iMovie for iPad... for Photographers?

I know that as our tools merge with videographers that more photographers are jumping into the world of video. I've been doing video production almost as long as I have been shooting photos (seriously, not just hobbyist). After getting my iPad2, I was curious to try out iMovie to see how well it worked. I was surprised to find some interesting uses for photographers as well.

First off, iMovie is not a robust app. Just like all the great apps, it's simple and easy to use. You can quickly edit video shot with your iPad or iDevice and get it to the web fast (and looks great too.) Getting footage into the iPad from a different source like a DSLR or P&S HD camera is a little more difficult. More on that as I find a way to make this happen.

But iMovie is a great slideshow app too. You can import photos into your project like you would a video file an add transitions between them. Whats cool though is the ability to easily do the Ken Burns effect style pan and zoom effect during the time a photo is in frame. A simple pinch zoom and swipe to position the image sets the start of the slide and then click the end button and do the same to set the ending placement and cropping.

This might be my favorite way to show off slideshows of images.

A few complaints: I wish I was able to zoom a photo out two show an entire vertical photo. It seems like the app only allows you to "fill frame" instead of "fit in view". This really distracts from an image that was composed vertically and it doesn't allow you to see the entire image. I hope this is a future feature. I see this as a frustration in future projects.

I also wish you were able to edit your titles so they only show up for a portion of a clip. Currently the title applies to the footage you set it for. this means that an opening title would stay on for the entire duration of the first clip. Not a big deal in a slideshows, but when you have extended video footage, it can get distracting. This can be worked around with some creativity by splitting a clip or using a moving photo as a title before the long footage. But an easier option would be ideal!

All that considered. I do like the app and find it useful. the big question is, what does it look like? Here is a sample video I made in about 15 minutes with some portfolio images.

Artsy Photos from Ed Hidden on Vimeo.

A sample photo slideshow made with iMovie for iPad. Posted for a blog post on edhidden.com