Updated October 2026

Ever wondered what goes into making a time-lapse? The short version: you take hundreds of still photos at steady intervals, then play them back as a clip. Clouds race, stars wheel overhead, cities breathe, flowers open. The long version is this guide. It covers the gear, the settings, the math and the editing, so you can shoot your first time-lapse this week.

The post that used to live here pointed to Shooting with Schat: A Day in the Life, a Roadtrippers film about photographer Joel Schat and a long day of time-lapse work at the Grand Canyon, including a night photographing the Milky Way. The original Vimeo page, vimeo.com/89324153, credits Schat for filming and editing, but the player no longer plays for us, so the embed is gone. His story is a good reminder that time-lapse is a patient, early-alarm kind of craft, and this guide is a practical version of that work.

How a time-lapse works

Video plays at 24 or 30 frames per second. If you shoot one photo every few seconds and play those photos back at 24 frames per second, time speeds up. A scene that took 20 minutes in real life can become a 5-second clip. The longer you shoot and the shorter the interval, the smoother and longer your clip.

The math is simple. Take the length you want, multiply it by your frame rate, and that is how many photos you need. A 10-second clip at 24 frames per second needs 240 photos. If you shoot one photo every 5 seconds, that takes 20 minutes. Shoot one every 2 seconds and it takes 8 minutes.

Gear you need

  • A camera with manual control. Most mirrorless and DSLR cameras work, and many have a built-in interval timer. A phone can also do a basic time-lapse.
  • A sturdy tripod. The camera must not move at all. Wind and soft ground are enemies, so weigh the tripod down with a bag if you need to.
  • An intervalometer. This is a timer that fires the shutter. Some cameras have one inside, and others need a remote.
  • Extra batteries or external power. Time-lapse drains batteries. Cold makes it worse.
  • Big, fast memory cards. Hundreds of RAW files add up quickly.
  • A wide or standard lens. A lens in the 16mm to 50mm range works for most scenes.

Step 1: Plan the shot

Good time-lapses have something that changes: moving clouds, traffic, light across a canyon, tides, crowds, stars or a sunrise. Choose a scene where change is clear and the composition is strong even as a still. Think about the foreground, the midground and the sky. Visit the spot first, check the weather and plan the timing. For sunsets and sunrises, arrive at least 30 minutes before the light starts to change.

Step 2: Set up the camera

Lock everything down so the frames match.

  • Mode: Manual. Auto exposure changes from frame to frame and causes flicker.
  • Focus: Focus, then switch to manual focus so it never hunts.
  • White balance: Set it manually, not Auto, so color stays steady.
  • Image quality: RAW gives you the most editing room, but JPEG saves space on long shoots.
  • Stabilization: Turn off lens or body stabilization on a tripod.
  • Aperture: f/8 to f/11 for sharpness, or wider for night.
  • ISO: As low as the light allows.

For day scenes, use a shutter speed that matches the movement. A slight blur from a half-second or so makes moving clouds, water and cars look smoother in the final clip. A good rule is to set the shutter at about half your interval. If you shoot every 4 seconds, try a 2-second shutter, using a neutral density filter in bright light.

Step 3: Choose your interval

The interval is the gap between frames. It depends on how fast your subject moves.

  • Fast action, like traffic or people: 1 to 2 seconds.
  • Clouds: 2 to 5 seconds, depending on wind.
  • Sunsets and sunrises: 3 to 6 seconds.
  • The night sky and stars: 15 to 30 seconds, with long exposures.
  • Slow things, like flowers or construction: minutes to hours.

When in doubt, shoot more frames. You can always speed up or trim in editing, but you cannot add frames you never took.

Step 4: Handle changing light

The hardest part of time-lapse is a scene where the light changes a lot, like a sunset or the shift from day to night. A fixed exposure will end up too bright or too dark by the end. There are a few ways to handle it.

  • Shoot in manual and adjust slowly. Change exposure in small steps as the light changes, one third of a stop at a time. Over many frames it looks smooth, but it needs care.
  • Use aperture priority. The camera adjusts shutter speed on its own. It is easy, but it can cause flicker, so you need deflicker software later.
  • Use holy grail techniques. Some advanced photographers use special apps and tools to shift exposure smoothly through day-to-night changes. This needs practice, but the results are great.

For your first time-lapse, pick a scene with steady light and avoid the tricky transition.

Step 5: Shoot

Set the interval timer for the number of frames you calculated, check your battery and card, and press start. Stay near the camera, and do not bump the tripod. Take a test shot or two before you begin, then check the histogram. Once it runs, resist the urge to touch anything.

If you can, add motion. A slow slider, a pan-tilt head or a motorized dolly makes the camera move during the sequence and turns a static time-lapse into something cinematic. Motion control is optional, but it is a big step up in production value.

Step 6: Edit and assemble

Back home, import your photos and edit one frame as the reference. Adjust exposure, white balance, contrast and color, then sync those settings to every frame in the sequence. If the light changed, check a few frames from the middle and the end.

Then export the frames as JPEGs and assemble them into a video. You can use video software like DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro or Final Cut, or a dedicated time-lapse tool. Import the image sequence, set the frame rate to 24 or 30 frames per second and export in 1080p or 4K. Add a bit of music, a slow zoom or a crop to add polish.

  • Deflicker: If your clip flickers, use a deflicker tool or plugin.
  • Stabilize: If the tripod moved a little, use the stabilize feature in your video editor.
  • Speed: Slow down or speed up the clip to change the pace.
  • Color grade: Match the clip’s mood to the scene.

Night sky time-lapse basics

Star and Milky Way time-lapses need a few extra steps. Use a wide, fast lens at its widest aperture, such as f/2.8 or faster. Set ISO between 1600 and 6400, shutter around 15 to 25 seconds and an interval of one or two seconds longer than the shutter. The common “500 rule” divides 500 by your focal length to estimate the longest exposure before stars start to trail, so a 20mm lens is about 25 seconds. Focus on a bright star using live view, and shoot well away from city lights. Dew on the lens can ruin a long night, so bring a lens heater or a hand warmer.

Scene ideas for your first time-lapse

Clouds over a landmark. The easiest start. Pick a day with fast, scattered clouds and a strong foreground, like a lighthouse, a bridge or a rooftop. Use a 2 to 3 second interval and shoot for 20 to 30 minutes.

A busy street or intersection. Set up on a bridge or a second-floor window and shoot traffic and people at a 1 to 2 second interval. Slow shutter speeds turn headlights into glowing streaks.

Tides and waves. Frame a rock, a pier or a beach, and let the water move in and out. Use a tide chart so you know when the change happens, and shoot at 3 to 5 seconds.

A cooking or building project. Put the camera on a tripod over a table, a kitchen counter or a work site, and shoot at 5 to 10 second intervals. This is a fun way to show a process from start to finish.

The Milky Way or star trails. Plan for a clear, dark night with no moon, and use the night sky settings above. It takes patience, but the payoff is spectacular.

Storage, batteries and safety on location

Long shoots mean long waits, so plan like you are going camping. Check the weather, dress in layers and let someone know where you are, especially for night or remote shoots. Protect your camera from rain and dew with a cover and keep the tripod low and steady in wind. Bring more cards than you think you need, since a 500-frame RAW sequence can fill a card quickly, and copy your files to a drive as soon as you get home. Keep your batteries warm in a pocket in cold weather, and swap them as soon as the camera says low. A small headlamp with a red light lets you move around in the dark without ruining your night vision or your frames.

Common time-lapse mistakes

Not enough frames. Short sequences look choppy. Do the math before you start.

Using auto settings. Auto focus, auto white balance and auto ISO create flicker and color shifts.

A wobbly tripod. Wind and soft ground shake the frame. Weigh it down and shield it.

Battery death. Always bring spares. Cold shortens battery life fast.

Dirty lens or sensor. A dust spot shows up in every frame. Clean before you shoot.

Boring scenes. If nothing changes, the clip will be dull. Choose scenes with movement or change.

Grow your skills with the Academy

Time-lapse combines everything: exposure, composition, patience and editing. The Shutter speed course in the Shut Your Aperture Academy helps you control motion blur, and the Night photography course covers star and low-light shooting. Both are taught by Edin Chavez, with lifetime access so you can revisit them any time. If you want to make your clips move on screen, check out the Intro to videography course, or explore the full Academy. For more on getting your camera settings right, read our post on why you should shoot RAW.

Frequently asked questions

How many photos do I need for a time-lapse?

Multiply the clip length in seconds by the frame rate. A 10-second clip at 24 frames per second needs 240 photos.

What interval should I use for a time-lapse?

It depends on the subject: 1 to 2 seconds for traffic, 2 to 5 seconds for clouds, 3 to 6 seconds for sunsets, and 15 to 30 seconds for stars.

Do I need an intervalometer?

Many cameras have a built-in interval timer. If yours does not, you need a remote intervalometer to fire the shutter on schedule.

Why does my time-lapse flicker?

Auto exposure, auto white balance and changing aperture cause flicker. Shoot in manual and use deflicker software if needed.

Can I make a time-lapse with my phone?

Yes. Most phones have a time-lapse mode. Use a tripod, lock exposure and focus, and keep the phone plugged in for long shoots.

What software makes a time-lapse video?

You can use video editors like DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro or Final Cut, or dedicated time-lapse tools that turn an image sequence into a clip.

Gear box: time-lapse starting points

These are research starting points, not rankings. Check current specs, reviews and prices before you buy.

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