How to animate a photo to video with AI (2025) | LetsEnhance
Creating AI videos is easier than one can imagine. You can now turn any single image into a high-quality video with realistic motion, cinematic depth and human-like emotion.
Animating images takes just three steps: upload an image, choose how you want it to move, and hit Generate. You don’t need editing skills or previous experience, LetsEnhance will do everything for you.
Keep reading to get the step-by-step instructions along with some pro tips for getting better results.
AI photo animation steps with LetsEnhance
Creating next-generation AI animation with LetsEnhance takes literally 5 clicks. Here’s how it works:
- Log in or sign up to letsenhance.io and open the video workspace.
- Drop in the image you want to animate: portraits, products, artwork, anything works.
- Choose your desired preset, camera movement, and pace speed.
- Hit Generate and that’s it.
In less than 90 seconds, you can download your realistic, professional-looking 1080p video and share it wherever you want.
Want to edit your image before animating? Try our Chat Editor and make changes just by typing. You can alter the eye color, background, lighting, mood, or even rewrite the text on a product before you turn it into animation.
Delve deeper with animation settings
Once your image is uploaded, you have full control over how it moves. Whether you want a subtle blink, a sweeping product reveal, or a dynamic AI art animation, you can direct the exact scene using three tools: presets, camera movement, and pace speed.
Getting started with 1-click presets
Our 4 animation styles are designed for most common use cases. They make the AI video generation process more accurate and quick.
- Portrait smile: This preset offers a static shot where people blink gently and smile naturally. Use this one for close-up portraits, headshots, family photos.
Demonstration of “Portrait Smile” preset adding natural facial motion.
- Group shot: This one makes the people in the image wave and smile warmly. It’s best to use old family archives, team photos, or class pictures when you want the moment to feel alive.
“Group Shot” preset animating people waving and smiling in team photos.
- Product: Built for e-commerce products and object photography, this makes a mini product commercial in seconds. The camera performs a slow, smooth push-in while soft lighting shifts across the product surface and highlights its textures and details.
“Product” preset creates cinematic mini commercial.
- Universal: A universal preset is perfect for any kind of image such as landscapes, artwork or architecture. It adds natural camera movement and depth.
“Universal” preset adding movement and depth to artwork
Additional adjustable settings
Here you’ve got some popular camera movement and scene pace options for more control over how scenes are experienced. Note that whatever you choose, the system will automatically translate it into a prompt.
Let’s get to know the different camera movements and what outcome to expect.
| Camera movement | Effect |
|---|---|
| Static | No camera movement. The focus is on subject motion |
| Zoom in | Camera moves toward the subject, creating intimacy and focus |
| Zoom out | Camera moves away, revealing context and environment |
| Pan | Camera sweeps laterally across the scene |
| Orbit | Camera circles around the subject. Best for centered subjects and products |
After adjusting camera movement, you’ve got 4 different and unique speed paces that offer variety and clear speed spectrum. Here’s what each of them offers:
| Speed pace | Effect |
|---|---|
| Slow-motion | Time effect where motion is stretched for a smoother and more detailed look |
| Gentle | Naturally slower movement speed |
| Natural | Standard real-time motion |
| Fast | Quick and energetic movement for a dynamic feel |
Write advanced and custom prompts
Once you’re comfortable with the aforementioned control settings, you can take full control through writing custom prompts. This is the space where you direct the scene exactly how you imagine it.
When you pick a preset or adjust motion settings, the prompt box auto-fills with the description of what’s happening. This section is completely editable, which means that you can make changes or write a completely new prompt.
We recommend starting simple and getting more advanced as you learn. Pick a preset, see how it translates to a prompt, then tweak that prompt to get exactly what you're after.
Use cinematography language to describe what you want. There’s no strict word limit, but it's best to keep it short and simple.
Interface showing editable prompt box section
Core prompting tips for better results
Our image to video tool already does most of the work for you, but your prompt is what gives it direction. The better you describe the motion, the more natural and lifelike your video will feel.
Here are a few quick tips and some examples to help you get that cinematic look every time.
Focus on motion, not appearance
Your image already defines how things appear. Your job is to describe how they move. Talk about what should change, move, or be revealed.
Good: Camera slowly zooms in. Leaves rustle gently in the breeze. Not useful: A red house with green trees and blue sky.
Use real camera language
You don’t need to be a filmmaker, but using a few cinematic terms helps the AI understand the shot.
- Push-in or dolly in: Camera moves toward subject
- Pull-back or dolly out: Camera moves away
- Pan: Camera rotates left or right
- Orbit: Camera circles around subject
- Static: Camera stays locked, subject moves
Don’t be vague. Phrases like “make it cool” or “add movement” don’t help.
Have a look at the illustration below to get a clearer sense of how different camera movements work.Image source: “The 16 Types of Camera Shots & Angles” — Boords)
Keep it simple and specific
Remember: one scene, one action. When you describe too many actions or scene changes, the motion becomes confused or unnatural. Keep it focused on one continuous moment.
Good: Camera orbits right around the product. Soft light glides across the surface. Too complex: Camera spins around while zooming in and out as dramatic storm clouds gather and lightning flashes in the background.
Add mood and atmosphere
A few style words can completely shift how your scene feels. Use tone cues like dreamy, nostalgic, cinematic, moody, or serene.
Some good examples:
- Soft push-in as the subject looks out the window. Dreamy, nostalgic tone.
- Camera drifts past the car headlights. dark, cinematic, moody.
Use active, kinetic verbs
The best prompts use movement verbs that suggest flow and life. Replace “is” and “stands” with glides, drifts, swirls, rushes, or ripples.
Not useful: Camera shows the waves Good: Camera glides above the waves as they roll gently.
Tip: say what you want, not what you don’t. Negative phrasing (“don’t make it too dark,” “no fast motion”) confuses the model.
How to structure a good prompt
Think of your prompt as a single camera shot. You need to give quick directions to AI: e.g. what the camera does, what the subject does, what the scene feels like.
Here’s the right structure that works every time:
[Camera direction] + [Subject action] + [Scene detail] + [Mood/tone]
Example: A slow push-in camera. The woman turns her head gently and smiles warmly. Soft afternoon light filters through the window. Intimate, serene mood.
Content-specific examples
Now that you already know the right prompting tips and structure, it’s time to implement the same logic to your portraits, landscapes, products or other images. Use these as inspiration and feel free to tweak them.
| Content types | Focus | Prompt example |
|---|---|---|
| Portraits | Facial expressions, eye movement, small gestures | Subject blinks gently and smiles subtly as camera stays locked. |
| Landscapes | Atmospheric elements, natural motion | Clouds drift slowly, leaves rustle, water ripples gently. |
| Products | Lighting, reflection and texture | Slow rotating camera, soft light glides across the surface. |
| Universal | Any image type such as AI art, pets, architecture or travel shots | Camera drifts forward to the scene. Light shifts naturally as details come into focus. Dreamy, cinematic mood. |
Why choose LetsEnhance for video animation
Restore and animate in one simple workflow
Repair damaged family photos, enhance faces, colorize, and then turn them into realistic motion. No tool switching, no exports, no complicated setup.
Example of restoring and animating damaged photo
Videos that look real, not artificial
A lot of AI video tools can make things move but not all of them feel real. LetsEnhance’s next-generation AI model captures the small details that matter. Natural facial expressions, realistic lighting and camera movement make videos feel grounded and human.
No learning curve or complications
Image animations with LetsEnhance happen in just a few clicks. Upload your image, choose a preset, tweak the camera and pace, then hit Animate. It’s fast, intuitive, and reliable.
Make AI video today
Unlike many other AI videos that look artificial, our next-generation AI delivers videos that feel real and human.
Whether you’re animating a piece of family history, turning your product photo into a mini ad, or adding motion to your AI art, LetsEnhance offers the quickest and easiest possible way.
Try AI Video today and create your first cinematic clip in minutes.
Example showing photos converted into cinematic AI videos using LetsEnhance.
FAQ
What is an AI image to video generator?
An AI image to video generator is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to turn a single, static photo into a moving video clip. Instead of just adding a simple filter, it creates new motion, such as a person smiling, clouds moving, or a camera panning, to bring the original picture to life in a realistic way.
Is there a free AI photo to video generator?
The AI Video feature is a premium tool and is not included in the free trial. It is available for all users on a paid subscription plan, which ensures all your video generations are high-quality and processed fast.
What are the supported formats, video specs, and technical details for LetsEnhance’s AI Video?
LetsEnhance’s AI Video accepts images in JPG, PNG, or WebP formats. Note that high-resolution images will be optimized to 1080p for best video quality.
Each video is created in 1080p HD at 24 frames per second and saved as an MP4 file. Animations are five seconds long and are generated in about 90 seconds. Creating one video costs 10 credits on any paid plan.
Can I use LetsEnhance’s AI Video for commercial projects?
Yes. Any video generated from your own images can be used for commercial purposes, whether for social ads, brand visuals, or online store content.
Can I animate old or damaged photos?
Absolutely. LetsEnhance offers a unique workflow that allows you to restore and animate damaged photos. First, use our Old Photo restoration model to repair and colorize the image and then animate them using Portrait Smile or Group Shot presets.
How to get started with animating images using LetsEnhance
All you need are a few clicks. Upload your image, choose a preset, set the camera movement and pace speed, then hit Generate. Start simple with one of the ready-made presets, and once you’re comfortable, explore custom prompts to direct your scene the way you imagine it.
How does LetsEnhance compare to other AI video tools like Pika or Runway?
LetsEnhance focuses on creating high-fidelity, realistic motion from a single image. Our tool is designed for simplicity and quality, with presets optimized for real-world use cases (portraits, products), rather than complex, multi-scene video generation from text.Is this like MyHeritage's Deep Nostalgia for old photos?It's an evolution of that idea. Tools like Deep Nostalgia are designed to animate only the face (blinking, smiling). Our AI video generator animates the entire scene, including full camera movement (zooms, pans), subject motion, and atmospheric effects for a full, 5-second cinematic clip.
Does AI Video support NSFW or sensitive content?
No. Safety filters automatically block NSFW or inappropriate material during generation.