Do-it-yourself time lapse | Capturing a coastal corner

About two weeks ago, I set out to capture 24 hours of tourist hubbub at the area landmark Peaches Corner. Hanging out at a diner all day was simple, but figuring out how to get people to care about it was more challenging. How was I to tailor a sprawling project to the short-attention spans of the Internet age?

Answer: Time-lapse photography. I'd rig a camera to shoot photos over 24 hours, and then I would condense the entire day of pictures down to a one-minute video, surely short enough to get people's attention.

Researching it online, many bloggers lament that "time-lapse photography is so easy, why isn't everyone doing it?" But those who think it's a breeze may end up frustrated if tackling it for the first time. For me, there was weeks of planning and a few hours setting up my camera on the roof of Ripley's Believe it or Not!

Individual cases may vary, but here's a beginner's guide to getting started on a DIY time lapse. Trust me that the results are worth it - not to mention really cool looking.

STEP 1 | Decide what to shoot

First, you have to decide what to capture. I came with an idea, but if you haven't decided yet, here's some advice:

Time lapse at its best is used to quickly show change over time. Events that lend themselves to time lapse could last anywhere from a few hours to months. Maybe you'd like to capture a flower opening over the course of the day. If you're remodeling your house, maybe you'd like to capture it for posterity - giving you a way to share with friends and relatives . Some of the most ambitious time lapsers will even take a photo of themselves every day, to show the passage of years in a matter of moments. Use your imagination, and you may come up with something that's never been done.

STEP 2 | Find a camera

If you read online tutorials, many recommend using digital single-lens reflex cameras (often referred to as just DSLRs) to shoot time lapse. But if you're anything like The Sun News photo editor, you'll probably balk - and for good reason - at leaving a camera worth hundreds or thousands of dollars unattended while it shoots photos over hours or days. So I settled on using my trusty point-and-shoot. Another option would be shooting with a camcorder and then later editing it into a time lapse, although this can require a camera with a lot memory.

Step 3 | Get an intervalometer

An intervalometer tells your camera to take pictures at a preset interval. First, check to see if your camera has this feature built-in. If you have a DSLR but no interval feature, it may have a remote shutter release port that allows you to hook up a remote, a device that often runs $100 to $200.

But if you're like me, you don't have either of these. That leaves hacking your camera's software to shoot at intervals - a task that's easier and less nefarious than it sounds. For my Canon camera, there was free software called Canon Hack Development Kit. Once installed, you can load add-ons called scripts that expand what your camera can do. Visit chdk.wikia.com for step-by-step instructions.

Step 4 | Set your interval

For my 24-hour project, I set the camera to shoot a photo per minute (1,440 photos). When sped up to 24 frames per second of a traditional movie, the video was 60 seconds long.

So, decide how long you want your video to be and work backwards. Multiply the number of seconds you want of completed video by 24 and figure out how many photos you need. Then take the number of hours or minutes the project will be shot over (Example for a longer project: 3 months = 90 days = 2,160 hours) and divide that amount of time by the number of photos (2,160 hours divided by 1,440 photos = 1.5 hours per photo). So for the example, set your camera to take a photo every 1.5 hours, and you'll be set.

Step 5 | Find power

Batteries can fail over a long period of time, so plug your camera in if possible. I used about 100 feet of extension cords. Turn your camera's display off to save electricity and configure it so that it doesn't automatically power off.

Step 6 | Affix your camera

If the camera is jostled, your time lapse could be ruined. I put my camera on a tripod, weighted it down by roping it to some half-gallon jugs of water and then used a lot of tape. Whether affixing your camera on a tripod, box, pole or wall, just make sure there is little chance it will move. If shooting outside, I recommend bagging the camera and cutting a hole for the lens to protect from rain.

Step 7 | Hit start

Get excited.

Step 8 | Upload and edit

Once time has passed and you've retrieved your camera, upload your photos to your computer as you normally would. Depending on how ambitious you are, editing can take minutes or hours. Simple programs like PhotoLapse or JPGVideo are free and will compile your video with a few clicks. If you'd like to edit your video in Final Cut, Adobe Premier or any other editing software, do an Internet search and follow the advice of those who have done it before.

Step 9 | Finishing touches

You have your time-lapse movie! Last, if your movie needs that extra oomph, add some music to get the vibe you want. Murky slow music can make people contemplate the passage of time while rock will get people pumped up. For my video, the choice was easy - Carolina beach music all the way.