Matt Molloy's Time Stacks

Matt Molloy is a photographer from Ontario offering up a fresh look at time-lapse photography with his "Timestacks" series. Matt takes his time-lapse sequences and layers them into a single image, creating photos with a unique painterly feel where the clouds look like brush strokes.

Matt uses a program called Magic Lantern and uses its intervalometer to capture the time-lapse sequences. It's a small file you put on your memory card, and the program loads with new menus. When it comes to processing the Timestacks, Matt described the process in detail at dpmag.com:

"I couldn't figure out how to properly automate the stacking process in Photoshop, so I searched online and found a script from Star Circle Academy that worked great.

Basically, it opens the first image, then pastes the second image on a new layer and changes the Layer Blending mode to Lighten. The script adds all the parts of the second photo that are lighter than the first photo. Repeat that as many times as you like with your succession of photos.

Sometimes, I'll use only 30 photos, and other times I'll use hundreds; it's all about the desired effect and what looks best to me, so I usually start out by stacking all the photos from the time-lapse and then try fewer photos if it's too crazy.

Once I've found the segment that looks good, I do a final adjustment of levels and contrast, mainly to bring the darks back, because it gets a little washed out from adding lighter parts together."

Screen Shot 2013-05-06 at 9.45.34 AM

Screen Shot 2013-05-06 at 9.44.34 AM

Matt uses a Canon EOS 60D, a battery grip, a Tamron 10-24mm zoom lens, and a tripod. Matt says you're free to contact him with any questions on trying the technique out for yourself! You can see more of his Timestacks on his Flickr or at 500px.

KEEP UP WITH MATT: 500px | Website | Flickr | Facebook

Matt molloyMay 2013Timelapse

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