Open Secrets and advanced techniques
In this article we will try and give you some tips around using timera and maybe let you know about some features you didn’t know to get the best results when taking timeras.
Any timera starts with the selection of an old photograph. For this you can either go to the site or to the app. There you will find many old photos which have been uploaded by our users. Also, you can search by hashtag to find interesting pictures, as well as upload your own old photos. Your own photos can be made visible to everyone or you can keep them private for your own persobal use.
Well, you're standing on the spot where an old photograph was taken. Start timera, open the map and select the desired photo. Now you will find yourself looking through the old photo.
The first thing to do is to resize the old photo to give the same scale as the view you have today. This may mean that you change your position, or distance from the subject or you just pinch and drag the old photo to match the desired position.
When aligning the old photo with the live camera feed a number of points need to be considered
Try and find lines that continue from today to the past. These can be windows, trees, or building features
Look to see how the angles intersect. Often you need to move left or right of your current position to get the angles to align.
Change the transparency of the old photo using the slider if you are having trouble picking out features
Don’t worry too much about getting the exact size or exact alignment when taking the picture. Exact size and alignment can be fixed later on with the “nudge” screen. Far more important when taking the photo is that you stand in the right location and the composition is good.
Regarding composition - Height is determined by the eye on the level of the surrounding objects. Many times you see timeras with someone from today looking like a giant next to a person from the past…. or vice versa. You my need to play with your subject to get the best results.
Interaction - Have fun with people today interacting with the past. You may have people looking at something which no longer exists today or looking at someone from the past.
We should understand that the lenses used to create the old photos and those that in your smartphone are different, and each creates its own lens distortion. Sometimes it is best not to try and get the whole photo aligned but instead pick a section of the photo that aligns where you will place your time tunnel.
If you experiment and play with timera you will find that your expertise grows rapidly and soon you’ll be creating convincing timeras that will amaze the community. Have fun !