Cinemagraph Pro A pro–level cinemagraph creation tool
£14.99 per month FROM Flixel Studios, flixel.com needs iOS 11 or later
Cinemagraph images are a bit like animated GIFs, but the photographic technique differs. This method converts moving video into a single photographic image with one central element staying completely still, while other elements around it continue to move. So you could take a photo of someone standing still in the foreground, as the other people in the background continue to move.
There are a couple of affordable cinemagraph apps out there designed for beginners, but the subscription-based Cinemagraph Pro is what you’ll need if you’re looking for really precise control.
Like a conventional video editor, the app provides a timeline window that allows you to select the frames containing the movement you want to use. You then use the Brush tool to select the area that will continue to move, leaving the rest of the image perfectly still.
The app also provides powerful tools for adjusting colour balance, exposure, brightness and contrast, and your finished files can be automatically uploaded to social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram or transferred to your Mac.
Money for movement
It’s an impressive app, but also an expensive one, as the iOS version requires a monthly subscription of £14.99 (or £99.99 per year). There’s also a ‘pro’ subscription that includes the Mac version of the app as well, costing £24.99 per month or £174.99 per year. Fortunately, you can download the app for free and see how it works before signing up – although any files you export will be watermarked until you start a subscription.