I’ve enjoyed the blooming sunflower fields near Lake Jesup every fall for a number of years. Although its always glorious, I found that it was getting challenging to photograph the spectacle in new and exciting ways. So this year, I set a new goal: Capture the fields in a way that hasn’t been done before and help the viewer see and feel the experience of standing in a field of yellow flowers that stretch to the horizon.
My solution was to make a time-lapse. Here is the result:
My website can’t handle the size of the video in high-resolution, so I apologize that this version isn’t HD. However, to see the video in High-Resolution, click on this link and it will take you a HD version I put on You Tube.
To make this video, I used two cameras and recorded over 12 hours of images on two different days. I took about 10 shots per minute, so I ended up with over 7,000 photos. The amazing thing is that those 7,000 pictures amount to less than 3 1/2 minutes of video!
Twelve hours might sound like a lot of time to spend sitting in wildflower fields…and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d have the patience…but it really wasn’t all that bad. I just set up the cameras, put my camping stool down in a shady spot, lathered on the mosquito spray and pulled out my latest Jack Reacher novel. Actually, not a bad way to enjoy a beautiful Florida afternoon.
I’m on the steep side of the learning curve when it comes to figuring out how to edit videos. As a result, I won’t allow myself to figure out how many total hours I spent editing this 2 minute “film.” It was certainly a learning experience but I think the result achieves my goal to help the viewer “see” the blooming fields in a new and more personal way.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it as well.
Jeff
“La Florida”: Time-Lapse of Lake Jesup Sunflowers
“La Florida”: Time-Lapse of Lake Jesup Sunflowers
Related Images:
Visits: 64
Debra
31 Oct 2015Captivating…
Excellent time lapse and such a beautiful place.
Jeff Stamer
4 Nov 2015So glad you liked it Debra! I’m already looking forward to next year’s bloom!
Jeff
Duane Lipham
30 Oct 2015Outstanding work Jeff. I have been thinking fleetingly of trying out some time-lapse photography but your work here has definitely inspired me to think more seriously about it.
Wow! 7,000 photos. You must have had some serious storage capabilities.
I really liked the panning too. Was that done on the tripod or in post production?
Duane
Jeff Stamer
4 Nov 2015Hi Duane,
I hope you give time-lapse photography a try. It is a way to create strikingly different images that tell a story.
Yes, I have invested a lot in my computer…more than I spent on my first car!
The panning was done post-production in photoshop. I used a wide angle lens and the software allows you to slowly pan/zoom within the image. I’ve just purchased a device that will actually pan the camera while taking photos (the Radian system). I’m looking forward to giving it a try in the Smokies this weekend!
Jeff
Ed Rosack
26 Oct 2015Very cool time lapse, Jeff. 12 hours in the middle of all those mosquitos – I’m in awe of your dedication!
And by the way, I like Jack Reacher series too.
Ed
Jeff Stamer
27 Oct 2015Thanks Ed…guess I don’t have to visit the Bloodmobile this year….I already gave all the blood I can spare when I was in the fields! Jeff