time-lapse photography: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Specialist
Quick answer
What does “time-lapse photography” mean?
A photographic technique where frames are captured at intervals much slower than the playback speed, making slow processes appear to happen rapidly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A photographic technique where frames are captured at intervals much slower than the playback speed, making slow processes appear to happen rapidly.
Refers broadly to the technique, its resulting footage, and the aesthetic or scientific practice of compressing long temporal events into short visual sequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Spelling of related terms (e.g., 'analyse' vs. 'analyze' in technical papers) may vary. The hyphen is standard in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical technical and aesthetic connotations.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to larger media/tech industry, but the term is standard in both.
Grammar
How to Use “time-lapse photography” in a Sentence
time-lapse photography of [NP] (the sunset)use time-lapse photography to [VP] (to demonstrate growth)create [NP] using time-lapse photography[NP] captured by time-lapse photographyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “time-lapse photography” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They plan to time-lapse the entire building project over two years.
- We'll need to time-lapse the germination process for the documentary.
American English
- She time-lapsed the sunset using her phone.
- The team is time-lapsing the demolition for the news segment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing, advertising, and real estate to showcase construction progress or product demonstrations.
Academic
Used in scientific research (biology, astronomy, geology) to document and analyze slow processes like plant growth or celestial motion.
Everyday
Used by hobbyists and in media (e.g., nature documentaries, social media videos) to create engaging visual content of sunsets, city traffic, or flower blooming.
Technical
Core term in cinematography, photography, and visual effects, involving specific equipment (intervalometers) and post-processing techniques.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “time-lapse photography”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “time-lapse photography”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “time-lapse photography”
- Misspelling as 'timelapse' (one word is increasingly common but hyphenated form remains standard in formal writing).
- Using 'time-lapse' as a verb without 'photography' or 'footage' (e.g., 'He time-lapsed the clouds' is informal).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Time-lapse speeds up slow events by capturing frames over long intervals. Slow-motion (high-speed photography) slows down fast events by capturing many frames per second.
A camera with manual settings and an intervalometer (built-in or external) is essential. A sturdy tripod is equally important.
Yes, especially in informal and technical contexts (e.g., 'to time-lapse a storm'). In formal writing, 'to capture using time-lapse photography' is preferred.
Common subjects include celestial movements (stars, sun), weather patterns, cityscapes, construction sites, plant growth, and crowds.
A photographic technique where frames are captured at intervals much slower than the playback speed, making slow processes appear to happen rapidly.
Time-lapse photography is usually technical/specialist in register.
Time-lapse photography: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪm læps fəˌtɒɡ.rə.fi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪm læps fəˌtɑː.ɡrə.fi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A time-lapse view of history”
- “Watch in time-lapse (figurative)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a flower taking a long TIME to bloom, but the photograph LAPSES (skips) the waiting, showing it quickly.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A COMPRESSIBLE SUBSTANCE / OBSERVATION IS ACCELERATION.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of time-lapse photography?