The fine art of projection mapping.
We’ve been working with the parallax technique for quite a while and have ample experience in both 2D and 3D mapping. We know in depth how this technique can best be used, specifically to bring still photography to life in a way that is engaging and emotional. Sometimes you want to push the technique to its limits but other times require a delicate hand.
The goal here is not to call attention to the effect, but to amplify the feeling of confidence already present in each portrait. With this technique, our still portraits have the full parallax look that typically only a high-speed camera would create, with the same premium feel and attention to detail. This creates a dramatic moment that draws the viewer in.
Creating Depth.
In our years of experience with this technique, we’ve found that the best images to work with have depth, action, or both. An image that captures a moment of action becomes a moment frozen in time, just like super high- speed footage. Depth gives us the opportunity to work with both foreground and background elements to add complexity — it’s best if the background falls off into soft focus. Depending on the framing and subject, we’re often able to enhance depth by adding or amplifying foreground elements.
Magic in the Details.
Lighting and atmosphere also add to the overall effect. Any lens flares or rays of sunlight can be made to flicker slightly, as if we’re slowing down time so much that we see the glimmer of each particle of light. Atmospheric elements such as smoke, fog, or other particulates in the air can add greatly to the depth, creating a truly vivid and memorable look. We’re often able to enhance or add these elements into the frame as well. For example, if one of our subjects is in a wood shop, we would create the feeling of wood dust present in the air — never so much that any space looks unhealthy, but just enough for the desired effect.
The Process.
Once we have our images selected, we take each one and split it into a series of layers, removing the background and separating foreground and other necessary elements from the main subject. From there, we paint the background layer back in, creating more parallax and allowing us to control that element completely. In compositing, we add or enhance atmosphere and foreground elements when needed.
It goes without saying…
but we will say it anyway. We always create footage from stills that retain the effect even when cropped for vertical format. The reality these days is that we create for mobile first and ensure our images work for legacy HD broadcast format!!!