As of IM version 6.2 you can use the "-scene" setting to set the starting number for the current image sequence. convert eye.gif news.gif storm.gif +adjoin -scene 101 image_%03d.gif see http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/files/#write_seq >that does it, it starts the numbering sequence at -0. it's probably >immaterial but can it be forced to start at -1