Time-Lapse Photography and Videos

The easiest way to make a time-lapse video is to play a video at 2X or 5X the normal speed. However, instead of adjusting the video settings, you can get better results by taking a series of individual photos. If you use this method, the frames per second will depend on your choice of subject and how quickly it moves. You could, for instance, take photos every 5 or 10 seconds and then later play them back as a video at 24 or 30 frames per second.

The slower your subject moves, the longer the interval between shots can be. For faster moving subjects, such as clouds, you may need a shorter interval between shots to ensure a smooth and natural flow in the finished video.

You can make time-lapse recordings with most cameras. Whether you are using a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR), compact, bridge, or system camera, it’s important that the camera is equipped with a manual exposure mode (M mode). Action cams generally come equipped with a special timer or a setting for interval shooting, which makes creating time-lapse videos that much easier.

No matter which camera you’ve decided to use, a tripod or a stable base is a basic requirement for creating great time-lapse footage. This will help you avoid unnecessary and distracting shaking on your final video. Additionally, you should make sure that your device’s battery is fully charged and that you have enough free memory space for several hundred photos. If you are planning a longer shoot, we recommend getting an additional battery or power bank to ensure that you don’t have to stop recording in the middle of your project. A remote shutter release can also be useful for taking pictures without having to physically touch your equipment and risk knocking it. It is a good idea to consider protecting your camera from the elements if you are planning on taking outdoor shots.

Before you start your time-lapse recording, you should make sure that the spot that you would like to take photos from has a stable and safe area to set up your equipment. This will help prevent any unnecessary camera shaking. Also pay attention to the weather forecast and the time of day, as these factors will have a significant influence on your results. Cloudless days are ideal for recording sunrises and sunsets, whilst slightly cloudy days are suitable for recording moving clouds. Think about how long you want the recording to run for. Short time-lapse recordings can be created in just a few minutes, while larger projects can take several days or even weeks.

After setting up your tripod and choosing which section of the scene you would like to use for your image, you’ll have to set the parameters, such as the aperture and ISO value. We recommend using a relatively open aperture (small f-number) and choosing the lowest possible ISO value (50-200). It is just as important to select the correct shutter speed, which should be adjusted to match how quickly the scene is changing. We also recommend setting and fixing the white balance to avoid colour changes. The focus should also be set and fixed manually to ensure continuous sharpness. Be sure to put your camera in manual mode before shooting your series of photos to ensure the camera does not automatically change the settings while the photos are being taken. For your first time-lapse attempts, you should use the JPG format. This will ensure you have enough free memory space for the photos. In addition, importing and editing your photos afterwards is a lot quicker than when using large RAW files.

There are numerous (as well as free) programs that you can use to compile your footage into a single video. You can use most video editing programs to import all of your photos at once and then export them as a video. This is easy to do with programs like iMovie for Mac, Adobe Premiere, Windows Movie Maker. or Photoshop Lightroom (the demo version will suffice in most cases here). Another option is to create a simple photo slideshow with your default image viewer and play it at an accelerated rate. You’ll end up with the best results if your video has 24 or 30 fps.

You can also use time-lapse techniques on individual photos. With a camera and a source of light, you can “paint” on your photos. This technique is called “light-painting”. To do this, set your ISO value to 100 and choose a long enough exposure time and photograph yourself while “painting” a motif in the air with something like a torch in front of the camera. It is good to start with an exposure time of 10 to 30 seconds. Set your camera to manual mode and use a small f-number (e.g. f/8 to f/11) to ensure sufficient depth of field. Also use a tripod to keep the camera stable during the long exposure time. This is another instance where it’s best to just try it out a couple of times to find the right settings for your motif.