Far Better Than 3-D: Animated GIFs That Savor A Passing Moment

[LaxScrutiny]

Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg's animated photos turn the medium of choice for 4chan trolls into something approaching high art.

You know how people sometimes say that jazz is the only truly American art form? Animated GIFs are like the jazz of the internet: they could only exist, and be created and appreciated, online. That said, PopTart Cat is not exactly on par with Thelonious Monk. But photographer Jamie Beck and motion graphics artist Kevin Burg may have finally found a way to elevate the animated GIF to a level approaching fine art, with their "cinemagraphs" -- elegant, subtly animated creations that are "something more than a photo but less than a video."

I would love to do something like this and hang them around the house in digital picture frames.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I saw these on AcidCow.com the other day and thought that they were gorgeous. I agree - having them on the wall as art would be great...

 

[TheSeeker]

Funny, I was just thinking of starting a thread on this!

 

[B.J.]

They're very good at reducing the images down to 256 colors. I can't seem to get a decent looking animated gif most of the time. I'd prefer it if those in charge would finally agree to a standard for a 24-bit color 8-bit transparency animated image, like APNG or MNG.

 

[ITL]

Making 256 color GIFs is easy - it's keeping the filesize down that's difficult. They manage it by having a mainly static image with small elements that move. The above GIF is only 31 frames and 222.95 KB in size. It is nice work!

 

[Kestra]

These are amazing! Thanks for sharing. I totally want a picture like this hanging in my house now.

 

[TheSeeker]

^t would be like living at Hogwarts!

 

[Kestra]

People said stuff like that in the comments but it doesn't remind me of Harry Potter at all.

 

[TheSeeker]

^They don't remind you of the paintings that have subtle movement?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Making 256 color GIFs is easy - it's keeping the filesize down that's difficult. They manage it by having a mainly static image with small elements that move. The above GIF is only 31 frames and 222.95 KB in size. It is nice work!

You're the first person I thought of when I saw the article about these on Slashdot. Pretty cool stuff!

 

[ITL]

Making 256 color GIFs is easy - it's keeping the filesize down that's difficult. They manage it by having a mainly static image with small elements that move. The above GIF is only 31 frames and 222.95 KB in size. It is nice work!

You're the first person I thought of when I saw the article about these on Slashdot. Pretty cool stuff!

Aww, shucks!

Of course the real art to these great images is in the composition. It's not enough to have small animated elements, it has to look like (photorealistic) art you'd hang on the wall. That's where I'd flounder!

 

[Amaris]

[jaw drops]

These are gorgeous! Beautiful scenery, and a bit of technology tucked into each frame. Brilliant!

 

[Holdfast]

I like the amusing concept of translating an essentially frivolous medium through care into a grand statement. It has resonances with a lot of 60s pop-art, in fact.

I would hate it on my own walls though; very distracting. I'd like to see it in a proper gallery though.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ I want a portrait of myself with eyes that really follow people.

These are really nice. I especially like the guy with the newspaper. This concept adds a whole new element to photography.