News The perfect time to enhance your PR and marketing campaign

Time-lapse photography is one of the few ‘tools’ that transcends multiple business sectors.

Whether you need long-term time-lapse on your construction site or you need rapid capture for a live event, a professionally installed bespoke camera system is a great way to get results.

Why you might want to use a time-lapse can vary not only by the sector but also the final use for it. But a few important points should be considered no matter what:

Using an experienced company is better than an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution

Set-up-and-go cameras, described as being time-lapse capable, cannot achieve the results that customised DSLR systems can.

Unrivalled quality

In fact basic systems rarely produced more than webcam-quality images – and a blob of blurry pixels are unlikely to benefit anyone. Having a company sort out the settings perfectly means only top quality images are taken.

Remote monitoring ensures nothing is missed

Another downside to cameras left in place unattended is how do you check they are still functioning correctly? If they are not connected to a 3G system, you could come back months or years down the line and find out you have missed everything. Remote access also means settings can be adjusted as and when the need arises.

A dedicated online viewer

If a system can be access remotely, it also means images can be downloaded and stored securely. As well as backing up everything captured, being able to view images at regular intervals – all in stunning Ultra HD – means you can keep up with the action wherever you are in the world. Track delivery of materials to site, keep an eye on demolition progress or make sure your shop-fit out is going to plan – all from a desktop, laptop or mobile phone.

The final product

Taking images is just the start. If you want to turn heads and get true value for money from your investment, you need to know what you are getting at the end of the edit. Not only is a time-stamp, date-ordered archive a must, but a professionally produced time-lapse video should also be requested. Be sure to compare companies before committing. As they say (whoever “they” are), “the proof is in the pudding”!

Previous blogs have explored the benefits of the final still images, as they can prove to be useful years down the line. The important thing is to make sure the stills are as good as they possibly can be.

Two terms that photographers often refer to are “golden hour” and “blue hour”. These four times of day (each occurs twice – once in the morning and once in the evening) are renowned for producing striking images.
Shortly after it rises or just before it is due to set, the sun is at an optimal place in the sky to create a warm, reddish-yellow glow across a landscape or cityscape, which is a lot softer than the harsh and sharp colours it creates when it is at its highest point. The “blue hour” refers to the time just before the sun’s rise – and just after it sets – because it creates a cooling blue hue across the vista.

These times of day are hugely popular amongst many artists – but there is no reason to not include them as part of your marketing campaign. They often create visually striking images because they are warm and inviting.

With a time-lapse camera system set up you will have many opportunities to get the right image from these times, or any other time of day. Even after a short period of capturing there will be more than enough images of your project to keep things fresh for years to come.

And now that the days are longer and the sun is that little clearer in the sky, it is the perfect time to get a time-lapse camera system installed to capture your project. Be sure whichever company you choose is able to remotely change when their system takes pictures, so that you never miss a thing. Longer capturing hours means you have more chance of getting that ‘golden’ shot you have always yearned for, but it might not be suitable to have images taken all day, every day. Get creative with what you want to shoot and really think about what images are the best for enhancing your brand.

The only question is – gold or blue? It is like that dress all over again!

Golden Hour

Blue Hour