5 Pro Tips for Capturing Flower Time Lapse
April 18, 2023 3 min read
If you've ever been awed by the sight of a flower blooming in slow motion, you'll understand why time lapse videos are so appealing.
To capture something that changes over time - A flower blooming, water flowing down a stream, or even clouds moving across the sky in seconds is astounding.
In this blog post, we'll explain how we filmed our video and give you 4 essential tips that helped make the video spectacular. We’ll also show you how you can use these tips for creating your own flower time lapse video.
To create a flower-blooming time lapse video, we followed a few essential steps.
- 1. Select a dark background
- 2. Fix the flowers in place
- 3. Set the interval
- 4. Opt for the best lighting
1. Select a dark background
We decided to shoot the Ranunculus flower against a black background to provide a sharp contrast that highlights the intricate details of the flower.
We also used velvet fabric as it absorbs light and minimizes reflections, creating a deep dark effect.
By draping the velvet fabric over the vase and digging a hole to insert the flowers, we made the whole scene clearer and more focused.
2. Fix the flowers in place
During blooming, flowers move slightly, so the camera focus needs to be adjusted accordingly.
We kept the flower in focus as it blooms by adjusting the camera's focus and using double-sided nano tape to secure the stem.
We also monitor the footage via live preview to ensure it is not losing focus.
3. Set the interval
We set the interval by looking up the flower blooming time to determine the best interval. We started with a 1-minute interval, and after testing, we found out that a 3-minute interval worked better for our specific flower.
4. Opt for the best lighting
For lighting, we set up five cameras with different light sources. After a bit of experimenting, we discovered that a growth light made the flower look more vibrant in the time lapse video.
Natural light tends to flicker, which can cause create inconsistencies in the film making it look unprofessional.
By following these three steps, we were able to create this stunning flower blooming time lapse video and so can you.
You will need:
- A black velvet blanket
- ATLI EON time lapse camera
- Grow or LED lights
Key points:
- Black velvet background
- Setting the interval
- Selecting appropriate lighting
Remember to keep these four things in mind as you set up the shot. The black velvet background can make the outer edges of your subject recede while bringing the details into focus. The lighter parts will be enhanced, while the darker areas fade away.
Grow light and standard LED light comparison
Compared to standard LED lights, grow lights are superior for filming flower blooming time lapse videos because they provide the optimal light spectrum for plant growth.
A wide spectrum of wavelengths are emitted by these lights, which plants use for photosynthesis and for blooming, among other things.
LED lights, on the other hand, have a limited spectrum that may not provide the appropriate wavelengths for plants to thrive.
Also, grow lights provide consistent lighting and promote better growth because they are more powerful and can penetrate deeper into plants. In time lapse videos, the lighting must remain consistent throughout the shoot.
We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and found it helpful. Practice makes perfect, so if you're not satisfied with your first attempt, take a break and come back to the project later. And if you have any questions along the way, feel free to ask us in our Facebook community group.
