by Jez Sugars
Time-lapse photography is one of my favourite video features on mirrorless cameras. It gives us a whole new creative outlet to explore.
Photography is fantastic for capturing decisive moments and telling a story in a single frame. But time-lapse is different. Its non-intrusive nature and the need to document change over a longer period forces you to think differently about your environment. Instead of chasing a moment, you settle into it — and start noticing things you’d normally overlook.
You become more aware of your surroundings:
- Which direction is the wind coming from?
- How fast are the clouds moving?
- Is something about to appear on the horizon?
- Will the light change soon — and where will the shadows fall?
- Can I time this with the tide?
You stop looking for stillness and start looking for flow.
This is a great example by Vanguard Ambassador stan-time-lapse&photographie
Most of the considerations and settings are the same for a variety of different styles, but timelapse does bring three specific considerations.
1. Frames Per Second:
Every camera brand has its own time-lapse functionality, but my go-to setup is one frame per second, outputting the video in-camera at Full HD, 10 frames per second. This gives me smooth movement, even on windy days, without missing details. If it plays back too slowly, I can always speed it up in post — but you can’t create movement that isn’t there, so it’s always better to overshoot.
The only time I increase the interval is when I’m working with very slow subjects, like the moon or shadows moving over several hours. In those cases, I’ll bump it up to five or six seconds between frames so playback feels natural.
2. Location:
I find the best time-lapse locations are near water — rivers, lakes, or the sea — especially on windy days with big, dramatic clouds. When different elements move in opposing directions, like clouds rushing towards you while the tide pulls away, it adds instant drama.
Start simple. Pick a static subject — a building, pier, tower, or rock — frame it using the rule of thirds, lock down your camera on a tripod, set your interval, and hit go.
Time-lapse works beautifully by the coast, but it’s just as effective in cities. Watching crowds surge through streets and around buildings creates an entirely different kind of energy.
3. Kit:
Timelapse relies on stability. Being able to replicate the position of the shot again and again. This means that a tripod is a key tool to add to your kit list for a timelapse shoot. Whether you're looking at a travel tripod or a full sized tripod, this needs to be as solid as possible to withstand the elements.
A full sized tripod should be more stable by it's nature. Larger leg diameters. Fewer sections. Increased height without needing to extend the central column. I recommend the VEO 3+ 263CB 160S as a great balance between portability and stability, or you could consider the aluminium VEO 3+ 303ABS or the carbon VEO 3+ 303CBS. These have the added advantages of a multi-angle central column that allows you to be more creative with your shots, and a dual axis ball head with a separate pan on the top axis that allows you to level your tripod in seconds (and pan the shot to add another dimension to your timelapse at slower speeds).
A full sized tripod can be heavy and bulky, so if portability is key then I would recommend looking for an option where the legs are 26mm or more. For example, the VESTA GO 264CB which weighs in at 1450g with a 10kg load capacity.
Whether using a full sized tripod or a travel tripod, adding weight can help lock the legs more tightly. Rather than attaching a bag to the tripod, you could consider the ALTA SBM Stone Bag that attaches to your tripod legs to add weight to, or to use as a shelf to hold the kit you need to keep to hand, such as lens caps and filters.
A Short Video To Illustrate Timelapse:
Best of luck — now get out and shoot!
Headline image by stan-time-lapse&photographie