Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, time-lapse photography is a great way to showcase dramatic change and movement in a subject. It’s often used for tourism, marketing and government projects.
There are many great subjects for time-lapse videos, but some can be more challenging than others to shoot. For example, day to night transitions can be difficult to capture because they don’t have constant motion from frame to frame.
1. Sunsets
Sunsets are often considered one of the most picturesque natural phenomena on Earth. Often, they produce hues of red, orange and pink that look like streaks of paint on the sky.
These stunning colors are created by a process called light scattering, which occurs when the rays of the sun’s incoming sunlight encounter particles and molecules in the air. The lighter bluer wavelengths of the incoming light are scattered away by these particles, while the redder wavelengths remain behind.
If you’re shooting a time-lapse of a sunset, it’s a good idea to apply a neutral density (ND) filter to your camera lens. This will help reduce harsh light hitting the camera sensor, which can cause over-exposed photos and video.
The weather also plays a role in determining the color of a sunset. According to NOAA, the most colorful sunsets are typically seen during fall and winter when a clearer lower atmosphere is present.
However, that doesn’t mean smog pollution isn’t a factor. It can make a difference, but it’s not necessarily a contributing factor to the spectacularness of a sunset, says Stephen Corfidi, a meteorologist with NOAA.
He notes that when you’re living in a city, the boundary layer of air that separates the land from the sky is cluttered with little particles. This can muddle the view of a sunset.
So if you want to capture a stunning sunset, it’s best to go where the sky is pristine and free of debris. This can be done by traveling to the outskirts of a city, or to the desert.
2. Clouds
Clouds are a great subject for time-lapse videos because they allow for a smooth and dynamic impression of motion. They’re often used in tourism, marketing and government projects to showcase dramatic change or movement.
They’re also great for highlighting certain aspects of a subject, such as cityscapes and flowers. This can help you to better understand the subject in question and make your viewers more interested in what they’re watching.
However, not all clouds are the same. They’re classified by meteorologists, and each type has a specific set of characteristics that determine its formation.
It’s important to know what kind of cloud you’re looking at, because it can help you to predict its effect on the weather. The types of clouds are grouped into different classification systems that are based on things like the temperature, wind and other factors.
For example, some cloud types are more likely to form on clear days or in places that have a lot of water. These can include cirrus and stratus clouds, which are cloud types that appear in the sky above sea level or over lakes and rivers.
Another way to tell the difference between clouds is by looking at their shape. While some are round and others look like they could be floating in the air, they all have a distinct shape that’s made up of tiny water droplets.
When shooting a time-lapse, it’s important to pace your shots in a way that makes sense for the scene you’re filming. This can be done by adjusting the interval time (how long between each shot), or by using a software application to automatically generate images.
It’s a good idea to use a camera that allows you to switch between manual and automatic exposure settings, as this will ensure that your time-lapse footage is properly exposed across the entire duration of the video. Additionally, if you’re shooting in RAW format, you can use an image editing software to fine-tune your shots as a whole collection.
3. Cityscapes
Cityscapes are a great subject for time-lapse videos because they provide the opportunity to capture motion in a captivating way. This type of footage is ideal for showing a variety of different movements, from ships pulling into and out of port towns to people walking down city streets.
The technique of using a mirror to reflect a scene can also be an effective way to make your time-lapse video more visually appealing and interesting. However, you must be careful to use this technique sparingly and only if it makes sense for the scene you are shooting.
Another great technique for adding motion to your time-lapse video is to use a motorized slider. You can set this to move a specific distance in between each shot, which will allow you to capture a variety of different angles and movements in your shots.
These motions can range from simple to eerie, depending on your creativity. For example, if you’re creating a time-lapse that shows people walking down the street at a slow pace, you may want to include a sweeping movement in your shot.
You can also use a mirror to reflect a symmetrical image of your scene, which will add another level of appeal to your time-lapse footage. Ensure you keep the camera and lens well focused, though, to avoid introducing any artifacts.
Lastly, you should consider the frame rate of your video. Increasing the interval between each shot will help your footage to look more smooth and flow more smoothly, but only if you use the right combination of exposure and shutter speed.
Ideally, you’ll want to shoot your time-lapses at a rate that is similar to that of a normal frame rate (between 24 and 30 frames per second). However, this will depend on the type of subject you’re shooting and how long it takes for it to be captured.
4. Flowers
One of the most beautiful and fascinating aspects of nature is the movement of plants. They continuously change position, whether they’re anchored to the ground or not, and this can be captured in stunning time-lapse videos.
These videos are also a great way to get an insight into what makes flowers so special. They are not only colorful and unique, but they also offer a unique sense of symmetry that is often difficult to capture in other forms of photography.
The first thing to remember when making a time-lapse video is that you need to set an interval between your shots, which is essentially the duration between one frame and the next. If you don’t have the correct interval, your footage will appear choppy and unflowing.
Another important factor in creating a time-lapse is the type of camera you use. The best cameras are ones that have a high-resolution sensor and have a long shutter speed (this is called a “fast” shutter).
You should also consider using a tripod to avoid motion blur. This will help prevent the video from looking choppy and will ensure that you get the best quality possible.
In addition, you should make sure that your flash unit is on standby for a reasonable length of time before shooting the video. This will prevent it from snagging on your subject and ruining the shot.
The above tips will help you create stunning time-lapse videos of your favorite subjects. You’ll be able to share these incredible shots with your friends and family for years to come. Don’t forget to share these photos with the world by posting them on social media.
5. Nature
Time-lapse video is a great way to capture a natural wonder. The slow motion of flowers blooming, sunrises and sunsets, and the movement of clouds are all examples of this visual art form.
When creating a time-lapse, you can use a variety of camera angles to create interesting shots. You can also frame your shot with a line of symmetry to give it a more dramatic look. For example, placing a mirror in front of your lens to create a line of reflections on the ground could help to draw attention to the subject of your video.
Another technique to use when creating a time-lapse is to frame your subject with a changing background. For example, placing a single tree in the foreground of your video and setting the sky behind it to change color during the course of the time-lapse will add depth to your image.
Some of the best time-lapse videos display the ebb and flow of the tide. This is a phenomenon that many people fail to notice in real life, but it is truly stunning when captured in time-lapse form.
You can use a simple point-and-shoot to take a time-lapse of this type of event, or you can invest in more sophisticated equipment. In either case, you will need a tripod to ensure that your camera remains still during the entire process.
The number of images that you need to capture will depend on the duration of your time-lapse and the speed at which you want the resulting video to play. For example, if you want to capture a 12-hour time-lapse of the resurrection of a dehydrated plant, you should plan for around 240 images.
