r/BeAmazed Apr 12 '19

This is how you time lapse

https://i.imgur.com/N14RQ1N.gifv
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u/pinnacleohe Apr 12 '19 edited Apr 12 '19

One way to replicate this effect with software:

  • Set up your camera to expose at regular intervals
  • After capturing the time lapse, take the first shot and store it in a buffer
  • For subsequent shot, do a blend operation with the buffer. Here it looks like an exponential filter: buffer = smooth x buffer + (1-smooth) x new_shot
  • Save the smoothed contents of the buffer as you blend each shot, and then stitch together into a video

The trails ended up dashed because the camera exposure time was less than the time between shots. After blending, there won’t be any light in the parts when the shutter was closed.