The Making of Timelapse Photography Sequences in Nepal

Photography Tips  •  Time-lapse Photography

The art behind timelapse filmmaking is often overshadowed by the beauty of an exceptional timelapse itself. With photography as exemplary as that which is presented to us in Into The Mind, it is for us to become so absorbed into the rolling clouds over the Himalayas and the storytelling perspective of Nepali culture that we don’t stop to think how it was all made or how much work and dedication goes into the production. Below, you can enjoy 18 inspiring minutes of narrative by the crew behind Into The Mind as they share a behind the scenes look at how the timelapse sensation was created:

The team of photographers and athletes spent several weeks in Nepal making the timelapse. They traveled with a full setup: 9 cameras, including several Canon bodies, and many Kessler dollies and cranes. All this gear had to be carried 18,000 feet above sea level in the midst of monsoon season.

“Though we didn’t get every shot we tried, we got probably 2 or 3% of the shots we tried, but those 2 or 3% that worked out are really special.”

To a get series of photographs to use for a timelapse sequence for the title of the film, one of the filmmakers had to spend hours setting up a slider for a shot where the camera moved out of a cave opening to overlook the mountain range. After finally getting the slider supported well enough to support the weight of the camera, he realized the slider was blocking his way out of the cave and he had to remain in the cave until the sequence was finished shooting and the slider was disassembled. The experience caused him to go into his own mind, inspiring the film’s namesake.