![\"A](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/DSC0360.jpg\")
\t\t\tA still taken from a time-lapse video. Note how the directions of the traffic make interesting effects. Taken on a Nikon D750 with a 20mm lens<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
One of the images from the first sequence that Mark was really happy with graces the cover of his new book, and was shot from the iconic Blue Fin Building in London (former home of AP). \u2018I was filming there with the Nikon D750, and although the weather was horrendous, it produced these incredible clouds,\u2019 he says. \u2018I thought this is something to show and be proud of.\u2019<\/p>\n
Mark reckons the best subjects for time-lapse photography are many and varied. \u2018Try using water, fog, clouds\u2026 in fact, anything that looks nice in a landscape-type image but will then move as you take a time-lapse shot. Then there are people, traffic, water surfaces being disturbed by the wind \u2013 all of these make a good starting point for time-lapse photography. Don\u2019t forget traffic trails, either. A still of a traffic trail is fun, but a time-lapse sequence is cool.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t
![\"Taken](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/fig02.jpg\")
\t\t\tTaken as part of a research project in central London. Shot on a Nikon D750, again with a 20mm f\/1.8 lens<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
While Mark is now an expert in most areas of time-lapse photography, he hasn\u2019t yet tried recording time-lapse star trails. \u2018It\u2019s on my bucket list, but I have been living in London for the past few years and there hasn\u2019t been the opportunity to get clear enough or dark enough skies,\u2019 he explains.<\/p>\n
\u2018Landscape and street photography are very close to time-lapse photography from a stills perspective, and I hope to continue progressing with both as separate projects,\u2019 Mark adds. \u2018Shooting video and stills gives you a unique angle as a stills photographer because it makes you more open to movement and makes you look at all four corners of your frame at all times. This can help you to improve as a photographer very quickly.\u2019<\/p>\n
Kit list<\/h1>\n1. Camera<\/h3>\n![\"nikon-d750\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Nikon-D750.jpg\")
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\nYou can use phones, tablets or mirrorless cameras for time-lapse photography, but Mark favours DSLRs. He says: \u2018The Nikon D750 and D810 offer a high-quality time-lapse mode and the bodies are great, too.\u2019<\/p>\n
2. Lenses<\/h3>\n![\"99124_high\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/99124_high.jpg\")
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\u2018I often use a prime lens such as a 20mm or 35mm f\/1.8, but if I don\u2019t know how to frame a subject I will take a 16-35mm f\/4,\u2019 says Mark. \u2018You can screw filters on easily and it\u2019s so sharp. I also like the 24-70mm and 70-200mm f\/2.8 zooms.\u2019<\/p>\n
3. Editing<\/h3>\n![\"final-cut-pro\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Final-Cut-Pro.jpg\")
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\u2018To edit the time-lapse sequence, which comes through as a .MOV file, I use Final Cut Pro,\u2019 Mark adds. \u2018It\u2019s been my saviour and is not that expensive, either.\u2019<\/p>\n
Common time-lapse mistakes<\/h1>\n
According to Mark, a lot of beginners come to grief in the following areas<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> \u2018The first mistake is not realising how many frames you need to get a certain amount of playback,\u2019 he explains. \u2018If you are choosing 24 frames per second as your delivery, you are going to have to stand there for 24 frames to get one second. So what most people do, including me when I started out, is just shoot for a minute for two, and then end up with a time-lapse sequence that goes by in a split second. So work out how long you need to be there.\u2019<\/p>\n 2. \u2018Another mistake is to try to zoom the lens in and move the tripod around,\u2019 adds Mark. \u2018This is fun to experiment with, but can step over into hyperlapse, which is a different, albeit still very interesting, offshoot. For beginners, though, moving the camera around won\u2019t always give you a great look.\u2019<\/p>\n 3. \u2018It\u2019s really important that you check your exposure before starting a time-lapse sequence,\u2019 he adds. \u2018You need to take a test image, otherwise you can be standing there generating poorly exposed shots.\u2019<\/p>\n 4. \u2018Noise can be a problem in low light, so I use a decent tripod, shoot in aperture-priority mode and keep the ISO down low,\u2019 he continues. \u2018When using aperture-priority mode, the shutter speed takes care of itself and you can get some interesting slower shutter-speed effects.\u2019<\/p>\n 5. \u2018Beginners often get mixed up with aspect ratio, too,\u2019 says Mark. \u2018Remember that video is 16:9, which is more of a letterbox format, like your TV. If you compose in a stills ratio for time lapse, you will chop the top and bottom off.\u2019<\/p>\n __________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\nAbout Mark:
![\"mark-higgins-mug-shot\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Mark-Higgins-mug-shot-300x319.jpg\")
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