How to Customize the Image in TravelAnimator
Jaseel S7 min read
In this article 6 sections
You can now style your added photos directly on your map with frames, control their size and duration, and visually highlight destinations in a way that feels personal and immersive.
Travel animations are no longer just about moving icons and route lines. Today, the most engaging travel videos combine animated routes with real images to tell a complete story. With the latest update in TravelAnimator, image customization has become more features, flexible, and creator-friendly.
In this guide, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about image customization in TravelAnimator, including why images matter, where to find the image editor, all available customization options, step-by-step instructions, best practices, and real-world use cases.
Image Customization Options Available in TravelAnimator
The latest update introduces several image customization controls designed to keep things simple while offering creative flexibility. Let’s go through each option in detail.
Add Image
This is the starting point for image customization. Upload images directly from your device or replace images anytime without deleting the frame. You can add pictures at any stop of the animation. This allows you to experiment freely without worrying about mistakes.
Image Frames
Frames define the look and feel of your image on the map. TravelAnimator offers multiple frame styles, including clean square frames, decorative postcard-style frames, minimal modern borders, festive themed frames, and rounded and circular frames.
Frames help your image stand out from the map background and match the theme of your video, whether it’s professional, casual, festive, or storytelling-focused. You can change the frame or its color at any time, even after placing the image.
Add Text
Toggle the Add Text option at the bottom of the screen to add text under the image. Both images and text come together in the map make the animation more understandable. From there, you can also select the font style and font color of the text.
Image Duration
The duration setting controls how long the image appears during the animation. You can show pictures briefly in fast-paced videos and keep them longer for storytelling or explanations. This is especially useful when syncing images with the movement of your route or when highlighting essential moments. It can adjust the duration between 1 to 5 seconds.
Image Size
The size control lets you scale the image up or down. This is useful for highlighting key destinations, keeping the map visible and uncluttered, and balancing visuals on small mobile screens. A well-sized image ensures your video looks clean and professional, especially on vertical formats like 9:16.
Remove Image
If any mistakes happened, easily remove the image using the remove option and clean up your project without starting over. This makes editing stress-free and beginner-friendly.
Step-by-Step Guide to Add and Customize Images in TravelAnimator
Open TravelAnimator – Launch the app, and create a new project or open an existing one.
Add Your Route and Locations – Select your start point and destination. Add multiple stops if needed.
Add Your Image – Long-press the point and go to Add Media and upload a photo from your device.
Select a Frame – After adding the image, choose a frame style that matches your animation theme. Some frame styles also allow you to add or customize colors.
Add Text – Toggle the Add Text option to include text below the image. From there, you can select the font style and text color.
Set Image Duration – Choose how long the image should remain visible in the animation. You can adjust the duration between 1 to 5 seconds.
Adjust Size – Resize the image as needed. You can also select the map’s aspect ratio from this section.
Preview the Animation – Tap the blue tick button until you return to the map screen. Then, tap the blue arrow button to preview the animation and see how the image appears along the route.
Make Final Adjustments – Modify the frame, size, duration, or any other features until everything looks right.
Export and Share – Export your video in HD or 4K and share it on your preferred social media platforms.
Choosing Photos That Read Well on a Map
Your photo plays on a phone screen, inside a frame, for a few seconds, next to a moving route. That’s a tough spot for a wide landscape full of detail.
- Pick photos with one clear subject, such as a face, a landmark or a plate of food. A close shot of the Duomo reads better than a wide view of all of Florence.
- Avoid photos that match the map colours. A green rice-terrace shot on a green map blends in. A frame helps, but contrast helps more.
- Save images for the stops that matter. Five photos on a ten-stop route feels deliberate, while ten starts to feel like a slideshow.
- Decide your video ratio before you size images. Vertical 9:16 videos need smaller images than 16:9 so the route stays visible.
Want a photo at the very start of the video instead of at a stop? That’s a job for a cover image, which plays as an intro before the animation begins.
Matching Image Settings to the Video
The same photo needs different settings depending on where the video is going.
- Reels and Shorts: keep durations around 1 to 2 seconds and images small to medium. The route should never disappear behind a photo.
- YouTube intros and trip recap maps: 3 to 4 seconds gives viewers time to take in each photo, and 16:9 leaves room for a larger image.
- Client itineraries: use the full 5 seconds on key stops like the hotel or the main excursion, with Add Text for a short caption such as “Night 1, Alleppey houseboat”.
- Seasonal videos: festive frames suit a Christmas market trip, and postcard frames suit a summer holiday recap.
If an image covers the route or the next stop, make it smaller. If you can’t resize it, remove it and add it again at a smaller size. Keep the original on your phone, because removed images can’t be restored automatically.
Make Your Travel Stories More Visual
The new image customization update in TravelAnimator gives creators a powerful way to transform simple route animations into rich visual stories. With easy-to-use tools for adding images, choosing frames, adjusting size, controlling duration, and positioning visuals perfectly on the map, you don’t need any design or editing experience to create stunning travel videos. Whether you’re sharing memories, promoting destinations, or creating content for social media, image customization helps your videos feel more human, more engaging, and more memorable.
Download TravelAnimator today from the App Store or the Play Store. Open and start turning your routes into visual travel stories, using one image at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which image frames can I choose in TravelAnimator?
Frames define the look and feel of your image on the map. TravelAnimator offers multiple frame styles, including clean square frames, decorative postcard-style frames, minimal modern borders, festive themed frames, and rounded and circular frames.
How long does an image stay visible in the animation?
The duration setting controls how long the image appears during the animation. You can show pictures briefly in fast-paced videos and keep them longer for storytelling or explanations.
How can I adjust the size of an image?
The size control lets you scale the image up or down. This is useful for highlighting key destinations, keeping the map visible and uncluttered, and balancing visuals on small mobile screens. A well-sized image ensures your video looks clean and professional, especially on vertical formats like 9:16.
What is the default image duration in TravelAnimator?
Images appear for 1 second by default, and you can change the duration to anything from 1 to 5 seconds. A longer duration also holds the animation at that stop for longer, which gives viewers time to look at the photo. Use longer durations for your key stops and keep the rest short.
Should I use a cover image or a stop image in TravelAnimator?
Use a cover image for the opening frame, like a title screen that introduces the trip before the route starts moving. Use stop images for moments along the way, attached to the point where they happened. Many videos use both: a cover with the trip name, then a few photos at the stops that matter most.
