If still photography is about capturing a moment in time, time-lapse photography is all about condensing an experience into a few moments. Within seconds the sun rises and falls on a city or clouds race past in the sky. Little wonder, then, that it has become a preferred tool for travelogues.

Timestance, a company that produces time-lapse videos, has been putting the tool to eclectic use for some time. In the past two years, it has produced time-lapse videos of Jaipur and Udaipur, Leh, and Thailand. Its latest offering is on Lucknow.

“As the word time-lapse states, it presents hours into seconds, yet making the framework interesting, which a normal eye generally doesn’t notice,” said Anuj Nigam, co-founder of Timestance. “Timelapse is a beautiful and artistic way of capturing a phenomenon extended over a period of time.”

The company’s Welcome to Lucknow video is its most painstaking so far. It comprises “6,000 pictures taken at Awadh heritage sites, modern monuments, of landscapes, skylines, food, culture... festivals,” said Nigam. “It took us almost 24 months (part time) to complete this video.”

Before the photographs were clicked, a recce was done around the city to finalise the locations and the type of shots. The colourful results are here to see:



Welcome to Lucknow - Timelapse from Timestance on Vimeo.

Here are some of the other videos the company has created:



Life of Jaipur & Udaipur, India from Anuj Nigam on Vimeo.



Moonlit India : Timelapse from Nilesh Ukey on Vimeo.



Escape To India : Timelapse from Nilesh Ukey on Vimeo.