TECH TIPS: Getting the Shot with Corey Rich: Basic Time-lapse Photography

Time-lapse photography is one of the best storytelling devices at your disposal. Whether that’s compressing hours of sunrise, sunset or star trails into just a few seconds of video, time-lapses are fantastic ways to add powerful visual elements to your next motion project. In this Tech Tip, I take you through the fundamentals of creating a time-lapse with the Nikon D800. I go over general decision-making such as whether to shoot in raw or jpeg, and how many frames you need if you’re working in 24 fps or 30 fps. And I give a brief overview of Nikon’s unique “time-lapse photography” mode and cover in detail interval timer shooting using the D800. This basic primer will teach you how to set your exposure, why you shouldn’t use auto-focus and the dangers of leaving your camera strap on while creating the time-lapse. With a Nikon D800, a beefy Manfrotto tripod and a 128GB SanDisk card, you will be able to create a stunning time-lapse that will give your next motion project a professional look.