Tutorial: How to Create Dynamic Timelapses With DSLRs

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create dynamic timelapses with DSLR cameras. I’ll begin by pointing out some of the benefits of using your DSLR camera to capture vibrant timelapses.

Benefits of DSLRs for Timelapses

One of the most important factors is the resolution that you're capable of getting with a DLSR. Even with entry-level models you're able to capture images that far exceed your 1080 HD camera and even 4K models when working in Raw mode. Working with these larger dimensions gives you room to crop and add motion in post that mimics slider and jib movements, and allows you to deliver high-quality exports that can be shown on large screens.

Another benefit to using stills over video is that you can use high-end tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, 相机的原始, and After Effects to create a stylized and dynamic final product.

最后但同样重要的, the convenience of being able to travel lightweight and more compact is a big bonus. This is especially true when you're making a trip to remote locations. Those are just a few benefits to consider when shooting your next timelapse.

Must-Have Items for Your Timelapse Kit

There are a few must-have items that you should have in your toolkit when creating a timelapse. Here is a list of things I had when I shot the timelapse in the video that accompanies this tutorial:
•坚固的三脚架
• an intervalometer, which allowed me to set timing and intervals for my timelapse
• fully charged batteries, or external power
• Plenty of high-capacity Class 10 or higher memory cards

帖子production-wise, 我用了Adobe桥, Photoshop, and 相机的原始 to edit my photos into this timelapse.

拍摄技巧

For the timelapse that accompanies this tutorial, I shot everything in manual mode so that I had control of aperture, 快门速度, 和ISO.

One common question when starting with timelapses is determining how long you need to shoot for. This will depend on the delivery format of your final video and the interval you used. In my case, I was looking to produce a 15-second video with a frame rate of 24 frames per second. 为了保持简单, 我用15乘以24, which told me I needed to capture 360 total frames to create a 15-second output. I would suggest that you capture a few extra frames just in case there's an image you want to remove later on in post.

后期制作

跟着我的野外拍摄, I came back with my 360-something still photos and organized them into a folder on my drive. Next 我用了Adobe桥 to group my photos. Bridge ships with Adobe Creative Cloud and is a beautiful way to sample your photos and media. Once you navigate to your photos inside of Bridge you can group your photos into a stack (下面的图1).

图1. Stacking photos in Adobe桥. Click the image to see it at full size.

The cool thing about this feature is that you can preview your timelapse by closing the stack and then using the slider bar to scan through your images (下面的图2). Let's re-open the stack and move forward with the next step in the process.

图2. You can use this slider to scan through your images in Bridge. Click the image to see it at full size.