How to create a Hyperlapse - for beginners

How to Create Smooth Cinematic Hyperlapses (Beginner to Pro Tutorial)

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to shoot smooth cinematic Hyperlapses - this is your step-by-step guide. The best part? You don’t need fancy gear. Whether you’re using a mirrorless camera or just your smartphone, what really matters is are the techniques covered in this blog post.

If you prefer a video tutorial make sure to watch the YouTube version:

Essential Gear for Hyperlapse Photography

The truth is, gear doesn’t really matter for Hyperlapses. All you need is a camera that can take photos. However, a few tools and settings can make your workflow smoother:

1. Manual Controls – Your camera (or app) should allow full control of aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. This helps prevent flicker between frames.

2. On-Screen Grid or Marker – Turn on a grid overlay to help you aligning your shots.

3. Ideal Focal Length – A 24mm lens (full-frame equivalent) is perfect. Wider lenses can distort perspective and make editing harder, especially if you are just starting out.

4. Steady Hands – Since every frame is captured manually, staying stable is key.

The Canon R6II. One of my go to cameras for Hyperlapse

How to Plan Your Hyperlapse Shot

Every great hyperlapse starts with a clear path.

1. Find your subject - Look for a strong focal point like a building, statue, or landmark.

2. Choose your movement path - Straight, curved, or diagonal - just make sure it’s clear and unubsctructed.

3. Use natural lines or patterns - cobblestones, street markings, or architectural lines make great visual guides.

Use natural lines and patterns as a guide to follow when creating a Hyperlapse

Camera Settings for Smooth Hyperlapses

Switch your camera to manual mode for full control. Here are my recommended settings:

Shutter Speed: Use the longest shutter speed possible at which you can still capture sharp images. A simple formula for this is:

Formula to calculate the minimum shutterspeed for sharp images

Example: At 24mm → 1/50s.

If your lens has internal stabilization, you can go a little slower — but test your limits first before creating Hyperlapses!

ISO: Keep it as low as possible for the cleanest image.

Aperture: Adjust aperture last to achieve proper exposure once shutter speed and ISO are set.

Finding an anchor point

Turn on the grid on your camera or smartphone and find a distinct point of contrast on your subject. This can be a corner of a building, a clock face, or a sign.

This is your anchor point should stay aligned with the same grid intersection in every photo you are about to take. That consistency is what makes your Hyperlapse feel stable and cinematic later.

Anchor points in a Hyperlapse sequence

How to Capture a Hyperlapse (Step-by-Step)

The core rhythm of a Hyperlapse is simple:

Photo → Step → Align → Repeat

Let's brake it down:

1. Take your first photo with your anchor point aligned on the grid.

2. Take one step forward - use consistent spacing (tiles, stones, or ground markings can help).

3. Re-align your anchor point.

4. Take the next photo.

5. Repeat until you’ve taken at least 100 photos.

Pro Tips:

• Check photos every 20–30 shots to make sure focus and exposure are consistent.

• If you notice blur or flicker, it’s better to start over than try to fix it in post.

• Stay relaxed - consistency and precision beat speed.

Using the grid to align the anchor point

Editing Your Hyperlapse in Adobe Lightroom

Once you’re done shooting and back at your computer, import all images into Adobe Lightroom.

1. Edit your first image for color and tone. While doing this avoid extreme contrast, blacks, or whites (keep values between -50 and +50). Same for the clarity slider. Keeping those values in the -50 tp +50 range will help to prevent flickering.

2. Select all photos (Cmd + A) and Sync Settings from the first image.

3. Export as JPEG at 100% quality into a dedicated folder.

Synchronising the settings of the Hyperlapse sequence in Lightroom

Stabilizing a Hyperlapse in Adobe Premiere Pro

Next, open Premiere Pro to stabilize the Hyperlapse sequence.

1. Import your image sequence: Go to Import, select the first image, and make sure Image Sequence is selected.

2. Create a new sequence from the clip by right clicking and choosing "New Sequence from Clip"

3. Apply Warp Stabilizer: Search for it in Effects and drag it onto your clip. Start with 5–15% smoothness and set the Method to Perspective.

4. Once stabilized, review playback. If it still feels shaky: Nest the sequence and apply Warp Stabilizer again with the same settings. Repeat until it looks perfectly smooth.

Importing an image sequence into Premiere Pro

This multi-pass technique can turn almost any handheld Hyperlapse into super smooth final video.

Exporting and Sharing Your Final Hyperlapse

Once you’re happy with the result:

• Export the video at your preferred resolution.

• Share it on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube to showcase your work.

• Don’t forget to tag me so I can see your Hyperlapses!

Hyperlapse before & after Stabilization in Premiere Pro

Final Thoughts

Creating Hyperlapses is not as hard as you might be thinking. If you have the knowledge and the right approach you will be able to create smooth Hyperlapses videos in no time. Here as some key points to remember:

• Consistency is everything, do not rush things!

• Keep your anchor point aligned.

• Stabilize in post, but try to create as smooth as possible in camera

If you enjoyed this guide and want to learn more about Timelapse and Hyperlapse photography, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tutorials and creative inspiration. If you have any questions make sure to drop them here or DM me on Instagram.