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How to Make a Time-Lapse Movie With a DSLR

Time-lapse movies allow filmmakers to show the passage of time by speeding up the movement several times. If you have a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera, you can make a time-lapse video by taking a number of pictures in the same exact spot over a long period of time and joining them together to give the illusion of movement. It can be used to capture the change of seasons, the movement in a neighborhood over the course of one day, or any subject that you want to show changing over a period of time.

Things You'll Need

Tripod
Remote timer

Instructions

- 1
  Set your DSLR camera on an appropriate tripod and angle it at your subject. Look through the viewfinder to ensure that your set is capturing all of the subject and nothing that you want to exclude.
- 2
  Hook up a remote timer to your camera. Touching any part of the camera will ruin the time-lapse movie. On a DSLR camera, the timer remote should fit around the lens and must be set to the frequency you want it to take photographs. The frequency will depend on how long you are planning to shoot. For example, if you are filming a person, you may want it to take one photo every few seconds for 20 minutes; you can take much fewer pictures if you are filming over a longer period of time.
- 3
  Change your DSLR camera to Stills Mode. If the camera is set on auto, the focus is likely to change with each shot, ruining the time-lapse effect.
- 4
  Take a test photograph to make sure that you're showing exactly what you want to capture in each photo.
- 5
  Change the settings to Aperture Priority if you're taking pictures in a setting where light is going to change drastically. This allows the camera to compensate for the light changes while maintaining a constant look.
- 6
  Wait by your camera while it takes the photo. You'll have to be patient, as it may take a long time. If you're filming a natural setting, place the camera in a secure spot and check on it regularly.

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