Updated 30 October 2026 · 5 min read
Animating a photo means asking AI to invent a few seconds of movement from a still image. The result can be very convincing, or give the property away at first glance. Most of the difference is made before creation, in the photos.
Preparing the shoot
- Shoot in daylight, with windows balanced against the interior
- Tidy and clear surfaces: animation amplifies clutter
- For each room, one wide shot and one or two details
- Keep the camera level: straight verticals, no distorting ultra-wide
- Keep files at full resolution
Photos that work
- Sharp, well exposed, no blown-out windows
- Shot straight on or at a slight angle
- Wide shots that leave room for movement
- Few thin or repetitive objects in the foreground
Moves that look right
- A slow push-in towards the back of the room
- A sideways tracking shot along a facade or a bay window
- Light shifting, clouds passing, curtains moving
Three to five seconds per shot is enough. Beyond that, generated movement is more likely to drift.
What still breaks
- Thin straight lines: railings, tiles, blinds
- Text: signs, numbers, book spines
- Reflections in mirrors and glass
- People, when the photo includes them
- Fast moves or full rotations
These flaws rarely show on a first viewing, but an attentive buyer will spot them. That's why I check every shot before delivery: a shot that distorts the property is redone or removed.
What stays off-limits
Animation must add nothing to the property: no pool, view or room that doesn't exist. If you want to show a possible layout, that's a projection, and it's labelled as one.