Frequently Asked Questions
Photography
The flip effect looks really cool! Can I use any two photos?
Yes, we can make an A-B flip using any two photos you send to us. But depending on what design you select, some poses are more effective than others. In designs where we digitally remove the person from a photo and place him on a 3-D background, it is more ideal to have the person’s full body in the photo. See here for more pointers on getting the perfect photo.
Do I really need two pictures?
No, you don’t. With only one photo, we can make a 3-D motion photo image with an impressive 3-D depth effect. However, you will not get the movement that you see in many of the examples in our gallery.
What if I don’t have a digital camera?
That’s no problem. You can send us your photos and payment to us by mail.
If I choose to mail photos to you, will I get them back?
Yes, we will send them together with your personalized 3-D motion photo when we ship it out to you.
Website
Why do my uploaded photos look blurry?
This usually means that the photo you've uploaded is too small. “Thumbnails” and photos pulled from Facebook and other websites are often too low-resolution for a high quality 3-D motion photo and come out blurry when we print them. We recommend using photos that you've taken with your digital camera or prints that have been scannned into your computer.
Lenticular
How do you get a 3-D and flip effects on a flat surface?
Our effects are achieved through a kind of printing called lenticular. Your pictures are run through our proprietary software, printed on high-quality archival photo paper, and mounted to a special lens that makes your photos appear in 3-D or flip as you walk by.
Lenticular? I’ve never heard of that before. What is it?
You may not have heard of it, but you’ve probably seen it around. Lenticular is most commonly used in advertising in places like airports and shopping malls, and smaller printed pieces like postcards. You can learn more about lenticular technology on our About page.
If you have other questions that are not answered here, you can contact Stills in Motion using this form.
Photography Pointers for a Better 3-D Motion Photo
Shoot outside, during the day
The best kind of light is sunlight. Your pictures will have truer color and more vibrancy. Shooting inside or in low light can lead to a blurry photo.
Shoot at the highest resolution possible
Although we can technically use low-resolution photos to make your custom 3-D motion photo, higher resolution shots will come out clearer. Set your camera’s resolution to the highest available.
Use photos shot at the same angle
Flipping from a photo of someone shot from above to a photo shot at eye level Can be done, but it is not ideal. It’s best to use two photographs shot from the same vantage point.
Use two photos from the same photo session
Photos shot a few months (or even hours) apart can have drastically different lighting, color, and angles. The best thing to do is shoot several photos in a row and choose the two best.
If you have a tripod, use it
Your shots will be more consistent (and less work for us) if the background of your two photos line up.
Advanced Tips
Be creative in posing
Although two pictures of your pet may look nice sitting in one spot, so much more is possible! Instead, try getting your pet to sit up or demonstrate some other trick.
Before and After
This is the perfect opportunity to show the different images of you or a loved one.
Try to simulate motion
Your image flipping from one pose to the other is very cool, but if you capture the right moment, it can appear like you or your loved one is actually moving! Try to create an “action sequence” by taking a picture at the beginning and end stages of some action. Remember, try to keep your entire image in the frame and use your tripod, if possible.
