01.
The Photo Album Method
The first method I explored, as the name suggests, was inspired by the interface of the Photos app in the macOS. It heavily features pictures arranged in a grid and a text marker that appears on the top left. Since the first set of objects or photos are of my own, I thought it was appropriate to take the interface as an inspiration.
01.Static Direction
The main layout is inspired by the interface of the Photos app, as I mentioned before. The layout should be adjusted to the amount and orientation of the photos intended to be displayed. In my case, I choose six pictures of the same orientation and size in order to organize them better.
During the layout arrangement, I also wanted to make sure that all of the photos fit within a 1920x1080 canvas (the dimensions of a zoom background) and hence the scale differences of these images. It is recommended to resize the images into one unified size to make the arranging easier.
The images' descriptions are placed top left (again from the OS), though the text of the bottom right image is slightly different so it would not get covered by the user.
Again, the canvas is yours to experiment with, but I recommend placing smaller pictures on the top to not get covered and adding margin in-between and outside the images. Below is the result of the method that I created.
Directions
1. Pick the Images and arrange accordingly based on orientation and size
2. Make sure that the smaller images are on top
3. Add text description on the top left, unless its the bottom right image
02.Video Direction
For the video direction, I thought to display the pictures individually and enlarging them in the center. This direction follows a slideshow-esque technique.
I initially thought I could give more focus to the images, but it was not that effective since the user would be in the center more or less. The user would need to sit at the edge of the screen so viewers can see the images.
You would need to bring the images individually into After Effects and play with the Opacity and Scale to transition smoothly to the other photos. Add a Text Layer and set it to the top left of the image.
1. Bring the images individually into After Effects
2. Place a picture at the center, enlarge it, and add the text description
3. Play with the scale and opacity of the images to ensure a smooth transition
03.AR Direction
For the AR Direction, I experimented with the capabilities of Snapchat's Lens Studio. I decided that it would be interesting to have the images revolve around you but still following the layout's format from the static and video direction.
In Lens Studio, it is quicker to start from a template. To follow this direction, you can start from the Paper Head or 2D Object template. Make sure to select the Head Binding face effect to make sure the images move along your head. Add the desired images in the layer.
Adding the text part is a bit tricky but manageable. Add Text Object in the Objects panel, upload the desired font if wanted, and add the Pin to Mesh component to the object, so the text moves along with the images. Adjust the position of the text through the effects panel. Below are the AR workspace and the filter I created. If you are interested in using the filter, scan the QR code, or go to this link.
1. Start from scratch or use the Paper Head/2D Object Template
2. Create or select the Head Binding face effect
3. Add the images and arrange accordingly
4. Add the Text Object and add the Pin To Mesh component
5. Adjust the position through the transform panel