In Motion, But Staying in Place at the Same Time

May 31, 2017 8:01 PM

The Hypnotic Allure of Cinemagraphic Waves Armand Dijcks creates cinemagraphs (moving still images) from photos of cresting waves taken by photographer Ray Collins. He says cinemagraphs are 'a different way of blending stills and motion in interesting ways. Like the other techniques, a good cinemagraph usually makes you do a double take, and wonder what you’re actually looking at. It’s an effect that scientists call “cognitive dissonance.” Your brain gets two different inputs, a still image and an element of motion, and is trying to make sense of what’s going on.'

They didn't even embed my two favorites.

Armand Dijcks has a few other series of cinemagraphs, including travel and space (from the ISS).

Cinemagraphs on Metafilter Previously: 1, 2, 3.

posted by fedward (10 comments total)

I thought the eagle one at the top of the article was super cheesy and not well-blended, and I was prepared to be all meh about these. But then the one of the wave barrel that's all green and glowy and perfect made me like them again.

This one is also incredibly soothing. As is this one.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:37 PM on May 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

I've spent a lot of time in the ocean and I find cinemagraphic waves really beautiful but also slightly unsettling. There's this tension created by an expectation for what the wave "should" be doing next but never does. I love reading how they're made.
posted by not_the_water at 8:45 PM on May 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

And don't forget one of the best, and my personal favorite: If We Don't Remember Me
posted by Krazor at 10:26 PM on May 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

Check out this night sky one. It's from a totally different artist than this FPP is about, but there's a lot of cool things on Flixel.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:04 PM on May 31, 2017 [2 favorites]

Pretty sure my local Chinese takeaway had a waterfall one of these.
posted by Brian Lux at 11:47 PM on May 31, 2017 [5 favorites]

But is it pronounced with a hard or a soft "c"?
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:09 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

I also found them kind of unsettling, like there's an ominous sense that the wave is about to crash any moment now ... kind of like the feeling of impending doom that a lot of us have been living with these past few months.

For a real-life example that's, oddly, not at all unsettling, when the fog spills over the hills south of SF, oftentimes the leading edge of the fog evaporates as fast as the fog comes in, so the fog just keeps pouring and pouring without actually moving anywhere. It's quite lovely and soothing to watch. Nature FTW, I guess.
posted by Quietgal at 6:59 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

First thought was "wow, this would make an awesome screen saver" and then boom.

Nice job, Flixel.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:03 AM on June 1, 2017

Looks like Flixel also curates a monthly "best of" compilation on YouTube.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:05 AM on June 1, 2017

Ah crap. I give up weed and Willie builds a grow facility just down the road from my house. I give up shrooms, and now they come up with cinemagraphic waves. Swell. At least I still have my lava lamp.
posted by mule98J at 12:14 PM on June 1, 2017