{"id":4750,"date":"2015-06-29T12:30:23","date_gmt":"2015-06-29T19:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=4750"},"modified":"2018-11-11T21:43:12","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T05:43:12","slug":"photo-tips-time-lapse-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography","title":{"rendered":"Photo Tips: Time-Lapse Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p>So far, we\u2019ve only covered still photography in the REI Blog photo tutorials. But for this post, we\u2019re taking a slightly hybridized spin to still photography and adding some motion to the mix with time-lapse videos.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m personally very partial to still photography. However, there are some stories and scenes that a still photo just can\u2019t convey. Time-lapses are a perfect instance of this.\u00a0Additionally, while I love being able to display an awesome photo on my wall or social media channels, there\u2019s something cool about having a collection of time-lapse videos from a trip that you can play on loop on your screensaver or home television.<\/p>\n<p>While time-lapse sequences are incredibly rewarding pieces of art to create, they are very complex. It would be impossible to cover every aspect of shooting them in a single blog post. This tutorial will be a basic tutorial of how to start out and what common problems you may encounter.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/131660311\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4>Ok, where do I start?<\/h4>\n<p>Cameras? Any camera is capable of shooting a time-lapse. All a time-lapse is is a collection of still photographs stitched together into a video.<\/p>\n<p>Any camera will work, but you\u2019ll find the process much easier if your camera can shoot on manual mode (where you control shutter speed, aperture and ISO) and is capable of shooting RAW files. If not shooting in manual mode, you may end up with varying lighting throughout the pictures, causing the light to jump around throughout the video motion.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond those basics, you\u2019re going to need an intervalometer. Some cameras have a built-in intervalometer; others will require you to buy one. This device allows you to control the number of shots and the interval between each shot, rather than having to manually depress the shutter for hours on end.<\/p>\n<p>Some newer cameras and phones have the feature of creating a time-lapse video. While this is quick and easy, I recommend against it, as you have zero control in your ability to do any post processing (color, speed, flicker, etc.).<\/p>\n<h4>How do I go about creating a time-lapse video?<\/h4>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-4840\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2057.jpg?resize=600%2C450\" alt=\"Time Lapse\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re looking for constant motion (water, people, cars, clouds and other subjects that move), and you\u2019re telling a story. Think about what is going to unfold once you start your camera, and plan your shot with that in mind.<\/p>\n<p>Consider investing in a phone app that tracks the sun and stars. This way you\u2019ll know where the sun\u2019s (or moon\u2019s) path will be as you\u2019re composing your shot.<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve composed your shot, set up your tripod and make certain it\u2019s stable. Any movement to your camera during the time-lapse will ruin the end result. Finally, set your exposure (shutter speed, aperture and ISO), your interval (how often your camera will take a photo) and the number of photos you want your camera to shoot. Start your camera and walk away (remembering not to walk in front of the camera).<\/p>\n<h4>Ok, now I have a few hundred photos; what do I do next?<\/h4>\n<p>This is the cumbersome part of shooting time-lapses\u2014they take a lot of work and patience. Once you\u2019ve shot all of your photos, you now have to import them into your computer and run them through a time-lapse software program. Some\u00a0software programs are better than others for stitching the photos together. There are good options out there (some are even free).<\/p>\n<p>While the process will vary from one software version to another, essentially it\u2019s the same. Create unique folders for each time-lapse sequence you shot. Point the software to that folder and set the frame rate (24, 25 or 30 fps) and duration (how long the final clip will be) and click start. (I personally recommend a frame rate of 24, as it gives a more \u201ccinematic\u201d look to your time-lapse video). The program will blend all of your images and export them as a single movie file.<\/p>\n<h4>How do I make my time-lapse look the best it can?<\/h4>\n<p>In order to get a smooth time-lapse, you don\u2019t want to set your interval between frames for too long. Otherwise, the lag between exposures will leave gaps in the movement of objects (creating a flip-book-type effect to your time-lapse). Instead, try to keep your interval to between one and five seconds to give a fluid look to any movement.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, you should be mindful of quick-moving objects (trees blowing in the wind or a rushing stream) in your time-lapse. These objects will create an unpleasant look to your finished time-lapse (also known as a \u201cstaccato effect\u201d). To counter this, try shooting at longer shutter speeds (1\/100<sup>th<\/sup> or slower) to blur the quick motion. It will give your final time-lapse a more fluid look. Make sure there is some movement, however, whether clouds or dancing shadows, which helps create a more dramatic time-lapse sequence.<\/p>\n<h4>What is \u201cflickering\u201d and how can I fix it?<\/h4>\n<p>Flickering is when one exposure out of the batch you just created doesn\u2019t perfectly match the others. The effect created is a \u201cflicker\u201d in the time-lapse. A quick way to counter this problem is to turn off every auto function on your camera (exposure, focus, white balance, sharpening, saturation, etc.). You\u2019ll have to set all of these yourself, but it will prevent your camera from creating a frame that doesn\u2019t match the others.<\/p>\n<p>This will fix most of your flickering issues, although it might not eliminate it all together. Not to worry; there are several software programs made specifically to fix this issue.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">While you\u2019re turning off everything \u201cauto\u201d on your camera, go ahead and turn off any color enhancements and shoot with a flat color profile\u2014or better yet, shoot in RAW. That way you can make any changes to the finished images more easily in post processing, rather than relying on your camera to do it for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>When shooting your time-lapse, check in on it every once in a while. Don\u2019t just walk away and assume everything will turn out perfect. I find it a good idea to check it every 10\u201315 minutes. Check the exposure level to make sure it hasn\u2019t gotten too dark or too bright, and make sure that the motion you\u2019re trying to capture hasn\u2019t moved to an area outside of your frame. If it has, better to correct it and start over, than to have wasted more time missing the shot.<\/p>\n<h4>Adding camera motion to your time-lapse?<\/h4>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-4754\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2058.jpg?resize=600%2C450\" alt=\"Time-Lapse Photography\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a cheap and quick way to add some motion to your time-lapses, go to any grocery store and pick up an egg timer. Mount your camera on top of the egg timer, set it for however long you want your time-lapse to go for, and start your camera. The egg timer will rotate very slowly as time ticks away, and it will add a slow horizontal pan to your end video. Total cost: around $5\u2013$10. This option will only work for smaller cameras. DSLRs will require a larger, more professional piece of equipment to achieve this look (known as a motorized pan\/tilt tripod head).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Additionally, you can add horizontal or vertical movement to your time-lapse with a motorized slider. They may be expensive and cumbersome, but they will add another level of quality to your finished product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">If you\u2019re after a cheap way to do this, though, shoot your time-lapse extra wide and then adjust your frame in post processing to pan as the time-lapse goes. (This is done after you\u2019ve created your time-lapse and have imported the video into an editing program.)<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>What gear should I carry with me for shooting time-lapse sequences?<\/h4>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-4755\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2449.jpg?resize=600%2C450\" alt=\"Time-Lapse Photography\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re going to carry most all of your normal photography gear with you on a time-lapse shoot. Beyond your camera, lenses and tripod, be sure to pack extra batteries and memory cards. Time-lapses require hundreds to thousands of images to create and can be a real drain on batteries and cards.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Beyond that, consider investing in filters. An ND (neutral density) filter is incredibly helpful to carry with you. These filters darken the overall scene and allow you to shoot at slower shutter speeds (important when shooting at slower shutter speeds to counter the above mentioned staccato effect).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">A good polarizing filter is another great tool to carry. It will make your clouds really stand out while also taking glare off any reflective surface.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Definitely clean your gear before you go out and start shooting. Make sure your camera sensor is clean. Dust spots on your sensor will ruin your time-lapse, and it will take you forever to spot-check hundreds of frames. And for that matter, make sure your lenses and filters are clean as well.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Time-lapses are relatively easy\u2014at face value. They require a lot of practice to get good at. Go out and experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Just because your final product of a time-lapse is a video, doesn\u2019t mean you should ignore the basic rules of photography (proper exposure, rule of thirds, interesting vantage points, etc.). See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/photography-tips-getting-started\" target=\"_blank\">Photography Tips: Getting Started<\/a>\u00a0if you need a little refresher.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So far, we\u2019ve only covered still photography in the REI Blog photo tutorials. But for this post, we\u2019re taking a slightly hybridized spin to still photography and adding some motion to the mix with time-lapse videos. I\u2019m personally very partial to still photography. However, there are some stories and scenes that a still photo just [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4756,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[333,53,66],"internal-tag":[1672],"class_list":["post-4750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","tag-ian-coble","tag-photography","tag-tips","internal-tag-pre-redirect-camp"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Photo Tips: Time-Lapse Photography","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2430.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2430.jpg?fit=1500%2C1124"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["ian coble","photography","tips"],"dateCreated":"2015-06-29T19:30:23Z","datePublished":"2015-06-29T19:30:23Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T05:43:12Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Photo Tips: Time-Lapse Photography\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/photo-tips-time-lapse-photography\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/IMG-2430.jpg?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/IMG-2430.jpg?fit=1500%2C1124\"},\"articleSection\":\"Camp\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Angela Crampton\"}],\"creator\":[\"Angela Crampton\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"ian coble\",\"photography\",\"tips\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2015-06-29T19:30:23Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-06-29T19:30:23Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-11-12T05:43:12Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/IMG-2430.jpg?fit=1500%2C1124","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4750"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20603,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4750\/revisions\/20603"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4750"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=4750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}