. In some cases that may be a photo or a video, in other circumstances, a living photo is the perfect fit. As visual storytellers, we’re always looking for new ways to effectively communicate with our audiences. Cinemagraphs are a new and exciting visual medium in today’s digital landscape that need be considered as part of one’s visual messaging strategy.

As we move forward, with the accessibility and affordability of 4K video capture and the rising interest for hybrid photography in the advertising community, platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have already begun embracing the medium, recognizing its high Click-Through rates and increased engagement among users. We live in an age of digital screens, with more and more digital displays replacing static or print displays. Cinemagraphs now have a home and relevance in the offline world as well.

 

We feel Flixel’s Cinemagraph Pro for Mac is an effective editing software that empowers the photographer to create beautiful hybrid photos with ease and intuitiveness.

 

Final Thoughts

As the boom and demand for mobile video continues, there is no denying that there is an increasing desire to see more motion-based content. Video or film making has and always will have more post production associated simply due to the time intensive nature of editing that work.

What Flixel has shown me is it provides accessibility to the relatively unexplored territory of the middle ground – video that is essentially frozen like a still frame, and then selectively “injected” with motion through simple to use software. It engages a user like only motion can, but comes with a far less intensive post production work flow.

As with anything new, whatever we as professionals and enthusiasts personally think of cinemagraphs is pretty much beside the point – the market and social network take up will ultimately decide.

As creative visual media creators however, we all should look at this as another potential tool to differentiate and add a new layer of depth to our work. Flixel's partnerships, particularly their integration with Adobe, an essential service provider we all rely on, paints a strong picture for future growth and wider accessibility. 

For all of us, while we ultimately wait to see what the market will do and how users will respond, Lindsay perhaps sums it up most succinctly when it comes to her thoughts on this technology:

A Flixel living photo is yet one more tool available to us for differentiation and to allow our images to draw attention in a visually crowded market. 

What do you think of Flixel cinemagraphs or living photos? Can you see a market for these? Do they make you stop for a second longer than a normal photograph does? Let me know in the comment below.

Thanks to Lindsay Adler and to Mark Homza of Flixel

David Geffin's picture

David is a full time photographer, videographer and video editor based in New York City. Fashion, portraiture and street photography are his areas of focus. He enjoys stills and motion work in equal measure, with a firm belief that a strong photographic eye will continue to help inform and drive the world of motion work.

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50 Comments

Biggest issue for me as been lack of Windows support!

Amen. There are legitimate, often technical reasons why things are developed for Apple first. However, simply not offering Windows support (or an announcement you are working on it) feels... well, unprofessional.

It perpetuates the long standing myth that "pros" only use Apple products.

Completely agree, looks very interesting. I have been aware of these and indeed wanting to create one for years now. The fact that I use a PC and will never use a mac probably means I will never get the opportunity given that they seemingly have no intention of bringing the program to the single biggest computing platform on the planet and don't bother to reply to enquiries as to whether it will come to PC. Its not hard to do, they will no doubt make a lot more money... I cant see any reason why they would not. Such a shame...

No $199 tool, for Apple only, required. Can be done in Photoshop, sans plug-in. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&...

@Bryan check out Blink Cliplets in the Microsoft store. I just downloaded it and it suppose to be similar Flixel. Going to give it a try.

Thank God i've bought an iPad! (still ditched the iPhone and love my Octa-core Windows PC).
Gonna try the app as soon as i can. :P

We will see how much we will be hearing about this in… lets say a year from now.

Is Flixel Ushering In A New Era For Photography?

In a word: No.

I hate to be cranky about this, but Flixel is neither the inventor, nor the perfecter of this technology. And they are limited to a single platform... that's not really revolutionary innovation.

would love to see it for PC's

You don't need this to create a great cinemagraph on the PC. You can make one in 15 minutes on a PC without this app. There are plenty of tutorials on Youtube.

Yeah started to look into it thinking of some ideas i want to do. Seen them for a while now

Great article, but I have to agree, in order to compete in the market they have to make it available for PC users as well.

Subtle Motion Cinemagraphs | Author: Ana Pais | Year: 2011: https://www.behance.net/gallery/1653934/Eternal-Moments-Animated-Photos

No windows, I can't tell you a thing about it. Looks interesting, but I'm not spending a ton of money on a mac that is half the system I have and then the software to find out if it's any good or not.

timelapse - gifs - hyperlapse - slo-mo - drone footage…Now cinemagraphs! I look forward to giving it a try

So is this available to Creative Cloud members or do you have to go through Flixel's site?

While Cinemagraph Pro is integrated with Creative Cloud and Behance, it is a separate app. You can download a free trial at www.flixel.com

Is there any sort of introductory discount?

Just curious as it was $99 back on February 17, 2015 and now its at $199?
A 100% increase in a month?
http://www.ronmartblog.com/2015/02/review-flixel-cinemagraph-pro.html

Rob, the link you provided shows it for $89.99! Wonder what sparked a $110.00 price increase?!?!?! Anyway, you can create a cinemagraph in Photoshop without any plug-in. These have been around for some time and not "new". Once you do a Google search for "Photoshop Cinemagraph" you'll see links to blogs over 3 years old creating these. Here is a link to a YouTube video tutorial: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&...

And now, less than a year later its $299. So another $100 increase, amazing.

You can use after effects and photoshop to do the same thing.

As much as it is an interesting idea to explore, trying to make a "new thing" out of it is just silly. It feels like a new product forced on mass of conformists.

Its the Porn community that is going to take this 'mainstream'

Super creepy... Thank God they are limiting their own growth and probability of success by limiting their market to iDiots...

A quick Google search shows you how to create one of these in a tool you most likely already have...Photoshop. These were big on Ello and, once I saw them, I had to create one. I'm not paying $199 for something I can do with a tool I've already bought. Sure, this tools makes it a little easier to do, but for $199, I'll keep using Photoshop.

Cinemagraph Pro and Photoshop are complementary products. Flixel is integrated with Creative Cloud and Behance which makes the cinemagraph creation process even stronger. You can read more about Flixel's partnership with Adobe on our blog. http://blog.flixel.com/adobe-creative-cloud-behance-flixel/

Rob, your product seems to simplify the cinemagraph creation process but in no way is required to create them. When buying any product or service, one must determine cost v/s benefit. If this tool were still $99.99, as it was a month ago, i'd buy it instantly. But, for $199, the cost outweighs the benefit. Others may not feel the same. It's a personal decision one must make for themselves.

Totally agree. You'll find lots of great examples of GIF cinemagraphs created in Photoshop, After Effects and other tools. Many of our photographer users are also Photoshop experts and have a long history of creating cinemagraphs in general purpose apps. Lindsay Adler is one of those. They've just come to appreciate the time savings and simplicity provided by Cinemagraph Pro. That along with our ability to host and stream HD and 4K resolution cinemagraphs that work on any device and in any browser is compelling to many.

@Robert ,can you tell us why the 100% increase in price in just one month?

Hi Rob, the price increase had been in the works for several weeks. $199.99 was actually the price for Cinemagraph Pro for Mac when we launched back in March 2014. We spend a lot of time thinking about the appropriate price point for our apps and web services. Many of the photographers, videographers and digital marketers that have been using Cinemagraph Pro for the past year told us that they've saved hundreds of hours by using our apps and services and that it has delivered a very high ROI. If you want to try before you invest, there's a trial version that you can download from www.flixel.com

.

Damn, so rad. Definitely giving me some ideas of how to differently approach my photography AND videography. GREAT POST!

Eager to see what you create Jason. Look forward to seeing your cinemagraphs on flixel.com

thanks Jason, appreciate that :)

I saw these a few years ago and I've been trying to figure out why I really dislike them. They just feel like a gimmick to me. I'm sure an artist will find a way to make them work but they feel strange. I think why they don't work is a photograph is compelling becasue it freezes a subject in an interesting snippet of time. You want to be drawn to the subject and having a ballon moving takes your attention away from the subject and thus ruining the essence of what makes a photograph great. They ruin whats good about a photo and arent interesting enough to compete with a video.

I recall first hearing about Flixel on America's Next Top Model, and felt that it may have been a bit gimicky.

That being said, I have since seen some incredible cinemagraphs from some very talented photographers. Coincidentally, one of Lindsay Adler's earlier cinemagraphs for her 'Duality' editorial was what caught my eye.

Personally, I am someone with very limited experience with video, and the idea of a cinemagraph really appeals to me as a means of bridging that gap. I'll definitely make it a point to experiment during my next fashion shoot!

Umm... I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but how is this any better than a GIF? There is a wedding photographer in my market who has been making GIFs for his clients that basically has the same effect (short clip of static image with a touch of motion). Not a new concept, and the software actually sounds more cumbersome than GIF creation software (who wants to create masks for a 3 second clip?!).

Hi Jason, great question. GIF is a file format that dates back to 1987. It actually predates the Internet which is why it's an imperfect way of delivering a high quality cinemagraph. You can read more about this difference between a low quality GIF and an HD cinemagraph here. http://blog.flixel.com/animated-gifs-vs-flixel/ The embedded images in this article about Lindsay Adler aren't GIFs they use millions of colours, have a tiny file size, and can scale from mobile to a Times Square video wall.

I guess I'm not knocking this new HD cinemagraph, but it seems like way more effort than creating a traditional old-school GIF. Neither a cinemagraph nor a GIF can be printed and are only worth enjoying if you're able to see them in motion (i.e. you need a computer). My goal is mainly to shoot still photos. If I were to give a client a GIF, it would be as a fun "extra," and I don't see myself putting in that much extra effort just to create an "extra." But props to the coders and everyone else who created the software.

It will be interesting how the image will look like on paper. And the answer on the Q? is NO!!!Not a Future.

Cinemagraphs are a digital medium. They are meant to be displayed on digital displays, on the web or in digital marketing campaigns. Filmmakers are also combining cinemagraphs into their work. Here's an example https://vimeo.com/121766996

Colleague. In the example video if you are all zombies. This is not art. This is a taunt. In certain scenes, would be acceptable. Different themes of fashion photography. A title is ... New Era For Photography? My answer is NO.

Great to see National Geographic photographers creating cinemagraphs with Flixel.
https://flixel.com/cinemagraph/yzjje2g62evrr4702jfn/

Honestly the wizarding world figured this out years ago and put it in their newspapers... ;)

I remember seeing these on America's Next Top Model a few seasons ago (yes, it's still on, and yes it's still hilariously awful). Don't think I'll use them, but I guess sometimes they look kind of neat.

grate work...i really like to try the technique... But as much i know .GIF format image is not a quality output :(

I wish we could upload Cinemagraphs to our F-Stoppers portfolios, I made a few if anyone is interested in taking a look: http://badsplice.com/cinemagraphs/