What Is Time-Lapse Photography & How It Can Benefit Your Business?

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24 - April - 2023

For the past ten years, demand for time-lapse photography has risen, and it will continue to do so in 2023. Numerous marketing firms and corporations have seen a surge in online sales after utilizing high-quality time-lapse photography.  

With that in mind, this blog entails comprehensive information about what is time-lapse photography and useful ways in which it can benefit your business.

First things first, What Is Time-Lapse Photography?

sliced time-lapse photography  

A time-lapse is a technique for accelerating time so that events appear to occur more quickly. You can accomplish this by shooting images at predetermined intervals and putting them together into a film.
It can be used to show movement, such as traffic or clouds, or it can be used to capture things that happen slowly, like the change of the seasons.

For instance, during the course of thirty minutes, an image of a flower blossoming might be taken once every ten seconds. When music is performed normally, it seems as though time is slipping away faster.
"Hyper-lapse" is a different term for time-lapse photography where a scene is recorded at regular speed and then sped up.

Read also: Why professional photography is important for businesses?

Background and Origin

Contrary to popular belief, time-lapse photography has been around for a while. Most historians agree that the first time a temporal gap occurred was in 1877.  

Eadweard Muybridge, an Englishman, is recognized as having invented the idea while attempting to resolve a dispute on whether a horse could possibly have all four legs off the ground simultaneously.  

Muybridge was able to demonstrate his claim by using a complex system of tripwires connected to the shutters of 24 distinct cameras to show that all four legs did, in fact, lift off the ground.

How To Make a Time-Lapse Video? 

time-lapse video

A full-scale production needs more personnel than time-lapse photography and film. You don't need to spend a fortune on production to tell a captivating story and record literally years' worth of film.  

Even if your camera doesn't have interval features built in, there are several handy time-lapse accessories you can buy at a reasonably reasonable price. These days, most DSLRs come equipped with interval functions.  

If you want more detailed guidance, check out our blog post with additional suggestions on how to shoot a time-lapse video. And if you're considering purchasing a new camera expressly for time-lapse footage, have a look at this list of some of the top models.

How Time-Lapse Photography Can Benefit Your Brand?

In the current era of mass media, time-lapse videos are among the most effective marketing strategies accessible.

Time-lapse movies, like aerial photography, may tell an interesting tale for a reasonable production cost, and more crucially, they can be seen quickly by the audience.

It takes very little effort and concentration to understand the story in a time-lapse, which is a big advantage in today's cutthroat business environment.

Describe Your Best Projects

Highlighting successful initiatives that your business or organization has achieved through time-lapse photography is a terrific idea.  

You can use it to showcase your accomplishments and success stories, which will be crucial when you're seeking to land new business or contracts with prospective clients.

This kind of footage will demonstrate that your team was able to complete tasks successfully despite any difficulties that may have arisen along the way, which may increase the trust of potential clients in continuing to work with you in the future.

Use The Best Content on Social Media

When it comes to new photography trends, sharing time-lapse videos with your on-site photography on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube is always at the top.

Time-lapse is a terrific approach to raise brand awareness about your skills and the whole project experience you provide, and video rates higher for engagement and reach to your audience.

A Project's Lifespan Can Be Effectively Captured Via Time-Lapse Photography

time-lapse shadows

When it comes to capturing and promoting your construction project, time-lapse photography can be considerably more affordable than conventional videography.

Without the requirement for an onsite crew or equipment rentals at regular intervals during the project lifespan, time-lapses allow you to achieve the same goal of creating a spectacular visual that highlights your progress. As a result, you can buy a high-quality product while saving money.

You can always have remote access to your project by utilizing the most recent cameras and solar-powered equipment. You can watch or read online with remote access using your own specific login.  

The cameras may be utilized for projects that last a day or even three to four years because they are solar powered and can be positioned practically anywhere on the construction site!

How Long Should a Time-Lapse Sequence Be?

You just need to use this straightforward formula: number of photographs divided by 30 is the length of the finished video. Often, a clip of 10 to 15 seconds is more than sufficient for a successful time-lapse. It takes between 300 and 450 photographs to make one this long.

Crowd And People

time-lapse crowd and people 

Use longer time-lapse intervals if the throng is moving slowly. It can last for three to ten seconds. With longer intervals, you can get fantastic images of protests, lines, and displays.

Sunsets and Sunrises

For sunsets and sunrises, the ideal time-lapse interval is between 3 and 5 seconds. Of course, you can change it to match the final length of the video that you want. Take pictures 20 minutes before and after the sun rises or sets if you want the best results.

Shadows 

Although you can get creative with this, a good rule of thumb is 10-15 seconds. Nonetheless, there is a wide range in how long you can shoot.

How Can I Make My Time-Lapse Videos Smoother?

Well, the final time-lapse can look smoother and more natural by using longer shutter speeds and motion blur, especially if this video will be combined with other traditional videos.

This is especially obvious if there are moving items in your scene, such as grass or tree leaves, which may appear highly jerky when the wind whips them around.

The simplest approach to accomplish this is to lock your camera's settings in manual mode and refrain from making any changes after the time-lapse has started.  

Negative auto exposure: auto modes should be avoided as much as possible because they are the main cause of flicker in time-lapses.

The solution is to utilize a motorized slider of some form; most of them are very easy to use once you know your parameters. Avoid the temptation to automate everything just because you can.  

Whether the motion is used to expose something, switch between shots, or for any other purpose, there should still be a purpose.

Do I Need a Special Camera to Shoot Time-Lapse Photography?

You will need a camera set to take a sequence of pictures at regular intervals in order to capture time-lapse photography.  

Although this function is often built into digital cameras, you can alternatively utilize a separate intervalometer (a device used to take photographs at set intervals)

Can I Shoot Time-Lapse Photography with A Smartphone?

By heading to the native camera app on your phone and searching for time-lapse or hyper lapse under "modes" or "settings," you may access the time-lapse mode.  

Use one of the other three options (video, photo stacking, or third-party software) to achieve the same effects if your phone lacks a time-lapse mode (or an equivalent).

What Are Some Creative Ways to Use Time-Lapse Photography?

Most often, sluggish processes that aren't usually apparent or entertaining to observe with the human eye are captured with time-lapse photography (e.g., sunrise and sunset, the movement of the stars during the night, or the growth of plants).

An In-Camera Processed Sunset

time-lapse camera

A sunset is more challenging to photograph. Within the chosen time frame, the light changes.

Use remote control camera software to get around this. As the light gets darker, you may make up for it by raising the ISO or lowering the shutter speed.

Moreover, manual exposure changes are possible. Or you may use the LR Time-lapse plug-in for Lightroom or keyframes to add them in post-production.

Download the Sony Time-lapse app as well. Without the need for post processing, it will simplify the procedure.

The Camera Pans

It is simple to attach a camera to a vehicle or a bicycle. This is particularly valid if you own a GoPro. These cameras are intended for these applications.

A brief search of the web offers a large number of clamp options. not just for the GoPro, but also for a wide variety of cameras, such as DSLRs and point-and-shoot models.

This kind of camera movement during a time-lapse shoot increases intrigue. Nevertheless, it's not the only method.

What Are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting Time-Lapse Photography? 

Now you know what is time-lapse photography, here are some tips to assist you for excellent time-lapse photography. Whether you're new to photographing time-lapse sequences or have been doing it for a while, you must avoid the following mistakes:

  • Not employing an ND or polarizing filter when it is bright.

  • Relying only on the camera's automatic settings.

  • Mid-shot touching the camera.

  • Not capture pictures in various locations.

  • No use RAW mode when you are supposed to preserve image data.

  • Not trying several various angles.

  • Letting your white balance remain on AWB.

  • Setting up your tripod or slider in the public way.

Editing of Time-Lapse Photos

traffic time-lapse

Taking shots is the simple part. The editing of this video is the real deal!

Not everyone has the ability to pick out comparable scenes from a video, adjust exposure, get rid of flickers, and address other problems like a pro.  

These movies provide prospective clients and customers with an inside view into your projects, helping to increase their level of trust in you. When it comes to producing high-quality time-lapse videos, post-production and video editing have a significant worth.  

If you make a mistake at this stage, the entire creative time-lapse concept crumbles, and you might even damage your brand's reputation.

Related: Video editing at your fingertips now: best video editing apps

The Bottom Line

Working with Dubai photography experts is always advised because producing a time-lapse video may be extremely intimidating.  

For expert time-lapse video production services in UAE, contact Overlight. Get in touch with us if you want to have photos taken of a building project, an event, a renovation, an art project, or anything else!