Inspiration:

(http://iwdrm.tumblr.com/)

Here’s how it was done.I shot 3 seconds of video, keeping the camera stationary using a drinking glass. Using ffmpeg, I split the image into individual JPG images, and identified one chewing cycle (finding an image where his chin just starts to move down, then finding the next one, and selecting all images in between). Then, as there were nearly 40 images, I cut every other one to come close to 20 images.

I then made each of the 20 images into a layer in Photoshop, and duplicated the top (first) layer. The first layer became a mask, with the empty part of the mask being just the lower part of his face, the part that  moves. The rest of the layer remains opaque, hiding all the subsequent layers (frames).

Next, I added some adjustment layers on top to clean up the exposure, contrast, and make it black and white.

Finally, I used the Animation mode to make frames for each layer, one by one, and set the time for each frame to 0.04 sec (which works out to approximately 24 frames per second), set the movie to repeat indefinitely, and then went to export it using “Save for Web & Devices”, using GIF, 256 colors and non-transparent settings, and reduced the size to 800 pixels in width.

Slowly, to avoid distracting him, I moved in for the first shot.

Then, inching closer, I took a few more, to see how close I could get. This one’s better, but the reflection’s not visible.

By rotating the iPhone so that the camera lens is as close as possible to the window, I can see the reflection I’m looking for.

Connor remained still throughout, and I ended with this one.

And here it is after post-processing. I’m amazed at how nice the iPhone’s camera is!

Here is a nice three-image HDR of the ocean across the way from that hotel.