Fixed crops with subject alignment on multiple images

[GregE]

Hi Folks,
I'm hoping someone can advise about cropping options, I have a few frames from a video I took of a bird in flight however I couldn't keep it centered in the frames, I want to use the images in a dynamic GIF but need to crop the jpegs to the same size but importantly keeping the subject in the same relative position eg line up the beak on the same point in each frame, is there an alignment / stacking and crop method I can use in PSP 2018?
Thanks
Cheers
Greg

[Radim]

It seems like work for object tracking function ...AfterEffect or Premiere Pro?

Sample:
Premiere Pro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jYvCWwSw0M
After Effects - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqWWhChc8RA

If it is not long sequence a few seconds and relatively slow FPS 5-10 it can be done manualy.

And of course Corel VideoStudio:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibo088TtdY4
- http://learn.corel.com/tutorials/introd ... -tracking/
- http://learn.corel.com/tutorials/motion ... e-objects/

[GregE]

Thanks Radim for that, I was hoping not to have to fork out money for something that is likely a very limited usage, I did wonder if there was a "registration mark" alignment process I could use then align layers on that mark. I tried using the merge function but just got a "flock" of images even after trying the auto align function.
There are only about a dozen frames but no fixed background (clear sky) so I guess I could try aligning manually on a grid but I had trouble trying to work out how to get the same size crop in different positions on the jpg but with the subject aligned on the grid! I haven't attempted anything like this before so not sure what tools to use.
Cheers
Greg

[hartpaul]

You can place two images on top of each other on a larger canvas and then change the blend mode of the top image to Difference. Then you can move the top image using the Move tool and holding Control down and use the arrow keys for large movements and release the Control key for smaller movements. When parts of the image align they turn black.

[GregE]

Hi Paul,
Thanks, I started following your instructions but then found when cropping (to ensure that images would be smaller than canvas) with Free Format that the crop size remained the same across all the images and was able to align the beak on the centre pivot point of the crop tool. I then found the old Jasc Animation Shop thanks to a post by Radim on this site (Re: Animated GIFs ? Postby Radim » Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:11 am) and it still works (the last time I used AS was in the early '90s!).

The resulting GIF:



I must admit I'm getting more impressed with PSP as I find out more features
Thanks again for your help!
Cheers
Greg

[hartpaul]

Hi Greg, Glad it worked for you. Just a thought that you could use a cloud brush to put some background clouds and give the sense of the bird flying against a sky backdrop.

That method also works when you are trying to do a panorama but using camera on tripod and with some overlap. Again using a similar method you can check when the overlap is aligned as the matching sections turn completely black.
Regards
Paul

[GregE]

Hi Paul, it would have to be a small cloud as the final loop was only about 8 frames long! Perhaps I could make it look like it is flying under(or over) a long cloud as long as I can match the width of the cloud at the frame boundaries. I agree that your technique will make it easy to align pics for panoramas, I used to do it using transparent selections and manually align on a large canvas then crop as required so I could do that with hand held shots. The camera I'm using now (Nikon B700 compact) has a built-in panorama function which saves a lot of hassle!
Cheers
Greg