Create a cinemagraph (a living photo)

A cinemagraph is a still image where one small part keeps moving — steam curling off a coffee, hair drifting in the wind, a flickering sign — looping seamlessly. The stillness everywhere else is what makes the movement hypnotic. Here’s how to make one from a short clip.

1. Upload a short clip

Open Cinemagraph and add a video. Short works best — a second or two where the moving element repeats naturally, so the loop feels seamless.

2. Find your frame

In Find Frame mode, play the clip and pause on the moment you want the still parts to freeze on. Everything you don’t paint as “moving” will hold on this exact frame, so pick one that looks good frozen.

3. Paint the motion

Switch to Paint Motion mode and brush over the area that should keep moving — the steam, the water, the hair. Adjust the brush size for fine edges. The painted region plays the video; the rest of the frame stays frozen on the still you chose.

• Paint a little wider than the moving element so its edges aren’t clipped.
• Use Clear to start the mask over if you overshoot.

4. Set the loop and render

Choose a loop duration (around two seconds is a good starting point) and a format:

• WebP or WebM — smooth, high-quality loops at a small file size.
• GIF — the most widely compatible, though larger and lower quality.

Then render your living photo.

What makes a good cinemagraph

• One moving element. Two competing motions break the illusion.
• A motion that loops. Repeating movement (water, steam, flags) hides the loop point; a one-way motion doesn’t.
• A steady camera. Handheld wobble makes the “still” parts jitter — the effect works best on a locked-off shot.

You only spend credits when you render, so it’s worth experimenting with the mask first.