One of the things I love about cinemagraphs is the way they emphasize how powerful the perfect small detail can be. The subtle repetitive motions in the above images imbue them with a sense of horror that is certainly absent from the still photographs. I would argue that they’re even more powerful than the fleeting moments in their respective movies. By pausing on these moments, these bare fractions of a second, and contemplating those small movements, the unsettling qualities are distilled, made potent and persistent. The camera doesn’t save us by cutting away, and even when we move on the image is burned in our minds, along with the knowledge that the movements are going on, and on, and on.
(The above cinemagraphs are by Gustaf Mantel. You can find more of his work HERE.)
Various and Sundry 