Secure your camera in place when shooting a time lapse of sunset.
The concept of time lapse is to shoot a photo at specific time intervals to create a faster progression of events on your subject. This can be done by manually pressing the "Shoot" button for each shot or by using a camera's "Intervalometer" function, a feature that makes it convenient to set the camera to shoot time lapse and slow motion shots. For manual time lapse shooting, it is best to use a timer or stopwatch to guide you when to shoot your next photo.
Instructions
1. Configure your settings by either choosing the camera's "Auto Settings" or "Manual Settings." Typically available in professional and high-end consumer cameras, manual options allow you to make adjustments on the camera's exposure, focus and white balance.
2. Set up your camera and tripod at your shooting location. If necessary, make a safety perimeter mark within your shooting setup to lessen the risk of accidental bumps, especially when shooting in a public place.
3. Frame your shot, then lock the camera on position.
4. Press the camera's "Shoot" button. You can leave your camera as is and wait for the time lapse shoot to finish if you are using a DSLR's "Intervalometer" function. Otherwise, set your timer or stopwatch for the next shot. Press the camera's "Shoot" button at the right interval until you finish covering the entire time lapse scene you intend to shoot. Take extra care not to move the camera out of place when pressing the "Shoot" button.
5. Transfer the photos into your computer, then import them into a video editing program. Use the same order of the photos based on the file names, then drag each photo into the editing program's "Editing Timeline." You may alter the speed of the playback of your photos based on how you view them using the program's Preview Monitor.
6. Export your edited footage in your desired movie file format, such as MOV, MP4, AVI or WMV.
