For a videographer, shooting time lapse can be a daunting yet rewarding task.
It takes a lot of patience though.
Things move at different speeds in real life and that directly affects how much time it takes to shoot the time lapse.
Video generally runs at 30 frames per second.
That means you need to make 30 separate exposures to create one second of video.
If your subject matter is moving at a relative fast speed, then it can take just a few minutes of shooting to create a compelling shot.
If the subject is slow moving it will take much longer to create a shot.
If you want to shoot a time lapse shot of people walking down a sidewalk, then you might expose one frame per second.
For time lapse clouds you might try one exposure every five seconds.
For the sun you might try one exposure every minute.
Once you have chosen your framing, be sure to lock your tripod down so it can't be bumped or blown by the wind.
Avoid the urge to look through the viewfinder because that slight bump could ruin a shot and you wont even know it until it is too late.
Don't get impatient, let the camera capture what your naked eye can only imagine.
When you think you have enough, always let the camera shoot several seconds more.
It is a terrible feeling to watch your shot back, and just when it gets really interesting, you had stopped recording.
Remember, bring a lot of patience and time and a lawn chair.
If you do the shot will be worth every second.
Here is a time table conversion for shooting.
*1 frame every second / 5 minutes of shooting makes a 7 second shot *1 frame every 6 seconds / 30 minutes of shooting makes a 7 second shot *1 frame per minute / 210 minutes of shooting makes a 7 second shot Happy shooting.