Time-lapse photography, where multiple images are captured and played back at an increased speed, can portray the world in unusual and awe-inspiring ways. Here's a look at ten of the best clips we've seen, featuring Yosemite National Park at night, a flight across the USA, and the northern lights.
Yosemite Range of Light
This clip, two years in the making on a Canon 5D, watches night chase day over Yosemite National Park in California. If you’ve ever considered visiting the Californian wilderness, this could seal the deal.
Yosemite Range of Light from Shawn Reeder on Vimeo.
Project Yosemite
The region has played muse to more than one artist, and two other photographers, Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty, have also captured its majesty in another epic clip. Shadows float over endless horizons while hikers scramble across huge rocks and French electronic musician M83 provides a fittingly epic track in the form of 'Outro'.
Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.
Qatar
The very same track is used for this snippet from Simon Kearns.
Qatar from Simon Kearns on Vimeo.
Around the world in under five minutes
17 countries, 343 days and 6237 photographs are compressed into a couple of minutes in another stunning clip.
El Cielo de Canarias, Tenerife
Photographer Daniel Lopez climbs above the clouds and recasts them as frothing seas lapping at remote mountain peaks in this spectacular time-lapse.
El Cielo de Canarias / Canary sky - Tenerife from Daniel López on Vimeo.
Northern lights in Norway
If you've ever spent a frosty night in pursuit of the aurora borealis, this clip will appeal.
The Aurora from TSO Photography on Vimeo.
Las Vegas
Like or loathe Vegas, it's hard to deny there’s a jaw-dropping (if somewhat crass) majesty to the place. This clip might not be as restful or magical as the others but it sums the city up well.
Finding Portland
Finding Portland from Uncage the Soul Productions on Vimeo.
If a picture tells a thousand words, 308,829 photos says an awful lot. This clip was created over 50 locations with each second of footage taking nearly four hours. The results are worth it, though.
San Francisco to Paris in two minutes
An 11 hour flight (and a 5,500 mile journey) is compressed into two minutes as one dedicated photographer takes a photo every two miles from takeoff to landing.
Move
Three men film themselves in 11 countries over 38,000 miles to create this mind-boggling clip, commissioned by our friends at STA Travel.
MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.