Time-lapse sequences

[Neil Bromhall]

I've been converting my time-lapse equipment to work with my Nikon digital cameras.
I've uploaded my first one on YouTube.

Snowdrop time-lapse
Click on the link below which will take you to YouTube and then click on the image of the snowdrop flower to run the sequence

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=time-lapse+snowdrop&aq=f

I will be adding more as I go.
The quality of the images on YouTube is very low due to the restricted file sizes they can run. The original look much, much better

[sue1002]

Very impressive Neil, I see it's had a few views already.

[digger]

That's good neil, I like it I've downloaded it onto realplayer if that's okay mate.

[Neil Bromhall]

Hi Digger,
You're getting good at this computer lark.
You are very welcome to copy the time-lapse to realplayer my friend.

I didn't know it was possibe to copy stuff from YouTube or how to do it.
The quality is pretty low so I don't mind if people copy it.
Some kind person put a 5 star rating to the sequence. Thank you if it was someone from here.
I'm trying to get an account so that I can put better quality sequences on to YouTube.
I was hoping to do a time-lapse of Hamamelis molis but I was too late this year. Seeing the petals unfolding would look interesting.

[digger]

Hi Neil, if you have realplayer on your pc you can set up the preferences so that it will flag up when you watch a video from anywhere and then it asks if you want to download or not. It is a very impressive film and just about a half hour ago two neighbours were here and I showed them the video of the snowdrop, they said "Wow digger have you filmed that?" it would have been easy to say yes and take the credit, but i said "no a friend of mine has filmed it, he makes videos for the t.v like the filming on the private life of plants" and they said "so you know the guy who does the films?" I don't know why but for some reason people think I'm pulling their leg until i show them the cd rom? maybe my face isn't believeable?
That said it's an impressive piece of "street cred" when watching t.v with friends and I say "The chap who filmed this is a friend of mine" they never believe it until I tell them to read the credits at the end of the film.
How many hours of film went into producing the snowdrop film Neil?

[unique]

That's really good Neil :)

Looking forward to seeing some more soon :)

[Miranda]

That's lovely, Neil!

I liked watching the plants in the background swaying from side to side.

It's only through time-lapse photography that you see just how much plants move about. Plants that climb by twining are especially interesting to see in time lapse. Can you do one of those, Neil. Beans, maybe?

[digger]

Yes I noticed the stems of the plants in the background, it's really surprising to see just how much they do move, beans or peas would be excellent to watch

[Neil Bromhall]

I will be doing more time-lapses and I'll see if I can do a bean.
The time-lapses take different times depending on how fast they grow or flwers to open.
The wide shot (not on Youtube) took a week to film. I took one frame every hour.
The opening of the flower took only 3-4 hours, and the interval ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
I'll see if I can edit a sequence and put it on YouTube.

[Miranda]

It would be great to see the bean plant, Neil. I saw one before and the stems wave about all over the place looking for something to climb up before they latch on.

What do you do about shooting when it's dark? Or do you simulate day light? And then I suppose you've got to edit it all. It sounds very absorbing and enjoyable.

[Neil Bromhall]

Dear Miranda,
I have a grow light above the set that I'm filming.
I can control the day length with a timer.
I use flash heads for my exposures.
So that I don't have problems mixing grow light and flash light, I have a blind that covers the growlight just before the exposure is taken.
This allows me to do time-lapses over weeks and months without any exosure differences between day and night time.
The time-lapse that I put on YouTube has the flower closing at the end. The flower closes because the growlight switched off ot 18.00 and the flower reacting the 'sun' going down, closes.

[Miranda]

It's sounds fascinating, Neil. Must be sort of soothing to keep fiddling about with a project like that, until you get it just right.

[Neil Bromhall]

It's certainly more fun than dealing with Buyers, Editors and Amazon staff.
Amazon have been out of my stock since the 13th December and I have to go through a Distributor for the honour of being listed on Amazon and I'm charged 60% plus VAT.
They are looking after the 'big' Publishers who sell computer games and software from abroad.
Us little Publisher are told to wait and be patient. -That's nice
There is so much inefficiency around and with people who really don't care, so long as they get their bonuses.

I'm glad to be out of it.
I'm now working on a melting snow scene - though I think my flowers aren't looking that happy at the moment.
I'll let you know if I put it on YouTube

[Miranda]

60% plus VAT! Blimey, Neil, that's terrible! I hope you can sort out a better deal than that soon. Don't blame you for wanting out of it.

The snow scene sounds interesting. If you're doing it in an indoor set up, then it must be an issue for it not to melt too quickly. What interesting condundrums you set up for yourself, it sounds very enjoyable.

[Neil Bromhall]

I've added another snowdrop time-lapse sequence to Youtube. 37 seconds long.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=snowdrop+time-lapse&aq=f

I've made a rough edit where I start with a wide view of the snowdrops growing (over a period of a week) then I cut to a close up of snowdrops growing followed by a time-lapse of a flower opening and turning.

Again the quality of the images is not good in normal quality but under the screen you can choose to see it in high quality. I'm pleased with the turning flower as it opens.
I hope you like it too

[Neil Bromhall]

I've added an Iris time-lapse to youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHYy7IXmN3Q

The flower didn't open fully. I think that I cut the stem off a bit short and so there wasn't enough sap in the stalk to give the flower a good push.
I'll be having another go soon.

[Miranda]

They're great, Neil!

I looked at some of the other time-lapse sequences and your are definitely up there. Look forward to seeing more.

[Neil Bromhall]

I've been doing a couple of Daffodil flower opening time-lapses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyHd-s_Awpc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUbhjq5i4Xc&feature=channel_page

As it takes 240 frames to produce 10 seconds of time-lapse, I've managed to explode two of my studio flash heads getting the Daffodil time-lapses.
They were my old flash heads so it was about time that they finally packed up.
I've now got two new flash heads.

[sue1002]

They're lovely Neil, I loved the winter Aconite one too with the snow melting.

[Neil Bromhall]

I've filmed a short sequence to show what happens to a bud when you prune a rose branch.
Basically the reason for pruning is to get rid of any weak or diseased wood, to encourage healthy new growth and to keep the plant size and shape in check.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pc0Q3nlUag&feature=channel_page

[Neil Bromhall]

I've added a Courgette seedling time-lapse to Youtube.
This was filmed over a period of three weeks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J650csJUpm8&feature=channel_page

[Miranda]

I really like the courgette seedling, Neil. It looks like it's dancing.

[Neil Bromhall]

I've added a pea seedling time-lapse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHaJhc-o--Q&feature=channel_page

I hope to add more sequences to this sequence, like the tendrils growing as the plant grows.

[Neil Bromhall]

I'm sorry that I've not been contributing much to the forum lately.
I've been busy doing some time-lapse filming for the Japanese Natural History Unit.
It's great getting back to the type of work I enjoy.
I've now got x4 35mm digital cameras working in my studio which means I can do close up and wides of the same plants thus allowing the Editor to cut a sequences together.
I've been adding the rough sequences to youtube for the Japanese Producer to see what I'm up to and then I can delete them from Youtube so others can't use them.
I'm still waiting for the programmers to come back to me regarding adding plant info and images to my www.complete-gardens web site so that users of my CD-ROM can add plants to the database and their plant collection.
I'll keep you posted about any developments.
Best wishes
Neil

[Miranda]

That's good news about the work with the Japanese Natural History Unit, Neil. I'd been wondering how you were getting on with it all. I look forward to seeing more of your work.