Summary
Smartphone cameras don’t just take static photos anymore−there are “Live Photos” and “Motion Photos” that create tiny videos for the moment. Google Photos for Android and iPhone can go a step further and even add motion to existing static images.
In the Google Photos app the feature is called “Cinematic Photos,” and it uses Google’s machine-learning tools to isolate the focal point of a photo and subtly move the background. It’s similar to how the Portrait Mode effect can be added to a photo after it was taken. The end result is a short video that pans and zooms slowly on the subject, as seen below.
The Cinematic Photos effect is best applied to photos with simple backgrounds free from patterns, but you’ll likely find the results are novel on just about any photo you test it on. The photo below has a bit of a busy background, for instance, but the result is still very effective.
The effect is pretty cool, huh? It’s very easy to make one. To get started, open Google Photos on youriPhoneorAndroiddevice and go to the “Library” tab.
Now select “Utilities.”
Scroll down to the “Create New” section and tap “Cinematic Photo.”
Select a photo that you think will work well as a Cinematic Photo. You can use the search buttons at the top to find a specific photo.
After you’ve selected a photo, tap “Create” in the top corner and wait for the Cinematic Photo to generate.
Once the Cinematic Photo has been created, you’ll be able to watch it in a video player. Tap “Save” to add it to your library and save it to your device.
There you have it! Obviously, as you’ll find out, some photos work better than others with this cool feature. It generally works best when there’s a clear distinction between the foreground and background. This is just one of the manygreat features in Google Photos.
