How to take time-elapsed picture during the day.

ketekmelet · May 18, 2009

Hey guys,

Im a begginer here. Before I start, I wanna tell you guys that I am using a Nikon D40x with Nikkor 18-200mm vr. Great camera with great lense right?!?!

However, I have been trying to do this for awhile but never succeded. I have always wanted to take one of those time-elapse picture (for example: a shot of a highway that only shows streaks of lights but not the cars themself). I know that you need to set your shutter speed to be very low, but if I do this during day time, the result will just be white all over the screen. And I do want to do this during the day.

So it will be great if any of you can give me some pointers. How do I start setting my camera?

Thanks,
Ketekmelet

OregonAmy · May 18, 2009

I've never done this, but you'll probably want to stack some neutral density filters onto your lens. What is it you're looking to capture?

Bitter Jeweler · May 18, 2009

I think you would use ND Filters. Neutral Density. They block light without adding color. They come in different strengths and can be stacked. I have no experience with them, so I can't help out with what exactly to get, and what settings to use.

OregonAmy · May 18, 2009

sounds like a google search on "neutral density filter stack daytime long exposure" is in order

viscom1 student! · May 18, 2009

in my viscom1 class we learned about this shade control that was almost like sunglasses and im sure that would work

Dwig · May 19, 2009

ketekmelet said:
... I have always wanted to take one of those time-elapse picture (for example: a shot of a highway that only shows streaks of lights but not the cars themself)...

BTW, this is not "time-lapse" photography; its just long exposure or time exposure.

Time-lapse photography is taking a series of images framed identically with a lapse of time between them. Its usually done either as a single multi-exposed image (e.g. pix showing the sun moving across the sky as a series of suns in different positions) or as a movie that compresses days, weeks, or months into a few seconds or minutes.

Knowing the proper term will aid in using search functions like the one on this, and other, forums or more general purpose search engines.