Vertical Photo in Video at DVinfo.net

Brock Burwell · August 22nd, 2014, 03:28 PM

I filmed a video for a photographer last week and I am currently editing it. I basically just followed her on one of her shoots and got footage. She sent me her finished pictures and wants them incorporated into the video, which is great.

The only problem I am having is with her "vertical" photos. All the photos are fantastic, but the ones that are horizontal obviously fit into video much better. She has some fantastic photos that are vertical but I'm struggling to get them into the video without looking out of place. If I leave them as is, the black bars on the side look too different. I tried using ken burns but the photo would be so zoomed in, it wouldn't look right (if that makes sense.

I'm struggling to come up with a solution. Any ideas?

Robert Benda · August 22nd, 2014, 03:36 PM

Most common I see is the photo, zoomed to fit, in the background, often blurred or at 50% opacity or so. Gets rid of the black with color, but nothing to draw the eye away.

Jo Ouwejan · August 23rd, 2014, 05:09 AM

You might try and put a solid color slide in the background, with a color, that suits the photo.
Or else use a still from your own footage in the background.

Vince Pachiano · August 23rd, 2014, 08:22 AM

+1 to the tips offered above. Also wanted to add that sometimes we are our own worst critics.
We obsess over every last detail (which is good in a professional sense).
But sometimes our customers are unaware of what we were even obsessing over.

Brock Burwell · August 24th, 2014, 07:14 AM

That's a good point Vince. I ended up using a blurred/zoomed in version of the photo and it looks fine. Thanks guys!

Dave Blackhurst · August 26th, 2014, 03:02 PM

One other possibility would be to use multiple photos tiled across the screen?

August 22nd, 2014, 03:28 PM	#1
Brock Burwell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 385	Vertical Photo in Video I filmed a video for a photographer last week and I am currently editing it. I basically just followed her on one of her shoots and got footage. She sent me her finished pictures and wants them incorporated into the video, which is great. The only problem I am having is with her "vertical" photos. All the photos are fantastic, but the ones that are horizontal obviously fit into video much better. She has some fantastic photos that are vertical but I'm struggling to get them into the video without looking out of place. If I leave them as is, the black bars on the side look too different. I tried using ken burns but the photo would be so zoomed in, it wouldn't look right (if that makes sense. I'm struggling to come up with a solution. Any ideas?

August 22nd, 2014, 03:36 PM	#2
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Vertical Photo in Video Most common I see is the photo, zoomed to fit, in the background, often blurred or at 50% opacity or so. Gets rid of the black with color, but nothing to draw the eye away.

August 23rd, 2014, 05:09 AM	#3
Jo Ouwejan Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Veenendaal, Holland Posts: 225	Re: Vertical Photo in Video You might try and put a solid color slide in the background, with a color, that suits the photo. Or else use a still from your own footage in the background.

August 23rd, 2014, 08:22 AM	#4
Vince Pachiano Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 307	Re: Vertical Photo in Video +1 to the tips offered above. Also wanted to add that sometimes we are our own worst critics. We obsess over every last detail (which is good in a professional sense). But sometimes our customers are unaware of what we were even obsessing over.

August 24th, 2014, 07:14 AM	#5
Brock Burwell Major Player Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 385	Re: Vertical Photo in Video That's a good point Vince. I ended up using a blurred/zoomed in version of the photo and it looks fine. Thanks guys!

August 26th, 2014, 03:02 PM	#6
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Vertical Photo in Video One other possibility would be to use multiple photos tiled across the screen?