Flower Timelapse

Photography Tips  •  Time-lapse Photography

This incredible time-lapse can really only be appreciated in its entirety. You will be amazed as you watch various colorful flowers bloom against a black backdrop. The entire project took more than 730 hours, with over 7,100 photos shot. The best part? The photographer implemented a homemade studio, using a cabinet to keep lighting consistent—and all flowers were her own, straight from the garden. Amaryllis, Lilies, Zygocactus, Roses, Gladiolus, and Gardenia all erupt into beauty in their own way, creating a variety that is quite remarkable. This was also Katka Pruskova’s first timelapse, and it has already received a quarter of a million views in its first week. Enjoy!

How did she do it? The flowers were placed in the middle of a homemade cabinet, the back of which was then covered in black cloth. Black cloth was also used to cover the entire cabinet to protect from the daylight and keep light constant for all photos. Two red lamps were used as illumination for the flowers.

Due to the low light conditions, ISO 640 was used, with a shutter speed of 1/5 a second at f/16. The camera used was a Canon 5D Mark II. Katka Pruskova gives more detailed information, saying,

“Some flowers bloomed in hours, some in few days.. therefore the interval between photos varies from few seconds to several minutes depending on the type of flower.”

It is a remarkable effort, but there is no doubt that it is worth every second when you see her results. Her advice is simply,

“After a few missed tries, you’ll learn.”