Articles on: Capture Modes

Live Photos

Capture a still photo with a few seconds of motion — giving guests a photo that comes to life when they view it on their device.



What Are Live Photos?


A Live Photo is a still image paired with a short video clip captured around the moment the photo was taken. When viewed on a supported device, the image appears to move — like a tiny window into that moment.


It's a subtle but delightful effect. Guests see what looks like a normal photo, but when they long-press or hover on it, the motion plays.



How Live Photos Work in ALIVE


ALIVE captures Live Photos by recording a brief video clip alongside the standard photo capture:


  1. The booth captures the still photo as usual
  2. A short video clip is recorded around the moment of capture
  3. Both the still image and the video are packaged together
  4. The result is delivered as a combined media file that supported devices recognize as a Live Photo


The process is seamless for guests — they interact with the booth the same way they would for a regular photo.



Enabling Live Photos


Live Photos are tied to ALIVE's video capture capability. When the ALIVE Effect is selected for your event, the booth records video alongside photos:


  1. Open your event and select the ALIVE Effect
  2. Configure the video start delay and video duration in your event settings
  3. Start your event — the booth will now capture motion alongside stills




Viewing Live Photos


How guests experience Live Photos depends on their device:


  • iPhone / iPad — Long-press the photo in the Photos app to see the motion play
  • Mac — Hover over the photo in the Photos app
  • Android — Some Android devices support motion photos natively; others will display just the still image
  • Web — The video component can be played in browsers that support the format


Not all devices support Live Photo playback. The still photo always looks great on its own — the motion is a bonus for supported devices.



Settings That Affect Live Photos


These settings in your event configuration influence how Live Photos are captured:


  • Time Until Video Starts — How many seconds after the photo session begins before video recording starts
  • Video Duration — How long the video clip records (typically 2-3 seconds)
  • Mirror Image — Whether the video is flipped to match a selfie-style orientation



Tips


  • Keep it natural — The beauty of Live Photos is capturing candid motion. Let guests know they can move, laugh, or react after the photo
  • Steady lighting — Since video is involved, flickering or inconsistent lighting can be noticeable
  • Short and sweet — A 2-3 second video clip is the sweet spot. Longer clips don't add much and increase file sizes
  • Mention it to guests — Many people don't know about Live Photos. A quick "long-press your photo to see it move!" goes a long way



What's Next?


Updated on: 07/05/2026

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