How To Day-To-Night Timelapse

It is pretty challenging to capture a day-to-night timelapse using GoPro. Even if it is tough, to begin with, things get more complicated as time passes and you add one day on top of the other. It is an excellent method to learn more about filmmaking while also putting your newfound knowledge to work to produce stunning timelapse videos.

When transitioning from day to night photography (vice versa), the most challenging obstacle to overcome is the need to change your camera settings. It is to reflect the shifting light when the sun sets below the horizon in the evening. When the darkness turns into daylight in a matter of seconds, it is both difficult and beautiful to see the transformation.

Getting Ready to Shoot a Day to Night Timelapse Video

Getting the Right Gear

You don’t need the best gear to shoot a timelapse. First, take a look at your camera to see if there is a timelapse function built-in. Suppose your camera doesn’t have this feature. In that case, you can purchase a unique recorder to allow you to take photos and videos at certain times of the day. It will come in handy when there are night events.

Purchase a tripod and ahead. An intervalometer is used to count intervals. The record button prevents your camera from shaking by pressing the record key.

Choosing the Subject of a Timelapse

There are many possible topics when it comes to day-to-night-lapses. But one thing is sure: constant motion.

It is essential to have a constant motion from the first frame through the last frame. Urban landscapes and cities are fascinating subjects. It could be a skyline of a city, street, traffic or architecture. They are alive at night and day. It’s effortless to record a day-to-night timelapse in these subjects. A beautiful combination of a fixed element such as a skyline and beautiful sunset clouds is the best way to create a stunning day-to-night timelapse.

Choosing the Proper Interval for a Timelapse

It is common to capture different elements moving at different speeds when you shoot a timelapse from day tonight. While the city skyline doesn’t move, everything around it (such as cars, people and clouds) does.

You will be shooting for an extended period because you are time-lapsing the day-to-night shift, usually around one hour and thirty minutes. A short time frame will result in too many photos and a long final video. Between 5 and 8 seconds is the best time to shoot day-to-night timelapse. If you are shooting for longer than 2 hours, you can use 9-10 seconds. It will decrease the number of photos.

It’s best to pick a time that is convenient for you and doesn’t exhaust you. You need to be awake since you’ll be controlling your camera settings.

Finding a Safe Location Where You Can Shoot for Hours

Once you are clear about the images you wish to capture, you can choose a safe place. You can choose to photograph from the top of a hill or on a beach.

You want to find a place that is safe for you and doesn’t disturb others. If you plan to shoot for long periods at night, the weather conditions must be perfect. Your camera will be prone to moving around in windy conditions, which can cause blurry timelapse photos.

Bring something to keep your attention during the shooting. Also, you should wear warm clothes and bring a chair.

Covering the Viewfinder to Avoid Disruptive Light Leaks

Cover your viewfinder if you don’t plan to use Manual mode. Because the viewfinder lets in some light, it can harm the quality of your camera’s photos. Your camera might not produce consistent results if it automatically adjusts to changing lighting conditions throughout the day.

Flickering is a typical result. It will make your timelapse look uneven and wasteful. Timelapse photographers typically use gaffer tape and viewfinder caps.

Controlling the Camera Settings

You have now chosen your subject and composition. You are now ready to start shooting! You will need to set up your camera with day settings to shoot a day-to-night timelapse.

When shooting a day-to-night transition, the most important thing is to fully control your camera settings (shutter speed and aperture as well as ISO). It is done to reduce brightness flicker, or at the very least, to make your shutter speed faster than your chosen interval.

There are three approaches to approaching day to night timelapse photography. They are as follows:

• Select between f/6.3 and f/8 while shooting in Aperture Priority mode and de-flickering in post.
• Shutter Speed Adjustment: take one picture during the day and another at night and then merge in post.
• Select ISO 100 when ramping the exposure or the ISO.

There are many components or settings to consider for each provided situation, including the interval, the aperture/shutter speed balance, and the ISO level.

Using the Manual Mode or AV Mode

If you choose Manual mode, you will have complete control over all of your camera’s settings and the sequence in which you wish to alter them.

If you choose AV mode, you won’t have to worry about accidentally touching the camera or disrupting the transition.

When shooting in AV Mode, the camera does the work for you. You do not need to change any settings or touch the camera. The AV mode was created for handheld photography. It often begins by adjusting the ISO first, followed by the shutter speed, during a day-to-night transition, and initially changes the shutter speed during night-to-day. You want to maintain the ISO as low as possible and the shutter speed as slow as possible. It will make the timelapse video look better.

Wherever you bring yourself, as long as your GoPro Camera is with you, no single fun and excitement will be left unrecorded. CamDo Solutions has been in the GoPro industry since 2013, providing photographers and businesses with cost-effective and high-quality solutions. Contact us today and learn more about our products and services.