How to Create a Digital Photo Gallery in After Effects

Learn how to create a realistic animated photo gallery sequence in Adobe After Effects by using this simple video tutorial.

Perhaps you are putting together a photo montage and need a nice way to tie all of the images together. There are many ways to animate your photos for a clean presentation. In this After Effects tutorial we will look closely at how to recreate a photorealistic scene that takes your images and turns them into a photo gallery.

Overview: How To Create A Photo Sequence

First, create a separate composition with the aspect ratio of the size of photo you want and import your photo. Then import the composition into your master comp.

From there you can add a background image into your main composition. Then, you’ll be able to duplicate your photos and animate them however you would like.

It’s that simple.

What To Take Away From This After Effects Tutorial

You’ll learn step-by-step what it takes to set up your project for photos and how to quickly add more. You’ll also learn how to composite your background with your photos. Finally, to wrap everything up, we’ll take a close look at how to use lights and cameras to add dimension to your sequence.

The important concept to take away is that careful lighting and movement will enhance the realism of your digital work. If you were to shoot this with a camera, you have to take in account for lighting and movement of photos. Think about how can create those physical attributes in After Effects and you will pull off a photorealistic sequence.