Making the Best of a Cloudy Norway Vacation with Timelapse Photography

Photography Tips  •  Time-lapse Photography

If you’ve been looking for a fresh new take on cinematography and timelapse videos then look no further than Toby Lockerbie’s short, Why I Shoot Lights at Night. Lockerbie is a professional photographer and cinematographer who decided to take a break from the daily grind and head to Norway in hopes of clear skies. Instead he got two weeks of clouds and snow. But that didn’t stop him from making the most out of his trip:

There is so much that Lockerbie does in this short doc that makes it amazing. First of all is the beautiful timelapses. There are at least a dozen in here, and they are all incredibly cinematic. Secondly, there’s a story. It’s not just a compilation of video clips, it’s a story with a message, and an inspiring one at that. Lockerbie could have easily looked out his window, saw the clouds, and thought, meh, tonight probably won’t be a good night to shoot. But instead he got outside, set up his camera, and captured some amazing moments.

Last, but not least, is Lockerbie’s video editing skills combined with the dramatic music. You really feel a spark of excitement shoot up your spine when the tempo picks up and Lockerbie teases you with tidbits of the Northern Lights flickering through the sky.

Northern Lights over Norway

This is truly an inspiring video for those who have lost that drive to go out and photograph. Many look out the window and think, I’ve photographed that before, there’s nothing else here to shoot. But sometimes you just have to look a little harder. Sometimes you just have to get up and go out to find the things that you didn’t even know were out there.