Time-lapse Tutorial Part 1 - Interval and Exposure Basics

[therealorberon]

what do you use to get the automatic interval shots?

[booth7323]

Very nice....

[ZahiFarah87]

Great tutorial, smooth and informative. I would suggest though (if you ever make more tutorials, and please do) not to raise the music volume that high :)

Anyway, I'm off to part 2. Thanks again.

[LearnTimeLapse]

@ZahiFarah87 Glad the tutorial was helpful, and ditto on the music, I'll be more careful next time.

[ghoststrokes62]

@LearnTimeLapse Hat off for your Tutorial! Its always a pleasure to listen to people who have skills in what they are talking about. Besides a little too lound background music, this is real pro stuff. Congrats!

[Mrblackhawksman]

Thanks for the video, very nice job

Helped me a lot

[ralphlabate]

Great job...thank you.

[elchinscorner]

Hi,İ would like to thanks you for your tutorials,and would like to ask you if you can also talk about HDR shots in your future tutorials...and I live in a country where a student can't afford much expensive gear,so that's why I have a canon eos1000d only,do you think this camera is able to shoot really good and competitive panoramic timelapses?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@elchinscorner Thanks for the comment. Yeah you should be able to get some great shots with your 1000d. I love HDR time-lapse too and I hope to have a tutorial up soon.

[hawaiifilmschool]

This is an excellent tutorial, very well done!

[boom232332]

like and subscribed!

thanks a lot for your time making video tutorial

[jamesoliverhuson]

Really helpful stuff man! Thanks a lot for this. I've just bought myself a DSLR and I was unsure about all the settings, so this was really useful. Thanks again.

[be4ter93]

Very nice!

What program should I use to make the video?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@be4ter93 Thanks, I am working on assembling free and not so free applications used for time-lapse at the learntimelapse site. It really all depend with what you want to do with your movies and what your budget might be. Here's a quick rundown:

Aftereffects ($699 or $49/mo)

LRTimelapse (Free, donation)

Photolapse (Free)

Premiere Pro ($699 or $30/mo)

Quicktime Pro ($30)

VideoMach (Free)

VirtualDub (Free)

[altitudealchemy]

This was a very helpful video, thanks for making it!

[patrickarkitek]

Great Tutorial...

Need your help badly, I've been struggling on shooting from sunset to night scene, i have this flickering thing when i set it to auto, but on manual setting, its kinda ok but, i have my night shot scene too dark...can you suggest a good camera setting, hope you answer this..thank you sir..:)

[LearnTimeLapse]

@patrickarkitek yes, this is the problem. Automatic settings produce more flicker, and manual settings restrict the changing lighting conditions we can shoot in. Watch Timelapse tutorial part II: Flicker for a better description on flicker and how to prevent it. Your options are to continue shooting in auto (try aperture priority mode) and then use a deflickering application when you create your movie. There are also hardware devices that can help with gradual exposure changes.

[patrickarkitek]

@LearnTimeLapse thanks a lot..please continue your goodwork..love the way you teach us..very easy to understand..

[nevadaxtube]

Great video. Thanks.

[88edwardo]

Well done -- you cover all the important concepts and techniques in a very coherent and easily understandable manner -

[ToasterStuder]

Great tutorial! You made timelapse very simple for me now! The only thing I am confused about is how to make it into a video after you finish shooting. Do you import photos to After Effects?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@ToasterStuder Thanks! Yes I use aftereffects but there are a host of programs you can use, some free some not so free. LRTimelapse (Free, but need Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw to use)

Photolapse 3 (Free)

Time-lapse Assembler (free, Mac)

Apple Quicktime 7 Pro ($30)

Adobe Software (not free, but powerful)

Apple Final Cut Pro X (not free, but also powerful)

I am working on an overview tutorial now and will be drilling down into as many of these as I can. Thanks for the question.

[stefamarz]

Look at my Time Lapse Video. It was just made on January 10th 2012. Click on my user name and check out the video

[RMendezx]

Hi. I have a question. Is there a way to set the dsrl camera to make the shoots in 2 sec intervale and to shoot automatically?? or you have to press the shooter each time you want to shoot a frame? Please answear me! i really want to know this :) THANKS!

P.D. excuse my english, its not my native language. hope you understand my question. :)

[RMendezx]

@RMendezx I have a Canon 60D.

[LearnTimeLapse]

@RMendezx Absolutely. An intervalometer is an external device that plugs into your camera and provides automatic exposure options. Do a search for "Canon 60D intervalometer" or "Canon 60D remote timer" to find models that work with your camera.

[fwukaiquahundo]

Great tutorial. Is there any way around the color banding problem?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@fwukaiquahundo Check your time-lapse video export settings. if its a low video bitrate sometimes banding occurs, especially with skies and gradients. Try increasing it before export. Transcoding by Youtube or other sites might also produce color banding as they tend to decrease quality.

[bitcrushnpranksta]

the audio in your vid is loud. Use a sidechain compressor or set the audio to -18 to -24db

[LearnTimeLapse]

@bitcrushnpranksta Thanks for the suggestion, I'll do a better job balancing the audio in future tutorials.

[MrMickRichards]

Very nice tutorial !

[LearnTimeLapse]

@MrMickRichards Thanks

[pasteybros]

WHen I do my time lapses, all the pictures I take are never taken in the same dimensions as an hd video, it is not as wide, how to make it widescreen?

[Alxe73191]

@pasteybros If your camera has a feature to change the aspect ratio, you can just change it to 16:9. Also, you could just crop your video in your video editor.

[LearnTimeLapse]

@pasteybros Alxw73191 is right, check the size of the images (megapixels) that your camera is recording. Sometimes you can select small, medium, or large sizes of JPEGs or Raw images. The rest you can change when you export your compilation.

[Paintbl99]

Thanks for the great information and video!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@Paintbl99 Glad it was helpful.

[fotostefanro]

So basically for sunset and sunrise it's better to use Av mode and then deflicker?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@fotostefanro Yes and no. You have a few different options.

1. AV mode (cover eyepeice from stray light) and deflicker in post production.

2. Little bramper device in bulb mode to have your camera change settings gradually over time

3. or hack your camera's firmware with magic lantern which basically makes it have the same functionality as an internal little bramper.

I just posted a tutorial on combating time-lapse including in conditions where the light changes. Hope this helps.

[fotostefanro]

@LearnTimeLapse thank you for the answer!

[LucasBPhotography]

Thanks alot! I will check out the website for some more info. Great video:)

[failedrenegade]

I shot a time lapse today using all the tips you gave in this video. It came out perfect and didn't need a single bit of deflickering. Worked like a charm. I can't thank you enough for making this video! If you are interested in seeing the results go on my channel and it will be my latest upload. Thanks again

[pacophotoit]

very good!!!

[LiveFractal]

Really nice tutorial...just what I was looking for!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@LiveFractal Thanks! Glad it was helpful.

[TheDerikH]

Hi, LearnTimeLapse, I have understand. I need have told u about avoid flicker. My Nikon DSLR and Lens are turn Manual and Manual mode too. It still failure. I was found out thought Other Internets was explain use best old manual Lens will make no flicker!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@TheDerikH Yes, this is called aperture flicker and its a function of your lens. There is a discussion of this in the time-lapse exposure post and I agree that we need to produce a video on this to better explain. There are a few ways to minimize / prevent this using any DSLR lens. I hope to have that up soon.

[Madhatter757]

mind telling me where the location of that place was at 9:24? I live in NY myself so maybe I can access this location. I mainly want to do sunset time lapses with my canon t2i, I would also love a nice place to do night photography of the stars if you have any recommendations, what kind of Remote Shutter Switch would you recommend as well?

[LearnTimeLapse]

@Madhatter757 That is Sandbar Park in Webster, NY (a suburb of Rochester, NY) nyfalls.com/lakes/ontario-sand­bar.html

Night photography is a little tough in our area due to light pollution. Do a search for a "dark sky map" and you'll see some of the best places near where you live to see the stars.

As far as intervalometers I recommend the linkdelight or Saetec. Both are cheap and get the job done. There are a few others, check out the intervalometers post on Leartimelapse

[MyOSNOFLA]

What a great tutorial! Im new regarding to dslr. One week ago id buy a new canon7d. pls teach me how to set a the shtr speed and white balance regarding the timelapse photograpy. more power and regards!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@MyOSNOFLA Congrats! I love my Canon 7D. I am working on a few more tutorials now, if you have questions on exposure check out one of my favorite resources: cambridgeincolour(dot)com/tuto­rials/white-balance.htm Once you have the shot looking the way you want it, just make sure all the settings are locked in using manual mode, (manual ISO, aperture, shutter, WB). You should be on the right track. Let us know if you have other questions.

[scottm90]

Quick Question: Lets say you are shooting in AP mode and your interval is 2 seconds. The shutter speed ends up over 2 seconds (getting really dark), does this mean you will be clipping as you're shutter speed is greater than your interval or of does the interval come into effect after the exposure finishes. Regards.

[LearnTimeLapse]

@scottm90 Yes, you would be clipping because your interval for the next shot starts at the.moment the previous shot's shutter opens. If you are shooting in aperture priority mode (AV on the dial) and your shutter speed becomes longer than your interval you'll lose some shots. Try to get a sense for the longest shutter speed your scene will require then add this to your desired interval to get the final interval you will input.

[scottm90]

@LearnTimeLapse I thought that. Thanks for the quick reply and some insight. Keep up the amazing work.

[LearnTimeLapse]

Don't forget there also is a little bit of buffer time between the last shot and when the camera card is done writing and able to begin the next shot. This needs to be added too. Something that been developed to help time-lapse photographers in your situation is called the Little Bramper. It varies, in a much more precise way, the camera shutter speed and the interval over time. Learn more at thewhippersnapper(dot)com

[honitsten]

Thank you for posting. I tried entering 'time lapse" into Youtube and received results based on speeding up video while I was looking for photography. You answered a lot of my questions. I was thinking of getting a Lee Filters kit and using a good ND filter. I'm think of getting a kit because I want to use it on multiple lenses without having to go out and buys a filter for each different lens size.

[LearnTimeLapse]

@honitsten Great idea with the Lee kit. I haven't used one before but it would solve the different lens size issue. I know they do make converters though. It might be worth taking a look here too.

[ResistanceDivision]

This is so good man, thank you so much! Ive been doing some tests with time lapse stuff with the night sky, but my first attempt is way too dark but I captured some pretty cool yellowish clouds if you look at my video. But im going to try more now with your brilliant help :) Thanks again man! I'll be posting more soon! :)

[LearnTimeLapse]

@ResistanceDivision Thanks for the comment. Let me know how things turn out.

[mayconkt]

I can start with Canon SX30IS? =D

[7irz]

This is really great! I love how you filmed it too : feels personal yet looks professional!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@7irz Thanks! I had a lot of fun making it and have got some interesting ideas for the next time-lapse tutorial

[lizzy2332]

great video thanks for posting!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@lizzy2332 Thanks!

[welle417]

Thanks a bunch for answering my question - Great tutorial, I have a lot to experiment with now and let you know how well i do with it... I meant to ask you however about your software you use for de-flickering. Thanks a bunch again for directing me to your page! Can't wait to see more - Best from New Jersey!

[LearnTimeLapse]

@welle417 I use GBDeflicker (Granite Bay Software). They make a plugin for Adobe After Effects as well as a standalone windows app. It's not free but it works great. I will be researching a few others and hope to have more info up on the site soon.

[EuanPreston]

Great tutorial. Your lens of choice appears to be the 10-22 - it's a favourite of mine. Out of interest, why did you choose to shoot at ISO200 while on the bridge? Also, in reference to your advice "talk to the locals", always carry samples of timelapse work on your iPhone/iPad to show some previous shots, especially if you're shooting with a moco rig. I can't count the number of times Ive been asked "why are you taking hundreds of pictures of the same thing?"

[LearnTimeLapse]

@EuanPreston Thanks! yes, I've been shooting with the 10-22 for about 6 months and love it. The ISO200 is due to the 7D's highlight tone priority which I had turned on (it becomes the new lowest ISO). According to Canon..."HTP mode gives landscape photographers the option to boost dynamic range for highlights when shooting above ISO200 – reproducing more tonal detail from clouds and other light colored objects..." Not required at the bridge but I am still trying to get a better feel for it