The world of AI creativity is evolving incredibly fast, and one of the most popular trends right now is the “Tiger’s Gaze” photo effect—a dramatic, intense portrait where a human face merges with the piercing eyes and features of a tiger. It’s bold, it’s artistic, and it catches attention instantly on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Thanks to tools like Google Gemini AI and Alight Motion, you don’t need advanced editing skills to create this stunning visual. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need—from generating the tiger-style portrait in Gemini to animating it in Alight Motion for a polished, cinematic look.
Let’s dive in.
What is the Tiger’s Gaze AI Photo Trend?
Before we start, it’s useful to understand what this trend actually is. The Tiger’s Gaze style typically involves:
A close-up portrait of a human
Blended with tiger facial characteristics
Featuring heavy shadows, sharp contrast, and glowing eyes
A powerful, almost mystical atmosphere
This fusion creates a fierce and captivating effect, symbolising strength, confidence, and inner power. Creators are using AI to generate the base image and then adding dramatic animations and lighting in video-editing apps like Alight Motion.
If you want to recreate this viral aesthetic, you’re in the right place.
What You’ll Need
To follow this tutorial, make sure you have:
✔ 1. Google Gemini AI (Web or App)
Gemini is Google’s advanced AI model capable of generating highly detailed images when prompted correctly.
You can use:
Gemini on the web
Gemini on the Android or iOS app
✔ 2. Alight Motion App
This is where we animate and polish the final image.
Available on: Android, iOS.
✔ 3. A Good Reference Photo
A clear, front-facing portrait will give the best results.
✔ 4. Creativity and Patience
AI art sometimes requires a few variations before you get the “perfect” look.
Step 1: Prepare Your Reference Photo
Your reference photo is crucial because Gemini uses it to mirror your features in the final Tiger’s Gaze image. Here’s what makes an ideal picture:
Tips for the Perfect Portrait:
Face directly toward the camera
Neutral expression
Good lighting (daylight is best)
Clean background
No sunglasses or face obstruction
The clearer your face, the better the AI will blend human and tiger features without distortion.
Step 2: Upload the Photo to Gemini AI
Once you have your image ready, open Gemini.
How to Upload:
Visit Gemini on your browser or open the app
Tap the Upload photo button
Choose your portrait
Type in a detailed prompt (more on this next)
Gemini can analyse your face and use it to generate the tiger-enhanced version.
Step 3: Use the Right Prompt (Most Important Part)
Good prompting is the secret behind breathtaking AI images. If the prompt is weak, the output will look generic or distorted.
Recommended Tiger’s Gaze Prompt:
Copy and paste this:
“Create a hyper-realistic portrait combining my face with the features of a Bengal tiger. Maintain human structure but add tiger textures, stripes, glowing amber eyes, and intense shadows. Cinematic lighting, high contrast, ultra-detailed, sharp focus, dramatic atmosphere. Make it appear fierce, powerful, and artistic.”
Additional Prompt Options:
If you want a darker vibe:
“Dark theme, moody lighting, deep shadows, mythic style.”
If you want a fantasy look:
“Mystical aura, glowing effects, magical particles, fantasy realism.”
If you want it more human than tiger:
“Keep human face dominant but lightly blend tiger stripes and eyes.”
You can generate multiple versions until one matches your vision.
Step 4: Download the Best Image
Gemini usually generates 2–4 variations. Take your time comparing them.
Pick the image that:
Has balanced human-tiger blending
Shows clear eyes
Has no distorted features
Matches your preferred aesthetic
Tap Download, and save it in high resolution if available.
Step 5: Open Alight Motion and Create a New Project
Now let’s animate your AI masterpiece.
Project Settings for Best Quality:
Resolution: 1080 × 1920 (Vertical for Reels/TikTok)
Frame rate: 30 FPS
Background: Black or dark gradient (fits the theme)
Tap Create Project.
Step 6: Import Your Tiger’s Gaze Image
Inside your new project:
Tap the “+” (Add media) button
Select your Gemini AI-generated photo
Adjust it to fit the screen
Slightly zoom in for a more dramatic look
You’re now ready to animate.
Step 7: Add Cinematic Motion to the Image
Alight Motion gives you lots of tools, but we’ll focus on simple yet powerful effects.
A. Slow Zoom (Ken Burns Effect)
This is the signature move in most viral edits.
Select the image layer.
Go to Move & Transform
Add a keyframe at the start
Add another keyframe at the end
Slightly zoom in (1.10x – 1.20x)
This creates a slow push-in effect.
B. Add Subtle Rotation
Just 1–2° over 3 seconds adds realism.
Start keyframe: Rotation 0°
End keyframe: Rotation -2° (or +2°)
C. Add Motion Blur
Helps soften the transition and give a smooth cinematic finish.
Effects → Add Effect → Blur → Motion Blur
Keep it subtle (5–12)
Step 8: Add Lighting Effects for Drama
Lighting is what truly transforms a static image into a powerful video.
A. Light Leak Overlay
You can download free light-leak overlays online or use ones already in Alight Motion.
Set blend mode to Screen or Add
Reduce opacity to 10–20%
B. Glow Around the Eyes
This makes the tiger gaze pop.
Duplicate the image layer.
Add a Gaussian Blur to the duplicate
Add Colour Overlay (Amber or Golden)
Reduce opacity
Mask around the eyes
Now the eyes will glow subtly.
C. Shadow Gradient
Adds depth.
Add shape → Gradient.
Black to transparent
Place it on top of a corner
Blend mode: Multiply
Step 9: Add Text or Quotes (Optional)
If you’re making a motivational edit, add a simple quote.
Popular choices:
“Unleash the Beast Within”
“Strength is Silent. Power is Loud.”
“Fearless.”
“Awaken Your Wild Side.”
Use bold fonts like:
Montserrat
Bebas Neue
Anton
Oswald
Add small fade-in animations for polish.
Step 10: Add Sound Effects or Music
Great visuals need great audio. Choose:
Epic cinematic background music
Deep bass rumble
TikTok trending audio
Jungle/tiger sound effects (optional but cool)
Make sure your audio enhances the gaze effect rather than overpowering it.
Step 11: Export in High Quality
For the best results:
Export Settings:
Resolution: 1080p
Format: .mp4
FPS: 30 or 60
Bitrate: High (8–12 Mbps)
Hit Export and save the file.
Now you’re ready to share your masterpiece with the world!
Pro Tips to Improve Your Tiger’s Gaze Results
Here are a few extra tricks to push your creation to the next level:
1. Try Multiple Poses
Different facial angles create different outcomes.
2. Adjust Prompts Slightly
Even a small change can result in a dramatically better image.
3. Use Colour Grading in Alight Motion
Try:
Orange-teal colour scheme
Deep blues for a colder mood
Golden glow for fantasy style
4. Add Particles or Smoke
Gives a mystical or dangerous aura.
5. Use Eye-Tracking Motion
