Time-lapse photography

In short: In time-lapse, many individual photos are taken at fixed intervals and then assembled into a video that shows slow processes greatly sped up. Drifting clouds, starry skies, or blooming flowers appear to happen in seconds instead of hours.

In more detail: The larger the time gap between shots relative to playback speed, the stronger the acceleration effect in the finished video.

In detail

• Choosing the interval: Fast processes like clouds need short intervals (seconds), slow ones like plant growth need long intervals (minutes to hours).
• Tripod: A stable tripod is essential, since any movement between shots will show as jitter in the video.
• Fixing exposure manually: Manual settings prevent brightness from jumping abruptly between frames (belichtungsmessung-grundlagen).
• Power supply: Long sequences lasting hours need a full battery or a power adapter.
• Calculating the number of frames: Total duration divided by interval gives the frame count, from which the video length at 24 to 30 frames per second can be calculated.
• Night shots: Starry skies need long exposure times and high ISO values (iso-und-bildrauschen).
• Assembling: Dedicated software or editing programs compile the individual frames into a smooth video.