Have your timelapse videos failed to hold your audience’s attention and ended up boring/tiring them? Often times, some of the small yet important things that can make your timelapse videos go wrong. For example, shaky or blurred images; flickers (due to slight variations between shots) or a sudden shift in the focused object (just because you had the auto focus on) etc.
Armed with the best timelapse camera, you may decide to replicate the results of professional timelapse video production services. But if you don’t know how to create the perfect Timelapse, your efforts would be wasted. But don’t worry because we bring you five tips that would help you practice and perfect the technique of creating stunning timelapse videos.
- Plan it all: From making sure you arrive at your chosen spot on time and carry the necessary equipment, to visualizing the story or scenes you want to capture, plan it all. Don’t forget to determine the number of points of view (POV) you want to capture these shots from. Rather than doing it in a hurry, it always pays to do it in a planned way for better results.
- Go manual and shoot in RAW: Turn off the autofocus and shoot in manual modes (not Shutter Priority or Aperture mode) to ensure every image you capture doesn’t have varying exposures. Remember to never shoot in JPG and opt for RAW instead. While JPG images are 8-bit images, RAW works in 14 or 12-bits. Thus, RAW gives you better color depth and gradation between levels.
- Opt for multiple POV: 2-3 minute timelapse videos that capture one or two/three subjects from a single point of view would bore your audience. Ideally, shots taken from the same POV should have a reduced length (under 5 seconds) in the final timelapse video. You should try to shoot your subjects from different angles since filming from more points of view hold the audience’s attention.
- Opt for correct interval settings: Unless you set your shutter speed relative to what you plan to shoot, your results won’t be close to what professional timelapse video production services offer. In case you are shooting a surfer, who moves quickly on a wave, your shots should capture the action every 2 seconds. However, when shooting a sunrise or sunset that are much slower events, you can capture a shot every 30 seconds. The key is to set an ideal shutter speed so that you don’t miss the important details of a scene or event.
- Don’t focus just on movements and disregard other aspects: Be it the motion of people, cars, or equipment, or the shift in light and clouds in the background, some believe timelapse videos are just about movements. Thus, they ignore other important aspects like framing, light, composition, and the subject that needs to be photographed. Make sure you strike a balance between all these aspects to shoot the perfect timelapse construction video 2024.
But that’s not all! You shouldn’t try to do everything in your very first timelapse. When using a timelapse camera for the first time, have patience. Put in your best effort, learn from your mistakes and keep practising to hone your skills. And very soon, you would be getting results comparable to professional timelapse video production services. To know more about how such services can be an asset for your business, reach out to us today!
