Choose photos that make better AI videos
AI Video GeneratorSmall tweaks to the photo you upload change how good the generated clip looks. Five rules that cover almost every template.
The same trend, the same credits — two different photos produce clips of very different quality. The generator can only animate what it is given, so the photo is the single biggest quality lever you control. Five rules cover almost every case.
1. Face the camera
The motion scripts assume the template's starting pose. A kissing-cam turn, a dance loop, a walk — they all read better when the face in your photo points at the lens. Dramatic side profiles get reconstructed by the model, and reconstruction is where detail is lost.
2. Fill the frame from the chest up
Head-and-shoulders is the sweet spot. Full-body shots work for templates that walk or dance, but for reactions and expressions a tight crop keeps the face large enough to stay sharp after the clip is compressed for social apps.
Filling the frame is also one of the standard ways to break the rule of thirds — and for a template that animates a face, it is usually the right call:
"It's not really a rule. It's more of a guideline or best practice."
— Adobe, How to use (& break) the rule of thirds in photography
3. Even light, plain background
A window-lit selfie against a plain wall beats a moody bar photo every time. The model separates you from the background to re-render it — a cluttered or dark background makes that cut harder and leaks artifacts into the edges of your hair.
This is the oldest advice in portrait photography, and it still holds for a photo that is about to be animated: soft, spread-out light is what keeps skin looking even. Adobe's portrait lighting guide puts it plainly — overcast daylight works because clouds "diffuse the harsh light of the sun," producing "beautiful, even lighting."
4. One person per slot
When a template asks for two photos, it wants two subjects: you in slot one, the friend, the pet, or the twist in slot two. Group shots confuse the correspondence and often swap faces between people.
5. Use a photo you have the rights to
Borrowed faces — celebrities and acquaintances alike — are the fastest way to get reported on social apps. Your own photos, or photos you are allowed to use, keep the fun legal.
Follow these five and the rest is taste: pick the trend, pick the outfit, pick the sound, post.