PhotoMirage, a new product from software company Corel, transforms images into "mirages" by adding movement to elements, such as water or clouds. The software works in three steps, the company explains, only requiring the user to select the elements they want animated, isolate them from the rest of the image, then save the final product.
PhotoMirage does not require video footage (the way a cinemagraph does), instead animating a single static image. The software is designed to produce moving images "in minutes," Corel explains on its product website, enabling the user to choose the rate and direction of the movement using Motion Arrows. Plot Anchor Points are used to isolate images from movement, and a slider is used to manually adjust movement speeds.
The resulting image can be previewed, then either saved or shared directly on platforms like Instagram or through email from within PhotoMirage. The application costs $69.95 USD and comes with a free trial, but is only available for Windows 7 and higher.
I think the Plotaverse app is not really free, you can play with it but if you want to download the final image, you have to subscribe (or at least you had to until recently, not sure right now). And if you want to use it on the desktop (Plotagraph) same thing, it's free to share on their own social network, but you have to pay a monthly fee if you want to download the file, which IMHO is overkill for this kind of thing (not to mention how slow it is, because all the rendering takes place remotely).
ZoeTropic is indeed a single-pay app, cheaper than Mirage for sure, but still, let's not forget it's an app (not a desktop program).
I'd like to give this Mirage thing a try, although I already played with the "free" version of Plotagraph some time ago (there was a free option, but they capped it later), and it felt like it was kind of a one trick pony.
This is literally just Plotaverse... an app that has been out for years that creates this effect (and even better) for free. This is just a copycat that is trying to hop on the bandwagon of digital art. Buying this and not Plotaverse would be the equivalent of buying a pair of sketchers from Walmart (photomirage) when you have a closet of Free Nike shoes at your disposal (Plotagraph). What would you do?
There's an Android app called Zoetropic that is essentially the same thing if you can handle using a small screen. Plus it's got a free version and only $3 for full.....
I thought it was cool and I bought it. I see it being used in a variety of applications for blogging, company websites, etc. I rendered a couple of videos and it works really well for the nominal cost.
An interesting choice of image to illustrate the program capability: in the resulting "mirage" the boat appears to be moving BACKWARDS against the current, while the kayaker is clearly in the forward stroke position.
Yeah, this isn't something Corel came up with. It's called a plotagraph and it's been around for years. Corel just ripped it off and called it something different.
I've seen the same kind of results achieved using Adobe Premiere Pro but the catch was that the guy demonstrating the effect was quite a wizard and it was a pretty complex procedure. Like all special effects, they get boring if they're over-used. I think it would need a few other features before it was worth parting my cash for so I'll wait to see how the software develops.
I think the results are easier and better to achieve if you just record a movie instead of a photo but it would be funny to animate some old photos from wild wild west or the moon ;)
well this is not exactly a movie as just some parts has some movement. how would you record the kayak in the same place and the water moving around it? my editing skills are zero, just asking... maybe taking the first frame for the subject and doing something with the rest for the surroundings?
The effect was done using a still photograph, not a video. It's quite an interesting tutorial if you've got the time to watch it. https://youtu.be/m90MabRjBCY
I thought it's some kind of neural network, but Corel uses simple morphing with user-defined vectors.
The result is animated, yes, but the overall method is outdated and unimpressive. And 60 bucks is way too much for a simple morphing software, but it's just Me.
I downloaded the free trial. It does work pretty well and is easy to use without any noticeable bugs that we seem to find in a lot of new photo software. It is quite fun....
My guess is that that I will get bored of the effect before I have to buy it though....
@rationalist Those are great ideas ! May I suggest a function that put happy smiles on all the faces of your family on the photos taken at the latest family party :-)
Not bad! But I rather thought of marking objects which would begin to shake and you could select different types of rattling noises. Attention is everything.
is photography dying and digital manipulation taking over? it's a bit like music these days being able to sing and play and instrument is no longer a prerequisite
Thanks for the link - I've already done one and it looks pretty good. I imagine the novelty will wear off soon but even for €2.99 for the "pro" version it's quite a cool little app.
Looked att all the examples at their web site. The first time you see it, it is a neat illusion. But, the tenth time you see it it looks just awful. This can be a neat trick to e.g. have on your web site. It will always impress some.
Why do people expect companies to spend huge sums of money to develop software, only to give it away at next to nothing? Before making these silly comments ask yourself this: Would YOU work for any less money than you do now? It is $69.99, that is not a huge wad of money in the scheme of things.
SELEES, who said I wanted this software to be given away at next to nothing?
I wrote that this is software I will not have much use for, but I will probably support it by purchase (versus companies pushing subscription models) if they dropped the price by 25%, or $52.49–not exactly free or next to nothing.
Before making these silly comments please think twice before you press that Post button
Ask yourself if you were trying to show off how wealthy you are, that $69.99 is not a “huge wad of money?”
This amount is about a day’s work after taxes, and is steep for software that will rarely be used, if at all
when i was 5 i had a lamp with a shade that spun slowly due to heat rising on metal fins on top an inner sleeve gave the illusion of rippling and undulating of the overlaid image
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