Time-lapse photography captures change over hours or days and plays it back in seconds

Time-lapse works by taking many still photos at set intervals, then playing them back as a video. A sunset that takes two hours becomes a 10-second clip. A flower blooming over three days becomes a 30-second sequence. The camera does the heavy lifting—you set the interval between shots and the total number of shots, then walk away. When you play the images back at normal video speed (24 frames per second), motion that was invisible to the eye becomes obvious.

You need three things: a camera that can take photos on a timer, a way to hold it still, and software to turn the photos into a video. A smartphone works. A DSLR or mirrorless camera works better because you have more control. The technique is the same either way.

Key Takeaways

  • Time-lapse requires an interval timer (built into most cameras or available as an app) set to take photos at regular intervals—typically every 2 to 10 seconds for fast motion, every 30 seconds to 2 minutes for slower subjects.
  • A tripod or fixed mount is essential because even tiny camera movement becomes obvious when 500 photos play back as video.
  • Exposure must stay constant across all shots, so use manual mode and lock your focus before the sequence starts.
  • You combine the photos into a video using free software like FFmpeg, DaVinci Resolve, or Adobe Lightroom, which sequences the images and plays them at 24 frames per second.
  • Common subjects include sunsets, clouds, traffic, construction, plant growth, and star movement—anything that changes slowly over time.

Choosing the right interval between shots

The interval is how many seconds pass between each photo. A shorter interval captures smoother motion but requires more photos and more storage. A longer interval means fewer photos but choppier playback.

For a sunset or sunrise (30 minutes to 2 hours), try an interval of 2 to 5 seconds. For clouds moving across the sky (1 to 3 hours), use 5 to 10 seconds. For traffic or people moving through a space (15 to 60 minutes), use 1 to 3 seconds. For slow change like a flower opening or construction progress (several hours to days), use 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

The math is straightforward: if you want a 10-second video at 24 frames per second, you need 240 photos. If your interval is 5 seconds, that takes 240 × 5 = 1,200 seconds, or 20 minutes. If your interval is 2 seconds, that takes 480 seconds, or 8 minutes. Longer intervals mean shorter real-world shooting time but less smooth motion in the final video.

Setting up your camera and stabilizing it

Mount your camera on a tripod, a gorillapod, a phone holder, or any fixed support that will not move. Even a millimeter of drift becomes visible when 300 photos play back. If you are shooting on a smartphone, use a phone tripod or clamp it to a stable surface.

Turn on your camera's interval timer. On most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, this is in the menu under "Interval Shooting" or "Time-lapse." On iPhones, use the built-in Time-lapse mode in the Camera app, which handles the interval automatically. On Android phones, use Google Camera or a third-party app like Framelapse or Hyperlapse.

Set the number of shots you want to take. If you are shooting a sunset over 90 minutes with a 5-second interval, you need 1,080 photos (90 minutes ÷ 5 seconds = 1,080). Most cameras will tell you how long the sequence will take once you enter the interval and shot count.

Locking exposure and focus before you start

Switch your camera to manual mode (M on the mode dial). In manual mode, the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO stay the same for every shot. If you leave the camera in automatic mode, it will adjust exposure between shots, and your final video will flicker as brightness changes.

Set your shutter speed based on how much light you have. For a bright daytime scene, use 1/500 second or faster. For a sunset, use 1 to 2 seconds. For night sky or stars, use 15 to 25 seconds. Set your aperture (f-stop) to control depth of field—f/5.6 to f/8 keeps most of the scene sharp. Set your ISO to the lowest value that still gives you a visible image; higher ISO adds grain.

Focus manually on the part of the scene that matters most. Use the focus ring on your lens or tap the screen on a smartphone to lock focus. Once focus is locked, do not touch the focus ring or the camera. If you are shooting a landscape, focus about one-third of the way into the scene to keep foreground and background both sharp.

Shooting the sequence and managing power and storage

Press the shutter button or start button once. The camera will take photos at your set interval until it reaches the number you specified or runs out of battery. Do not touch the camera while it is shooting.

For sequences longer than 30 minutes, bring a fully charged battery and consider a second battery as backup. A 2-hour sunset sequence can drain a DSLR battery. For smartphones, plug in a portable charger if you are shooting for more than an hour.

Time-lapse creates many files fast. A 2-hour sequence at a 5-second interval produces 1,440 photos, which takes up 3 to 5 gigabytes on a DSLR (depending on resolution) or 1 to 2 gigabytes on a smartphone. Use a fast memory card rated for video (UHS-II or faster) and bring extra cards if you are shooting multiple sequences.

Converting photos into a video file

Once you have all your photos, you need to combine them into a video. On a smartphone, the built-in time-lapse mode does this automatically. On a computer, you have several free options.

DaVinci Resolve (free version available for Windows, Mac, and Linux) imports a folder of images and sequences them into a video. Open the program, create a new project, drag your image folder into the media library, then drag the sequence onto the timeline. Set the frame rate to 24 fps, then export as an MP4 file.

Adobe Lightroom (paid, but has a free trial) has a built-in slideshow feature that can export as video. Import your images, select them all, go to Slideshow, set the duration per slide to 0.04 seconds (which equals 24 fps), then export as video.

FFmpeg (free, command-line tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux) is faster if you are comfortable with text commands. The basic command is: ffmpeg -framerate 24 -i image_%04d.jpg -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p output.mp4. Replace image_%04d.jpg with the naming pattern of your photos.

Common time-lapse subjects and how to shoot them

Sunsets and sunrises: Shoot for 30 to 90 minutes before sunset or after sunrise. Use a 2 to 5 second interval. Expect exposure to change dramatically, so shoot in manual mode and accept that the video will show the transition from bright to dark (or dark to bright).

Clouds: Shoot for 1 to 3 hours. Use a 5 to 10 second interval. Include a fixed landmark (a tree, building, or horizon) so viewers can see the clouds moving relative to something stable.

Stars and night sky: Shoot for 1 to 4 hours. Use a 15 to 25 second interval (longer exposures gather more light). Use a wide-angle lens and the widest aperture your lens allows. Shoot in a location away from city lights.

Traffic or crowds: Shoot for 15 to 60 minutes. Use a 1 to 3 second interval. Position your camera high and wide so the motion is obvious.

Plant growth or construction: Shoot once per day at the same time and location. Use a 30 second to 2 minute interval if shooting over several hours, or one photo per day if tracking change over weeks. Use a fixed camera position and consistent lighting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum number of photos I need for a time-lapse video?

You need at least 24 photos to make one second of video at 24 frames per second. Most time-lapses are 10 to 30 seconds, so 240 to 720 photos. Shorter sequences feel choppy; longer ones look smoother.

Can I shoot time-lapse on a smartphone without an app?

Yes. iPhones have a built-in Time-lapse mode in the Camera app—just swipe to it and record. Most Android phones have it too, though the location varies by manufacturer. Third-party apps like Framelapse give you more control over interval and duration.

What happens if my camera runs out of battery mid-sequence?

The sequence stops. You will have all the photos taken up to that point, but your video will be shorter than planned. Bring a fully charged spare battery for sequences longer than 30 minutes.

Do I need a remote shutter or can I just press the button?

Pressing the button once is fine—the camera's interval timer takes over after that. A remote or smartphone app is useful only if you want to start the sequence from a distance without touching the camera.

Can I edit the photos before turning them into a video?

Yes. In Lightroom, you can adjust exposure, color, and sharpness on one photo, then sync those settings to all the others in the sequence. This is faster and more consistent than editing each photo individually. Import the sequence, select all, make adjustments to one, then use "Sync Settings" to explore them to the rest.