Timelapse photography is a fascinating technique that captures the passing of time in a way that the human eye cannot. Whether it's the movement of clouds, the bustling city streets, or the glow of the Aurora Borealis dancing in the sky, timelapse photography can turn these everyday occurrences into mesmerizing videos. If you’re new to this art form, here’s a beginners guide with some important tips to help you get started.
What is Timelapse Photography
Timelapse photography involves taking a series of photos at set intervals over a period of time that is compiled into a video. The result is a fast-forwarded sequence of events, showing changes that occur slowly over time in just a few seconds or minutes.
Here are some key concepts to guide beginners into timelapse photography:
Interval
Frame Rate
Exposure
Duration
Stability
Composition
Battery Life and Storage
Post-Processing
Essential Gear for Timelapse Photography
Before diving into your first timelapse, lets talk about what gear you will need.
Camera: While many modern cameras can handle timelapse photography, a DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual controls is ideal. Some cameras even have built-in timelapse modes. I have used many cameras from DSLR, Mirrorless Cameras, Action cams and even my drone to capture timelapses.
My main camera for timelapse photography is the Sony A7iv and Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art Lens with the occasional lens change. You do not need a super expensive setup to capture a timelapse. I used to capture all my timelapses on my Sony A7ii camera before upgrading and I have also taken timelapses on my Sony ZV-1 and even my DJI Osmo Action 4 camera before.
Make sure you set your image format to RAW files and not jpeg. This will give you the most data to work with when editing your timelapses.
Camera Lens: Each scene you're trying to capture will require a different lens but my favorite universal lens for timelapse photography is the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art Lens. I also use the following lenses to create a certain look like the moon rising or milkyway/ night sky timelapse:
Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 Contemporary DG DN OS
Tripod: Having a sturdy tripod is crucial for keeping your camera stable throughout the shoot. By now you know camera gear is not cheap so here is a cheaper tripod alternative, check out ZOMEI Z669 Carbon Fiber Tripod. I have had mine for a couple of years and its been great. I swapped out the ball point head for a geared tripod head and its been a game changer! I use the VERTECFOTO Gear Tripod Head which helps me fine tune my composition and keeps big lenses extra sturdy.
Another tip to keep your tripod extra sturdy on windy days is to hang a weighted sandbag (or your camera bag) under the tripod for more support.
Intervalometer: This is a device (often built into modern cameras) that automatically triggers the camera at set intervals. If your camera does not have the timelapse setting, you can find one on amazon for around $30. Make sure the intervalometer is compatible with your camera. If you're looking for a more advanced intervalometer, check out the LRTimelapse Pro Timer 3.
All timelapse photographers should still invest in an intervalometer especially if you're capturing the moon or milkyway and need to manually adjust your settings without touching your camera.
ND Filters: ND filters are another crucial aspect to make your timelapse look more professional. They are basically sunglasses for your lens. Being able to cut down light to slow down your shutter can create a smoother motion timelapse. I recently upgraded to the Polor Pro Variable ND Filter and its been amazing. Now, the Polar Pro are kind of pricey so if you wanted to get something cheaper, check out the K&F Concept Variable ND2-ND400 ND Lens Filter. Just make sure your choose the right thread size for your lens.
Pro tip, I like to order the biggest thread size filter and then buy a step down filter ring so I can use your ND filters on smaller lenses.
Extra Batteries & Memory Cards: Timelapse photography can be power-hungry and memory-intensive, so having extras is essential. If you don't want to spend money on the camera brand batteries, check out the knock off camera brand batteries. They usually come with a charging station for the batteries which is super helpful.
As for SD cards, I would not skimp on this. Having a fast reading a reliable SD card will save you in the long run. I use the Lexar Gold Series Professional 1800x 256GB UHS-II SDXC Memory Card and its been amazing. I have not run into any malfunctions or corrupt files during my shoots.
Lens Cleaning Cloth and Air Blower: This may be common sense to most but it's important to note that ALL photographers need a cleaning kit in their camera bag. Having microfiber cloths and an air blower is essential to prevent any dust spots or water droplets on your lens and will save you so much time in post trying to clean it up!
Choosing the Right Camera Settings
Let's dive deeper into which settings to use for your timelapse video.
Depending on what scene you're capturing will determine what settings to use.
Whether you're capturing the moon, milkyway, sunset, traffic or moving clouds, your settings will vary.
Manual Focus: Autofocus can lead to inconsistencies between shots. Set your lens to manual mode and then adjust your focus on your subject by clicking the zoom button to fine tune it.
Interval: This is the time between each shot. The interval determines how smooth or fast the final timelapse will appear. A shorter interval (ie. 2 seconds) creates a slower but smoother motion, while a longer interval (ie. 6 seconds) creates a faster but more dramatic change. This also depends on what scene you're going for (low and peaceful or fast and dramatic), as well as factoring in the weather.
For example, if you're capturing something slow, lets say some slow moving clouds, you might want to use a 3-6 second interval so the clouds appear faster in the final video. But if you are capturing a fast moving traffic then a 1-2 second interval will capture more information and create a slower timelapse video.
Side note: If you're capturing the night sky or a holy grail make sure that your shutter speed does not exceed the interval time as it can affect your timelapse and you may have missing frames. To prevent this from happening, adjust your shutter speed or ISO accordingly.
Exposure: Manual Mode vs Aperture Priority Mode: Most of the time manual mode is used in timelapse photography to prevent your camera from adjusting the exposure during the shoot. However, this requires you to manually adjust the shutter speed and ISO during the shoot to keep the exposure consistent which can lead to camera shake if you're not using an intervalometer.
Depending on the type of timelapse you're shooting, using aperture priority mode can be a less stressful process especially for a beginner as the camera is automatically adjusting the shutter speed for you. For example, if you're capturing a sunset you can set your camera to aperture priority, set the desired aperture and ISO and the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed as the scene gets darker. Just make sure that your shutter speed does not go longer than your interval time (if you set your interval to 2 seconds, make sure your shutter speed does not go longer than 2 seconds).
Aperture: A smaller aperture (higher f-stop, ie. F11) gives a greater depth of field, and is great for landscapes. If you're capturing the night sky for example, you will want your aperture as wide as possible (ie. F2.8) to allow as much light into the lens for a brighter and clearer image. I like to use F11 for most of my timelapses to get the most depth in my scenes but when it comes to night sky photography, a lower aperture is essential.
Silent Mode (On/Off): Not all cameras have the option of Silent Mode. This feature allows you to take photos without the sound of the shutter mechanism, making the camera operation noiseless.
In Silent Mode, the camera uses an electronic shutter instead of a mechanical one. This can be super helpful to turn on when capturing timelapses. Since you will be capturing hundreds if not thousands of photos, having it turned on can put less wear and tear on the shutter curtain.
While this mode does eliminate shutter noise, it also comes with some considerations:
Rolling Shutter Effect:Â Since the electronic shutter reads the sensor data line by line, fast-moving subjects can appear distorted.
Limited Flash Use:Â Some models might not allow the use of flash when in Silent Mode. This wont apply to you since if you're shooting a timelapse.
Higher Risk of Banding:Â In certain artificial lighting conditions, you might notice banding or flickering due to the way the electronic shutter interacts with the light source.
Shutter Speed: You will need to play around with your settings especially if you're using manual mode. Depending on what you're capturing a slower shutter speed can add motion blur, giving a more fluid appearance to moving elements. This is where an ND filter comes in handy. If you want to capture more motion blur during the day, having a high ND filter will help you achieve those goals.
If you're trying to capture a sharp but fast moving scene, then your shutter speed will need to be higher.
ISO: ISO settings determine the camera's sensitivity to light. For best results, keep the ISO as low as possible to minimize noise, especially in low-light conditions. In daylight or well-lit environments, an ISO of 100–200 is ideal. However, in low-light or night scenes, you may need to increase the ISO to 800-3200 or even 6400, but be cautious as higher ISO values can introduce grain and reduce image quality. Always balance ISO with aperture and shutter speed to maintain proper exposure while avoiding excessive noise in the final timelapse.
Planning Your Timelapse
Location and Subject: Choose a subject with noticeable movement, like clouds, traffic, or a sunset. Make sure you’re in a location where your camera can remain undisturbed. If you're looking for more precise location planning (especially if you're trying to align the moon or sun behind a subject) then check out Planit Pro or PhotoPills. These apps can help you accurately plan your next timelapse.
Timing: Consider the time of day and weather conditions. Golden hour (just after sunrise or before sunset) often provides the best lighting. If you're planning to shoot a holy grail (day to night timelapse), you will want to give yourself at least 1 hour before and after golden hour to get a clear day to night timelapse.
If you are capturing the milkyway you will want to have your camera setup for at least 3-5 hours to get the best results.
Interval Selection: Determine the best interval based on the speed of your subject’s movement. For fast-moving subjects (like people), 1-2 seconds might be ideal; for slower changes (like a sunset), a 2-5 second interval might be better.
Duration: How many photos do I need to take to make a 10 second timelapse? Most camera will tell you how long it will take to capture x amount of photos but here is an in depth summary of how to do your own manual calculations.
To calculate the time it takes to capture a 10-second timelapse, you'll need to know the following:
Final Video Duration:Â 10 seconds
Frame Rate (fps):Â The number of frames per second in your final video, typically 24, 30, or 60 fps.
Interval:Â The time between each shot (in seconds)
Determine the Total Number of Frames:
Total Frames= Final Video Duration x Frame Rate
Example Calculation:
Final video duration: 10 seconds
Frame rate: 30 fps
Interval: 5 seconds
Total Frames= 10 seconds×30 fps=300 frames
Determine the Total Shooting Time:
Total Shooting Time=Total Frames × Interval
Example Calculation:
Let's assume:
Final video duration: 10 seconds
Frame rate: 30 fps
Interval between shots: 5 seconds
Calculate Total Frames:
Total Shooting Time=300 frames × 5 seconds (interval)= 1500 seconds
Convert seconds to minutes:
1500 seconds÷60=25 minutes
 Shooting and Monitoring
Start Shooting: Ensure your camera is securely mounted, your lens is clean and your settings are correct. Double-check your settings one last time before leaving the camera to do the work.
Monitor your progress: It’s a good idea to check your camera periodically to ensure everything is working correctly. This can prevent issues like battery failure or unexpected changes in lighting.
Sit back relax and enjoy the view. You will most probably be out in the field for a minimum of 15/20 minutes so you might as well pull out a chair (I like to bring my beach chair along), bring some snacks and enjoy the view.
Post-Processing Your Timelapse
After shooting the perfect timelapse, the real magic happens in post-processing:
Compiling the Photos: Create a folder on your hard drive and label it accordingly. I like to add the date in front of my folder name with the area/ scene as well (ie. 08.18.24 Full Moonrise behind Boise Depot). Make sure your images are labeled in the correct number sequence or it wont pull correctly when you're editing. You can leave it as the number sequence that your camera has created or rename each file using the bulk rename tool in Adobe Bridge.
Editing Software: Use software like LRTimelapse, and Adobe Lightroom to edit your timelapse sequence it a must. Before LRTimelapse I was editing everything straight in Lightroom which was a nightmare to say the least but when I started a free trial with LRTimelapse, I knew this was the only software to properly edit thousands of timelapse photos smoothly.
After editing your raw files in LRTimelapse, you will need a video editing software like Davinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, After Effects or Final Cut to compile your images into a video. You can export the photos into a video from LRTimelapse directly and call it a day but if you want to make final adjustments then using a video editing software is key. I like to use Davinci Resolve since they have a great free version to start off with but you can also you pay a once off fee for the software instead of a monthly subscription.
Make sure the file names are sequenced correctly and set the desired frame rate. You can make final color corrections, deflicker, denoise and stabilization in your video editing software to get the best results.
Common Challenges and Tips
Timelapse photography can be challenging, so here are some tips to help:
Avoid Flicker: This happens when the exposure varies slightly between frames. Using manual settings and software like LRTimelapse and Davinci Resolve to help minimize flicker.
Dealing with Weather: Weather conditions can change rapidly, so be prepared with protective gear for your camera, and always check the forecast. Make sure to pack warm clothes and enough food and water when you're spending a lot of time out in the field. There's nothing worse than being stuck out in the cold and not having a proper jacket or gloves and a beanie to keep you warm.
Practice: Like any art form, timelapse photography improves with practice. When I first started I had no idea what I was doing and made a ton of mistakes but it helped me grow, learn and prepare for success. Start with shorter sequences and gradually work up to longer, more complex projects.
Conclusion
Timelapse photography is a rewarding technique that allows you to see the world in a whole new way. By understanding the basics, having the right equipment, and planning your shoots carefully, you can create stunning visual stories that capture the essence of time. So grab your camera, find a subject, and start shooting your first timelapse today!
Are you looking to hire a professional timelapse photographer for your next project?
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