Time-lapse videos make scenes captivating

Last week, I discussed tilt-shift—an emerging trend in video that makes real-life footage seem cartoonish.  This week, I’ll be talking about time-lapse, another popular trend in film today.

The time-lapse process is a style that allows us to view life in a different way—an entire sunset, a whole day or even weeks can be seen within the course of a minute.  A time-lapse video basically shows the world appearing to move in fast forward.  Time appears to be moving faster, and thus, lapsing.

Processes, movements and patterns that would otherwise appear subtle to the eye become much more pronounced.  In a time-lapse video, the movement of stars is visible and clouds can appear to become an ocean.  Time-lapse videos are inherently captivating, and can be seen all over in TV shows, films and videos.

Time-lapse videos are created by slowing down the process of capturing video and taking fewer images over a longer period of time.  Cameras are designed to capture a set number of images per second (usually around 24-30 frames per second), but in a time-lapse video one image per second is usually the standard.  This lower rate of frames per second is what creates the illusion of reality being in fast-forward.

Shooting a time-lapse video is fairly simple—all you’ll need is the appropriate camera (DSLRs are very popular for time-lapse), a tripod and a subject.  It’s amazing and fun to see the patterns that can emerge from seemingly mundane daily scenes, such as a traffic jam or a crowded city block.  Be sure to film your subject(s) for at least one hour.

The time-lapse process is very popular right now, and the Internet is chock-full of amazing time-lapse videos.  Inspiration is just a few clicks away, and the possibilities for time-lapse videos are nearly infinite.  The technique is uncovering the hidden patterns in everyday life.

To see an example of a time-lapse video click here.