Long Term Time Lapse Setup
By taking photographs at regular intervals, photographers can produce stunning works of art that showcase the beauty and complexity of our world in motion.
Time lapse photography offers an array of possibilities to explore slow-moving phenomena like the growth and decay of nature, the passage of time across different seasons, or even the impact humans have on their environment.
Through the technique of long-term time lapse photography, photographers can document these changes in beautiful detail, making it possible to observe subtle shifts and patterns that wouldn't be visible to the naked eye. Such projects can last anywhere from a few days to several years depending on what is being captured and how much movement is desired for the final product.
While the setup can be tricky, the result is worth the time and effort. This guide will help you choose the right long-term time lapse system for your needs and some tips for starting your project.
Short-term vs Long-term projects.
The first thing you need to know when creating time lapses is how long you will be shooting. Short-term and long-term time lapse projects require different equipment and setup. Short-term time lapse can be as short as a couple of minutes and allows you to see smaller movements, such as people or cars arriving at a site, or setting up a small area.
Long-term time lapse setup for large-scale construction can go on for many years. In this, we can see more significant changes, such as building or bridge construction, while fast-moving objects blur into the background.
This style of photography reveals patterns that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye, such as seasonal climate changes.
Motion control technology controlled by automatic camera systems provides the opportunity to capture both day and night shots, and subtle changes in light and shadow as well as preserve battery life so that you can capture your subject for longer and still maintain high levels of accuracy and detail.
The images captured through long term lapse photography can be combined into powerful multimedia sequences with accompanying audio to create engaging stories that can captivate both audiences and clients alike.
What's Right for You?
Before choosing your setup, it is important to consider what you are wanting to capture. For example, if you're looking to capture people moving around an area, a short-term time lapse is the right choice for you.
On the other hand, if you want to record the development of new building construction, you'll need to use a long-term time lapse. The duration of the project will also dictate what type of equipment you need, the camera settings, and considering things like weather, access to continuous power and security.
Here are some things to consider for your setup.
Placement
When deciding the placement of your camera on location, there are a few important factors to consider;
Indoors or Outdoors
First and foremost, you want to know whether you're shooting indoors or outdoors, so it's essential to know the placement of your long-term time lapse photography for construction sites. The sun and shadow can greatly impact the quality of your footage.
If the sun is in the wrong place, it can cause lens flare or make the colours appear washed out. And if shadows fall across the frame, it can create an unwanted dark area in the finished video. Knowing where to place your camera in advance can avoid these problems and get the best possible results from your time lapse photography.
Accessible
Accessibility should be a top priority when considering long-term time lapse equipment. To ensure that the device can be properly serviced, repaired, and moved, when necessary, it is essential to install it in an area that is easily accessible. This means selecting a spot that can be reached without any major obstacles, such as traffic or access to another building.
Highlighting Key Elements
It is also important to choose a location that highlights progress. For example, if you are constructing a skyscraper, setting up the camera on an adjacent building can showcase the structure's growth in relation to its surroundings. Similarly, if you are working on renovating a park, choosing a spot nearby where visitors can see the before and after effects can be impactful.
It's important to know that you may need to change location during the process of construction to highlight the important elements of the construction better.
Ultimately, carefully selecting the location for your time lapse can make all the difference in capturing the progression and success of your construction project.
Still have questions? Contact us.
Clear Line of Sight
Secondly, you want to ensure that the location allows for a clear line of sight throughout the construction process. To ensure an uninterrupted view while filming construction activities, it is important to choose a location that is free from obstructions. Any buildings, trees, or other structures may block the view and consequently impair the quality of the footage. Identifying a site that allows for a clear line of sight throughout the process is essential.
Safety
It is essential to ensure that when setting up time lapse equipment, it is placed in a secure area that is free from potential hazards. This includes avoiding any proximity to sources of electricity, such as power cords and electrical sockets, as well as any water pipes or other sources of liquid. Doing this will help reduce the risk of damage or physical harm to both the equipment and the people using it.
Additionally, positioning your time lapse equipment in an area with good ventilation can also be beneficial; this will ensure that the device does not overheat.
Making sure that all cables are out of reach and away from foot traffic is also important for preventing accidents. Taking these precautions will help you make the most out of your time lapse experience and protect those who use it from potential danger.
Long Term Time Lapse Equipment
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the perfect equipment for your long-term construction timelapse. It's not just about finding an excellent camera, there are also elements you need in terms of stability and ease of use.
Power
Your choice of power source will depend on your project. Solar power is an ideal energy source as it is renewable, cost-effective, and reliable. However, depending on the specific project requirements, other sources of energy may also be necessary. For example, if a short-term time lapse is needed, then smaller batteries, even AA batteries, can be used instead.
These batteries are usually cheaper and more convenient to replace than solar panels; however, they require more regular maintenance due to their limited charge capacity. For larger projects requiring continuous power for extended periods, an external battery with a solar panel setup might be the best option to provide consistent and reliable power that can last months on end. At photoSentinel, we used solar panels and a local external battery, depending on the project.
Ultimately, it all comes down to each project's individual needs and budget, as there is no perfect solution for every situation. Selecting the right power source can make or break a successful time lapse system, so it's important to research and weigh all available options before installation.
Storage
When documenting a change, it is important to consider the local storage capacity of the time lapse system. For shorter projects, a smaller storage capacity will suffice. However, for longer projects, a larger storage capacity is required to save all the images taken.
The photoSentinal Tempo has up to 500GB of onboard storage, meaning that your project is safe and saved on board the systems. When using a smaller storage capacity system (such as an SD card), you may need to make multiple trips to save your work on external storage. Those with lower storage capacities may need to make multiple trips to store their photos successfully.
To ensure that your project is safe and accessible no matter how long it runs for, having this higher storage capacity could be incredibly beneficial for long-term projects and provide peace of mind knowing that all images will be saved.
Cloud Storage
At photoSentinel we also utilise cloud storage technology to provide an easy and efficient way to store your photos. Using this service, you can automatically save your images to any major file-saving program like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon Web Services (AWS). This helps keep your photos secure and easily accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. Cloud storage offers several additional benefits, such as enhanced data security with encryption and backup capabilities in case of emergencies.
Time Lapse Camera
The camera and lens are essential, and you may assume you need the most expensive one on the market. That is not correct! An entry-level DSLR camera is more than enough to get a great-quality project. If you already own a good mirrorless camera, you may not need to buy a new one. You can use your camera. It is also important to remember that the camera you choose will be trapped in the time lapse system for the project's duration, so you may not want to select your nicest camera or one that you use frequently.
It's important to consider factors such as resolution, image quality, and battery life. A high-resolution camera will capture more detail in each frame, resulting in a sharper final time lapse video. Image quality is also crucial since there are often variable lighting conditions.
High ISO performance and advanced noise reduction technology can ensure crisp images even in low-light environments. And, of course, battery life is paramount for capturing long-term construction projects that span months or even years.
As with any camera purchase, it's important to do your research and choose a model that will meet the unique needs of long-term time lapse photography on a construction site. Read our comprehensive article to find out what is the best construction time lapse camera to use.
Camera Settings
Proper shutter speed and aperture settings are essential, as well as adjusting the ISO, white balance, and focus. It's important to find a good balance between these settings so that the images are exposed correctly while still capturing an interesting variety of light levels. Additionally, photographers should also make sure they choose a shutter speed that allows enough time between shots to capture any changes in the scene.
For example, if there is movement in the background, a slower shutter speed might be necessary to capture it fully. Furthermore, some cameras have built-in intervalometers that allow for longer exposures which help to create smoother motion in videos when shooting time lapses. Finally, it is important to use filters on lenses when taking long-term time lapse photos as this can help add interesting effects such as blurs or starbursts around bright lights. With careful consideration of all these variables, photographers should be able to produce beautiful images with excellent results.
This makes it easier for photographers to capture the perfect shot in changing conditions without having to adjust their time lapse cameras manually, constantly - it also allows them to stay comfortable and safe while shooting from far away.
A helpful setting for time lapse photography is the Aperture Priority, which is a semi-automatic mode of shooting that allows the photographer to control what part of the photo is in focus. It works by setting an aperture value, which determines how big or small the area of sharp focus will be in the final image.
For long-term time lapse photography of a construction site, settings need to be adjusted to suit the ever-changing environment. Shutter speed should typically be set to a low value such as 1/25th of a second or lower for smoother motion blur. ISO should be kept at its lowest level to minimize noise and grain in the final image. The aperture should also remain constant throughout, usually at f/11 or higher, as this results in sharper images with less chromatic aberration. Lastly, the white balance should also be adjusted for the changing light conditions on site; choosing an appropriate setting such as Daylight will ensure that colours are rendered accurately in each frame and avoid any unwanted colour casts. Lastly, it is important to use a tripod when taking photos over long periods, as this ensures that all the elements remain aligned and consistent across the frames. Learn more about choosing the right camera for long-term time lapse.
These articles provide helpful guides on important Long Term Contruction Time Lapse camera settings:
Best Long Term Time Lapse Settings for Construction
Best Time Lapse Interval for Construction: Intervalometer Settings
Software
When setting up a long-term time lapse system, you need to consider the software that will be used to control your cameras. The cloud features and advanced scheduling options of photoSentinel let you create a powerful and flexible time lapse system that perfectly matches your needs.
With advanced remote scheduling and camera control, you can easily take care of all your photography needs from anywhere in the world. And with status reporting and alert notifications, you can always be sure that your time lapse system is running smoothly. In addition, the auto-generated progress reporting videos let you keep track of your project's progress at all times. With Tempo's advanced scheduling options, you can create shooting regimes that perfectly match your project, ensuring that you get the best results possible.
Tips From The Team
Plan for Things to Go Wrong
It's essential to plan for maintenance. While ideally, nothing will go wrong, this is not often the case. Whether it's a fallen tree or a spider's web over the camera glass, it's important to consider this when planning your setup. Can it be accessed easily? It's also worth considering potential dangers when planning your setup location. It's important to schedule required maintenance visits to ensure that equipment is safe.
Planning for things to go wrong when installing a long-term time lapse system is important. The camera could be compromised or damaged, plans change, and the weather can take a turn for the worst. By planning for these contingencies, you can ensure that your time lapse project is a success.
One way to plan for problems is to build some redundancy into your system. For example, you could use two cameras to capture the same scene. If one camera fails, you'll still have the other to fall back on. Additionally, you should consider how you'll power your camera.
If you're using a battery-powered camera, bring extra batteries in case the first one runs out of power. Finally, check on your camera regularly to ensure it's still in good working order. Time lapse photography may be a long-term project, but that doesn't mean you can set it and forget it. By planning for problems, you can ensure that your long-term time lapse system will run smoothly for the entire project.
Test your setup
Creating a long term time lapse can be a difficult process and to work out which are the best camera settings for your project will take planning and forethought.
When setting up a new tech device or installing software, it's important to test the system before starting to use it. This helps to ensure that everything is working properly and that there are no complications or glitches down the line.
Some tips for testing your setup include running through all the program's features to see if they work as intended, connecting any necessary devices and making sure they're functioning properly, and performing stress tests to see how the system handles heavy usage. Testing your setup can save you time and headaches in the long run, so make sure to take the extra steps before diving into using your new technology.
Experiment with different settings and techniques
Once you've tested your setup and taken some practice shots, it's time to experiment with different settings and techniques. This is the best way to get the results you want, so don't be afraid to try new things or take risks. With some trial and error, you'll be able to produce better long-term time lapse videos that capture engaging process videos.
Determining the location of your construction time lapse
When deciding the location for your construction time lapse, there are a few important factors to consider. First and foremost, you want to ensure that the location allows for a clear line of sight throughout the construction process. This means avoiding obstructions such as buildings or trees that may block the view at any point during filming.
It is also important to choose a location that highlights progress. For example, if you are constructing a skyscraper, setting up the camera on an adjacent building can showcase the structure's growth in relation to its surroundings. Similarly, if you are working on renovating a park, choosing a spot nearby where visitors can see the before and after effects can be impactful. Ultimately, carefully selecting the location for your long term time lapse can make all the difference in capturing the progression and success of your construction project.
Choose the right camera
When it comes to time lapse photography, the right camera can make all the difference. It's important to consider factors such as resolution, image quality, and battery life. A high-resolution camera will capture more detail in each frame, resulting in a sharper final time lapse video. Image quality is also crucial since construction sights often have variable lighting conditions, especially as the structure grows.
High ISO performance and advanced noise reduction technology can ensure crisp images even in low-light environments. And, of course, battery life is paramount for capturing long-term construction projects that span months or even years.
As with any camera purchase, it's important to do your research and choose a model that will meet the unique needs of long term time lapse photography on a construction site. Read our comprehensive article to find out what is the best construction time lapse camera to use.
Security Controls and Risk Mitigation
At photoSentinel, we strive to provide users with the most secure and user-friendly experience possible. Our systems are built on top of the latest technological advancements and protocols for digital asset management, such as blockchain technologies, encryption algorithms and advanced authentication methods.
We invest in creating a highly secure ecosystem with multiple layers of protection that ensures your content is always safe from unauthorised access or manipulation. Our security measures are regularly updated to stay ahead of emerging threats and comply with industry standards. We also employ automated monitoring systems that detect suspicious user activity or data tampering attempts.
We have strict policies in place to protect your personal information and guarantee its privacy at all times. To ensure our customers are getting the best security available, we partner with leading security vendors such as Symantec and McAfee, among others, to ensure maximum safety. With these measures in place, photoSentinel provides an unrivalled level of protection for your photos and other data while making sure they remain accessible when needed by those who are authorised. Read more about our security controls and risk management features.
If you are looking to capture the intricate details and showcase the complexity of a project in its entirety, look towards using long-term time lapse photography. At PhotoSentinel, our team specialises in providing high-quality equipment and support which will assist you to complete your project with stunning results. Contact us to see how you can best utilise long-term time lapse to bring your vision to life.
