Black and white photos with bold pink lyrics are a popular style right now. One bright color on a clean, moody background makes even a simple edit look stylish. In this guide, I'll show how to make this look in Alight Motion on your phone. The trick is to build one section properly and then copy it through the rest of the video. I really enjoyed making this edit. It felt difficult at the start, but it got easier as I went on.
Start with the right project setup
Open Alight Motion and create a new project in 9:16 vertical size. Keep your photos, PNGs, emojis, and song ready before you begin. It saves a lot of time later.
Mark the beats before anything else
Add your song from the audio option and play it once. Listen to the beats and lyrics, then place a beat marker wherever a photo, text, or transition should change. These markers decide the timing of the whole edit, so take your time here.
Fill the frame with your first photo
Add the first photo, open Move & Transform, and adjust the position and scale until it covers the full screen. Avoid empty borders, and zoom in slightly if needed. Use the same framing for every photo so the video feels consistent.
Turn the photo black and white
- Select the photo layer and open Effects.
- Go to Color & Light.
- Reduce Saturation to -100.0%
- Adjust brightness, contrast, or exposure a little if needed.
Use the same settings on every background photo so the whole video looks like one matching edit. My first try had every photo in color, but I didn't like how it looked. When I switched the background photos to black and white, the edit felt much cleaner.
Place the PNG cutout on top
The PNG cutout is a subject with the background removed, placed over the main photo.
- Remove the background of your extra photo or object with PhotoRoom and save it as a transparent PNG.
- Import the PNG into Alight Motion as a new layer.
- Place it above the background photo.
- Use Move & Transform to adjust the position and size.
Make sure it sits naturally on the photo and doesn't cover the important parts. Here is what worked best for me: I kept the PNG cutout in its normal colors and made only the background photo black and white. The subject stood out so much more, and it looked great.
Write the lyrics in two fonts
- Tap Text and type the lyric for that part of the song.
- Use the elegant serif font for the main lyric and the simple font for the smaller words.
- Make the main lyric pink or magenta, and the small words white or black, depending on the background.
- Open Move & Transform to adjust the X and Y position, size, and rotation.
Two fonts are enough. Too many fonts make the edit look messy.
For smooth entry and exit, add a simple fade, position, or scale animation. Keep it slow, because this style looks best when it's calm and cinematic. I also tried matching the lyric color to the colors in the photo, and that made the edit look even better. Try it and see which color suits your photo.
Add small emojis for a cute touch
Import an emoji PNG as a new layer and place it above the text or photo. Keep it small. An emoji near a specific word looks stylish, and a light scale or position animation on the beat can make it feel more alive.
Copy the section instead of rebuilding it
- Once your first section is complete, you don't need to start over.
- Select the photo, text, emoji, and PNG layers.
- Tap Copy Layers.
- Move to the next beat marker.
- Tap Paste Layers.
Now change only the content:
- Replace the photo, set saturation to -100% again if needed, and match the brightness with the previous photo.
- Replace the PNG and keep the same position and size.
- Change the lyric text and adjust its position.
- Change the emoji.
Repeat this for every section.
Do a final check and export
Play the video from the beginning and check that:
- Every photo changes on the beat.
- Every lyric matches the song.
- The PNGs and emojis are in the right place.
- All background photos have the same black and white style.
Fix small position issues with Move & Transform. When it looks right, tap Export at the top right, choose your quality and frame rate, and export.
Common problems and fixes
- The photos look different from each other. Adjust brightness, contrast, or exposure on each photo until they match.
- The PNG looks fake on the photo. Clean the cutout edges and resize it to fit the scene.
- The text is hard to read. Switch the small words between white and black depending on the background.
- The edit looks messy. Use fewer fonts and smaller emojis.
- The animation looks rushed. Slow it down and use one simple animation per text.
Tips for better results
- Build one perfect section first, then copy it.
- Pick photos with good contrast, since they look best in black and white.
- Use only one bright color so the pink text stands out.
- Place all beat markers before adding anything else.
A note on music, emojis, and photos
If you post your video online, make sure you're allowed to use the song, or choose royalty-free music, because platforms may mute or remove videos otherwise. Use emojis, fonts, and PNGs only from sources that allow free use, and only use photos of people who have agreed to it.
Final thoughts
The first few sections took me the longest, and I found it hard at the start. After the first one was done, the rest felt easy. This style looks complicated, but it's really one section copied again and again. Build the first one carefully, and the rest goes fast. If you get stuck, leave a comment and I'll help.