I've just watched a documentary on Kinsey on BBC4 here in the UK. Time after time they have old photos, and gently pan across the photograph. I understand this is commonly used, but we're about to shoot our first documentary and would like to use this. I'm wondering if this is possible using software? Is there a function within say Avid Xpress or MediaStudio where one can zoom in (or out within reason), and pan across stills?

I think it's pretty easy, you just need a large resolution photo. For example in Premiere Pro you would use the position animation under Effects to do the panning and adding Scale (zoom) change would result in quite interesting looks. I have no experience with Avid, but I'm sure it can be done there without problems.

It's known as the 'Ken Burns' effect. It saved my hide with the last doco I did.

Anyway, yes, Avid will do it - use the Pan & Zoom effect. It's a little tricky to get used to compared to other NLE's such as vegas, but it works none the less.

Very easy to do in Mediastudio as well.

Fantastic! Thanks for the feedback.

Iv'e put still images in some video productions using Adobe Premiere 6.0. Like most things, it's easy to do one you learn how to do it.

I haven't done this, but I have read about it. Someone posted a design for a dolly that was actually pulled across a large-scale print. It used synthetic skate wheels. More than that, I can't help.

This is also very easy to do in Vegas.

Just use the pan/crop function and move about the image as you wish - paying close attention to the keyframes.

Randy

Pinnacle Studio 10 lets you do this very easily, even though this is probably considered a "consumer" editor.

Great thing about it is you don't necessarily have to size your photo to put them on you time line. The program, no matter what the digital size of the photo, will crop the photo on the 4:3 or 16:9 window without distortion. You can then access a zoom and pan feature, achieving the result you desire.

Chris Barcellos

I haven't done this, but I have read about it. Someone posted a design for a dolly that was actually pulled across a large-scale print. It used synthetic skate wheels. More than that, I can't help.

That is utterly insane. As stated elsewhere, snap or scan a high-res of the photo in question or interogation and apply a motion filter. Next, look at the "3-d" separations done with AE that we see umpteen times on such rot as we find on the Histerical Channel, et al. More gobbledygook, but swell!

This is also very easy to do in Vegas.

Just use the pan/crop function and move about the image as you wish - paying close attention to the keyframes.

Randy

With Adobe Premiere 6.0 I have found that it's best to crop and size the picture so the original is not too big and so the ratios are correct. It's a bit labor intensive, but I get better results that way.

Didn't mean to step on any particular toes. Just adding a non-technical hint that I can't find again. The camera was mounted on a skateboard, which was then slowly trucked past the photo on the wall. 'S all I know, and no offence intended.