Animating Old Photos with AI

Ever flipped through an old family album and wished those frozen moments could come to life like in the movies? With advanced AI tools, what once seemed like science fiction is now reality.

Today, we can not only restore and upscale old photos but also animate them, adding life to what were once static memories. Picture seeing your grandparents on their wedding day, not just posing, but smiling, blinking, and turning towards each other. These upgrades let us experience historical moments and personal memories in a dynamic, intimate way.

Animating photos turns them into something vibrant and relatable. It’s like watching history unfold before your eyes, offering a deeper emotional connection with those who came before us. Plus, these animated photos make incredible gifts—imagine giving your parents a video of animated snapshots from their early days together. It’s an anniversary gift they’d never forget!

But it’s not just for personal use. Historians, educators, and creatives are finding unique ways to use this technology to tell stories more clearly than ever before. From documentaries that bring historical figures to life to interactive educational content that grabs students' attention—the possibilities are endless.

Subtle Dynamics for Use with Old Photos

So lets see how we can use AI video tools to animate old family photos tastefully, without going into uncanny valley of our relatives' faces morphing into somebody else. With current AI video development "less is more", as they might be struggling with character consistency the more movement you request form them.

Bringing old family photos to life with AI video tools is all about adding small movements that boost the nostalgic vibe while keeping the original charm intact. Here’s how you can do it in a smart way.

1. Facial Expressions and Eye Movement: A slight smile or a gentle blink can make a still photo feel more alive. Try adding small facial movements like a soft smile or eyes gradually shifting focus. These subtle changes add emotion, making the subjects seem more responsive, as if they’re interacting with the viewer or their surroundings. Prompt example: Close-up of an elderly woman smiling gently at a family gathering, her eyes slowly looking around the room as if observing her loved ones, conveying warmth and affection.
2. Background Elements: Animating background elements can bring depth to a photo. Think of leaves softly rustling, clouds drifting by, or a curtain gently moving in the breeze. These small touches don’t pull focus from the main subjects but do enhance the overall feel of the scene. Prompt example: Family picnic scene under a large oak tree, with leaves rustling in the background and clouds drifting lazily across the sky, enhancing the serene atmosphere of the gathering.
3. Light and Shadow Play: Changing the light and shadows can give the impression of time passing. Picture the light of a setting sun casting longer shadows or the flicker of candlelight changing the way faces are illuminated. These effects not only add motion but also bring a deeper emotional layer to the image. Prompt example: Early evening family dinner outdoors, with the setting sun casting dynamic shadows that shift subtly across the table and the faces of the diners, highlighting the passage of time during the meal.
4. Adjustments and Fidgeting: Little tweaks like straightening a tie, smoothing a skirt, or tucking hair behind an ear can make the scene feel more real. These actions hint at a moment frozen in time, where the subjects are getting ready to look their best. Prompt example: A young couple on their first date, the man nervously adjusts his tie and the woman shyly smooths her dress, capturing their anticipation and the quaint charm of their budding relationship.
5. Interactions Among Subjects: Subtle interactions like a nod, a shared glance, or a whispered word can build a story. These small movements suggest relationships and personalities, adding depth without being too obvious. Prompt example: Static shot of two siblings whispering and giggling quietly during a family portrait, their eyes sparkling with joy and mischief, subtly leaning towards each other as if sharing a secret joke.
6. Posture Changes: Small shifts in posture, like leaning towards someone or adjusting a stance, can hint at comfort and closeness. These slow, almost invisible movements add a dynamic feel that draws viewers into the moment. Prompt example: Animate a teenage girl standing with her family, where she subtly plays with her bracelet and shifts her weight from one foot to another, portraying a typical restless teenager trying to keep poised during a long photoshoot.

So, go ahead and add this touch of magic to your old photographs, making them not just seen, but felt, remembered, and cherished in a whole new way.

Animating Old Pictures in Luma, Kling, Runway, Hailuo

These three video generation AIs will yield somewhat different results, it's up to you which of them to prefer. But here is my experiment with animating a particular old photo in each of them, using the image and the same prompt:

Let's see how the three models rendered the animation.

Using Luma Dream Machine to Revitalize Old Photo

Despite prompt repeating 'gently' twice Luma AI made mother's hair billowing hard, while daugher next to her has hair nearly still and finally father standing next to them  completely unaffected. So I guess I can't recommend wind animation, concentrate on body movements in Luma. The 'Enhance prompt' option was unchecked for this prompt btw. 

Using Kling to Animate Old Photos

Kling has done a good job maintaining consistency of weather effects: since it's windly, the hair of all people, as well as thin fabrics of their clothes are billowing, and the trees in the background show rustling leaves as well, even though this detail wasn't in my prompt. It was inferred, and it was a good addition. The movements are natural and smooth. Overall a great rendition.

Runway's Different Format

Runway at the time of writing stands out in a way that it enforces a certain video resolution for its generations, so when I uploaded my square photo it had me approve the crop to the 1280*768. I've decided to go along with it because I didn't want to use a different photo for Runway, I hadn't saved the seed for this one. 

Another thing I've done here is I've actually opted to use this image as the last frame, not starting frame. Runway offers this choice, and I think it's a neat option to have. So you can actually generate a video that shows what supposedly took place before the photo was taken.

Using Runway to Bring Old Photos to Life

We can see that Runway has done something completely different here. The people pop out visually, the contrast is higher. The movement of people is actually minimal and yet there is depth and life in the overal presentation. I say it's a matter of taste. For some pictures, you might prefer this kind of touch. It's also performed the task within a few seconds - fastest of the three AI video generators.

Since Hailuo AI released its image-to-video functionality, we can now test this same old image in there too.

Using Hailuo AI to Animate Family Photos

Hailuo x Minimax for some reason decided to redefine the 'gentle wind gently touching' and make it beat up the face of the girl with her own hair, while her parents seem to have been spared the heavy gusts. Is it having a bad day? Second generation with enhance prompt on modified the girl's face into somebody different almost as soon as she started moving.

Hailuo's Result with Super Still Prompt

So I supplied a different, super still prompt with this image to Hailuo and it has adhered, however face quality is lacking. "Static shot of family posing for a photoshoot, very subtly moving, they are almost still, waiting for the camera shutter to click. Subtle slow movements."

I'd say the Kling AI wins this battle.

Last modified 26 October 2024 at 21:59