After I created my first sunset time lapse video (Isabela Island, Galapagos), I fell in love with them. They capture the moment like nothing else. To create a sunset time lapse video, you’ll need four things:
I’m a pretty big fan of time lapse video. Just a few months before we moved back to Canada from Ecuador, I shot a driving time lapse video in Cuenca. Here are the settings I used to compress 2 hours into 7.5 minutes.
Even with a waterproof case, you still have to worry about moisture. Humidity inside the case can condense and cause photo-ruining fog. It’s actually pretty easy to fix. Just drop in a couple of anti-fog inserts and you’ll eliminate GoPro lens fog. You can get these inserts from GoPro or another company. I’ve been using CamKix inserts for a couple of years – with great success.
GoPro Photographer Bio: This tip is mine (Bryan). I’m the other half of the Click Like This team.
GoPro Photographer Bio: Dena is half of the team here at Click Like This where we blog all about how to use your GoPro. It’s so easy to shoot hours of GoPro footage – but it can be pretty overwhelming to sort through it all and create a compelling edit of all your clips. The templates are free and are used inside of GoPro Studio (also free). Just choose the template you like and insert your clips. It’s super easy. And here’s an example of a video I created – in just a few minutes – using a template. Watch on YouTube
Always film in the highest resolution possible (4k for the Hero 4). You can always reduce it down in post processing and, if you don’t use a gimbal, you can use the extra resolution to software stabilize a shot if you are reducing it down to a lower resolution (e.g. 4k to HD).
I also recommend, when possible, using a gimbal. It is an extra cost but they really help in creating smooth shots when they can be used. There are several out on the market that vary in price. For GoPro, probably the obvious choice is their gimbal – the Karma Grip. See current Karma Grip price on Amazon
Battery life can be the difference between getting a shot and not getting a shot. Especially when you are on long treks and won’t be near power for an extended period. See replacement batteries on Amazon For this, I recommend the following:
GoPro Photographer Bio: Ryan runs HD Carolina an agency that films things to see and do in the Carolinas. His suggestions are based on the Hero4. We use the GoPro with a lot of the filming we do for our episodes about things to see and do in the Carolinas:
GoPro Photographer Bio: Dylan runs a San Francisco tour agency called Orange Sky Adventures. He uses a GoPro Hero 3+ for the majority of their web shots. For new GoPro users, I would recommend learning the difference between 1080, 2.7k and 4K, and knowing how each setting affects your shot. Narrow, Wide and SuperView angles are equally important. Basically, when a shot comes up in the field – whether it’s a bug up-close or a sunset in the distance – you need to know which setting works best. Nothing is worse than recording an awesome clip, only to see it’s not-so-awesome in replay. To learn, you can watch YouTube tutorials, or better yet, practice in real life. You’ll be a pro in no time. More reading: Guide to GoPro Settings: Resolutions, Frame Rates and FOV Here’s a vid we’re soon to drop. It’s shot entirely with GoPro 3+. Watch on YouTube