HowTo create timelapses

It is quite easy and the result is so nice 👌

 

Introduction

With many cameras you can take timelapse shots. You should really give this a try since the results are always special and beautiful ! And if you prefer to use your mobile my tip is to use the app "Open camera" * which has timelapse settings. In this article you find all the tips and tricks about making your own animations.

Part 1 : the equipment

To create a timelapse you don't need anything special besides just a camera. Which ofcourse needs to have a timelapse-timer. You can combine all kind of pictures and of different sizes into a timelapse. And they don't have to be all taken from the same position.

However if you want to create a timelapse taken from a fixed point of view you need a tripod. Or anything that you can put your camera on in the correct and stable position. Like ie a bicyclebag, clothes, a seat cushion, a pole, fence or electrical cabinet, a table at a terrass, etc, etc. Tip is to use a small package of tissues to align the camera, these are a great help !

You can buy tripods in extremely many variations, from very small and lightweight to very large and heavy. My tip is to take a ballhead instead of a 2- or 3-axes head. A ballhead is easier to use, leighter and smaller. I have owned about 8 tripods and ended up with the Cullmann Neomax 220 (review here) tripod.

So let's start taking pictures ! Hopefully you did think about charging the battery in time 🙃. And while charging it is time to check your bicycle then it should be in tiptop condition for your timelapsetrip to ie the ants family that you discovered yesterday. Move over to the location you want to take the pictures and judge the light and the movement of sun or moon. Be sure there will be no shadow coming over (or leaving) the subject during the course of the shooting. Neither from any other object nor from the camera itself.

Part 2 : the pictures and the results

You are ofcourse curious about the result. When finished with the taking of the pictures you save them all in a directory at your computer. Remove the first and last picture since they will be unsharp because you touched the camera to start and stop it. Then you copy that directory and call that new one ORG. That way you have a backup, never work on original pictures.

Select the set of pictures and drag them into the timelapse window of the picture-editingsoftware Photoscape (open review). Within seconds your first timelapse starts playing ! Play a bit with the timesetting and judge if it is what you like best. If so select the pixelsize you prefer and save the result. Now it is time to 🥂 congratulate yourself : this is your first animation, and it will not be your last one.

If the result is oké: but not the max it is time to process (upgrade) your pictures with the picture-editingsoftware XNViewMP (open review).

Also on a rainy day there could be are nice things to photograph outside. But if you hesitate you can make timelapses inside too.

As soon as the weather does clear you can maybe timelapse some ufos !

After diner Moon is waiting for a meet and greet.

The Panasonic FZ1000 (review here) and the Panasonic TZ70 (review here) greeting Moon.

And after Moon the Universe is welcoming you 👌.

Once you have a timelapse serie of the Universe you can use the Startrails (open) software to create an incremental animation.

Then, when you are finally done, it is time to clean your bicycle. You must always be prepared for any next occasion 😉.

Tips and tricks

In Photoscape you can freeze single pictures for a longer period of time which can make for an extra special effect.

If you want to timelapse the sunset or the moon you have to do some pre-investigation. Just go over to the position about 20 or 30 minutes early and watch what is going on up there. It is rather a surprise were the sun really is "sinking in the sea". And it always is difficult to judge the more or less exact orbit of the moon. Where will it enter the screen, and where will it leave ? This is hardly related to any alcohol consumption 😎.

Be prepared to have warm clothes with you, and maybe even gloves. Regardless whether you are along the beach or in the inland, you can be sure the dropping temperature and the wind will (also) surprise you. The "problem" with timelapses is the "lapse", it can easily take 30 minutes to have a nice serie of pictures. All that time you will have to wait 🌡️.

Timelapses can result into large files. The aquarium-timelapse consists of 89 pictures resulting in a 27Mb file. If you want to downsize them (for whatever reason) you can easily convert them into a video. They then will be some 5 to 10 times smaller in filesize. However, before you do that please read this article about MP4 videos (review here).

Pictures don't have to have the same size. Photoscape will take care of any difference in that by adding bars to the smaller ones.

The * Open Camera app is called "open" because it is an app with an open source code. This means1 that the sourcecode is free available and so can be inspected by anyone with the correct knowledge. You can bet the open source community does so ! This means2 that you can be sure this (type of) software does not spy on your phone and will not steal your data. I have an awfull lot to hide, so open source apps are the only types I allow on my phone.

And tip "Last-but-not-least" : turn your camera Upwards

and buy a rotating cookingalarm !

For little money you can create a special effect by putting the camera on top of it.

I wish you a lot of fun with your new hobby 💯.

▲

▲