Creating a time-lapse is a great way to shoot and condense many shots into a small amount of time. Making a time-lapse takes practice, planning, and commitment but once these are in place you can make a great time-lapse. Here are 7 secrets to making the perfect timelapse.
Timelapses are great for when you want to cover hours at a time but sped up to a few seconds or few minutes. Landscape and cityscape scenes are known for timelapse. Showing sunrises and sunsets are also popular timelapse themes.
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1. Your camera and intervals
Your camera needs to be set up appropriately to create a great timelapse. Some cameras have interval timers already built in, but if yours does not you will need to do this manually. You will need to shoot the frames manually, using a watch or phone timer to time the shots in intervals.
Your camera needs to be set up appropriately to create a great timelapse. Some cameras have interval timers already built in, but if yours does not you will need to do this manually. You will need to shoot the frames manually, using a watch or phone timer to time the shots in intervals.
2. Camera settings
Make sure your camera's settings are all adjusted the way you want them before starting your time-lapse shots. Have the camera on manual exposure mode and get the shutter speed and aperture on the best exposure for your timelapse. Since most time-lapses are set outside, place the camera's white balance to "direct sun". You will also want to use the manual focus too.
Make sure your camera's settings are all adjusted the way you want them before starting your time-lapse shots. Have the camera on manual exposure mode and get the shutter speed and aperture on the best exposure for your timelapse. Since most time-lapses are set outside, place the camera's white balance to "direct sun". You will also want to use the manual focus too.
3. Tripod
Invest in a quality tripod if you have not already. Get a tripod with well-built legs and camera rest. Extend the legs completely before adjusting the center. Make sure your camera is centered and adjusted the way you want it before shooting your timelapse.
Invest in a quality tripod if you have not already. Get a tripod with well-built legs and camera rest. Extend the legs completely before adjusting the center. Make sure your camera is centered and adjusted the way you want it before shooting your timelapse.
4. Exposure
You want to consider setting up exposure carefully when doing a sunrise or sunset timelapse. You can use your camera's autofocus for this, but the exposure might move around a lot. This may be tricky to do at first but with practice will become second nature. You probably want to practice short time-lapses until you get the exposure right before moving on to a longer timelapse.
You want to consider setting up exposure carefully when doing a sunrise or sunset timelapse. You can use your camera's autofocus for this, but the exposure might move around a lot. This may be tricky to do at first but with practice will become second nature. You probably want to practice short time-lapses until you get the exposure right before moving on to a longer timelapse.
5. Weighty issues
Using a tripod or another tool to keep your camera still while taking timelapse shots is a great idea. Keep handy some weights or a bag of weighted items so that the camera stays still during the shots. This is especially important if you are taking the timelapse in a windy area.
Using a tripod or another tool to keep your camera still while taking timelapse shots is a great idea. Keep handy some weights or a bag of weighted items so that the camera stays still during the shots. This is especially important if you are taking the timelapse in a windy area.
6. Interval shooting
You want to shoot in an interval time that goes along with your subject's speed. If you are shooting a highway timelapse, you will want to use the low-speed continuous shooting mode to get a smooth interval. For slower speeds, you can get away with using the interval timer on your camera. You may need to test out different intervals until you get the right speed for your timelapse.
You want to shoot in an interval time that goes along with your subject's speed. If you are shooting a highway timelapse, you will want to use the low-speed continuous shooting mode to get a smooth interval. For slower speeds, you can get away with using the interval timer on your camera. You may need to test out different intervals until you get the right speed for your timelapse.
7. Software
You can add effects with Picasa and Photoshop once you complete the timelapse on your camera. Picasa is free through Google and is great for organizing and editing your photos. Picasa lets you pick slide speeds before creating your movie as well.
You can add effects with Picasa and Photoshop once you complete the timelapse on your camera. Picasa is free through Google and is great for organizing and editing your photos. Picasa lets you pick slide speeds before creating your movie as well.
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Photoshop can be tricky but gives you a lot more options to work with. Spend some time practicing timelapse on your camera and with some software and you will start producing professional quality time-lapses before you know it.