One of the most beautiful timelapse films I have seen

I don’t often do posts just on other people’s work unless it is pretty special. I have my own Vimeo Channel that has my favourite work from other people on it. Please check it out here by clicking the image below. The stuff there is wonderful!

My friend Shawn Reeder has made this beautiful video Yosemite: Range of Light. It is one of the most beautiful timelapse films I have ever seen. The way Shawn follows the light is masterful. My favourite shot is the reflection of the stars in the water. This is a man at the top of his game. Epic! Enjoy!

Yosemite Range of Light from Shawn Reeder on Vimeo.

I am a destination visual artist who specializes in photography, timelapse cinematography, & filmmaking.  I love to travel, so if you have a project in some far flung location, lets talk.

Yosemite National Park, the High Sierra, and the Eastern Sierra are some of the most beautiful places on earth. Ever since I serendipitously won a trip to Yosemite when I was 18, the beautiful Range of Light has captured my heart and become my home. Nothing brings me more joy than to share this life changing beauty with others.

Ever since I became fascinated with timelapse photography almost 2 years ago, after seeing the work of Tom Lowe, I’ve wanted to do a piece on Yosemite and the Sierra. Now after almost 2 years of shooting, I’m thrilled to share. I hope you enjoy my vision of my home, the majestic Yosemite & Sierra. Best viewed Full Screen with Sound 🙂

If you would like to license any of my clips or hire me to shoot for you, please be in touch.

Web: http://shawnreeder.com
Email: shawn@shawnreeder.com
Facebook: facebook.com/shawnreeder
Twitter: twitter.com/shawnreeder

Music licensed and used with permission by: www.shaunpaul.com
Composition used: Sounds of Peace

Huge thanks to Kessler Crane and Lens Pro To Go. Without their help this piece would not have been nearly as good.

http://kesslercrane.com
http://lensprotogo.com

Also a huge thanks to all of you who help support me with your warm comments and continuing encouragement. It means more to me than you know.

I hope this inspires everyone to get outside and explore the beautiful outdoors, especially magical places like Yosemite National Park and the High Sierra. It’s National Parks week and all of our national parks are free this week, so get outside and explore!

*So it seems like a lot of people are asking what gear I used. I’m not going to detail every little thing, but here’s the core of what I used: (Shot at 5k in Canon RAW)

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 14L II & 16-35L II (rented from LensProToGo)
Canon 17-40L, 24-105L, 50L, 70-200L IS
KesslerCrane 5 foot Cineslider, Revolution Head, Oracle’s & Basic controller, Elektra Motors, AT Outrigger Feet

29 comments

  1. Before trying a timelapse, I was doing some research – and from what I read, most folks like to use Manual mode, and just let it go – hoping it doesn’t get too bright or too dark. With these magnificent day-to-starfield shots however, I would imagine that Manual mode is not the way to go? Perhaps Aperture Priority Mode? I love this video.

    1. am not sure how you see this as “kitsch” but i am not one to question what you like nor should you. Everything in life is subjective. What one person likes another may not. that is life. But what a nice thing to do is to give due respect to other people’s work. Especially one that was as time consuming as this rather than dismiss with a rather rude one line.

      Thanks.

      1. So true Philip! There is absolutely no need for such rude comments! I am sure that many followers,
        myself included learn a great deal from yourself and a variety of others such as Den Lennie, Dan Chung,
        Vincent Laforet just to name a few.

        The talent that is willing to share their experience, good or maybe not so good,
        I commend you for doing so!

        What an exciting way to learn! Let’s help each other get better and not beat up on someone for
        sharing in their work.

        We don’t want anyone to feel that they cannot share their experience and not get positive feedback
        and learn from it.

        Isn’t this what it’s all about!

        Shawn Reeder, I enjoyed your time lapse immensely as I am sure many will as well.

        Thank you for sharing it will all of us! 🙂

      2. Absolutely correct Philip. Just the sheer amount of effort to achieve this sort of thing should leave you in awe of Shawn.

        To hike up there, set up the gear, wait… wait… wait some more… and that’s just the acquisition.

        Massive respect. To dismiss it in one line is plain ignorant.

      3. Philip. Bro. You’re cinematography royalty. What you’ve contributed to the film community in the last few years outweighs what opinions these trolls have. Please, for the sake of your blog, the community, just delete comments with no merit. Or just don’r reply. Every time I see you reply to something stupid like this, it’s like watching Jordan stop mid flight to address a heckler. You’re a legend. Ignore idiots. You don’t owe anyone, anything. Keep pushing the art form and continue to inspire. You’re the man. (BTW I manage blogs for a multitude of my clients. If you’l like and eager mediator free of charge…)

        1. so this website is only to show things and to tell people how beautiful it is?.. please!
          let people be critical and try to develop yourself reading the comments, considering comments as an insult is up to the reader, but i as a reader would love to read the other side of people opinions rather than just read how beatiful and talented somebody is…
          Read and learn, otherwise we all will be stuck to watching this kind of timelapses for the next 50 years.
          I love to watch timelapses though, but only if they tell a story… otherwise it is just a technical trick.

          1. you can comment without being rude and disrespectful. which he was.

            totally disagree on your last line. not EVERYTHING has to have a story. Does a work of art need to tell a story or can you not appreciate it’s utter beauty? Are we that jaded with our beautiful world that unless it tells a story we cannot watch it?

            thanks.

    2. Though there is a lot of similar work, this is much better than a lot of that. One of the first timelapses I’ve been able to enjoy all the way through, some get a bit boring after the first 5 shots of a mountain range, but this just kept me watching. Thanks for sharing!

    3. Oh my God! How can THIS be ”kitsch”? You made me curious for a second there of what would you consider art (like this is), but then again, I wouldn’t waste a second more watching it.
      Have a good day!

    4. I always loved the saying “I can explain this to you, but I cannot comprehend it for you.” This work is absolutely amazing, the simple fact that you cannot see it is not your fault. If you are not born with the ability to appreciate beauty then I feel sorry for you. Philip is correct that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You could easily say that any style of filmmaking is kitsch. People sometimes need to feel superior by insulting someones person and or work. I will assume you woke up without having your morning cup, you know that cup that aligns our synapses from a night of work, filing away the previous days information overload? Please be respectful to others, as it will only benefit you in the future. The simple fact that you are on this site indicates to me that you are a fan in some ways of Philip. The least you can do is realize that this piece impressed him enough to post about it as one of his favorites. Where I come from there is a saying that serves most well. “If you do not have something nice to say then keep it to yourself.”

      B Couch

  2. Stunning work! What an inspiration Vimeo content has been and what an incredible broadcast medium when viewed on the Samsung video app on TV. Who would ever have thought broadcasting such high quality work to such a mass audience would be possible without the need for a Packer or a Murdoch.

  3. @ GLASTRA:
    Telling PB to “develop your taste” is like telling Spielberg to learn how to direct a movie. What a ridiculous comment.

    Plus, Yosemite is “kitsch”? How you managed to achieve 2 incredibly stupid, moronic comments in such a short post is an achievement.

    The work is incredible, the framing and exposition wonderful, and the subject matter inspiring. We need more work like this performed by experts like Shawn.

    I will close by saying don’t let comments like this one from “GLASTRA” deter you, or impact you in anyway. Sadly, the world is full of idiots.

    Sincerely,
    HDSLR NOW

  4. A good choice of music and nice visuals, although I am not convinced by all the shots. The sky at 0.44 looks identical to the sky at 3.45, so I assume there has been some digital hocus pocus added. Nevertheless an impressive production.

  5. Some truly stunning images. My favourite is the rolling pink cloud bank. I’m just waiting for the day when one of these time-lapse artists capture a real UFO … now, that would be epic.

  6. I agree: Gastra’s comment was rude, but in my opinion this piece of work -which I respect- is not art. Is more science, is kind of registering events with technical skills and equipment. Of course, nature is beautiful, but from the author side, this is no more art than shooting a football match. All this in my humble opinion, but for me art has to tell a story. In fact, many disciplines tell a story without being necessarily art -a newspaper article, for example-. Anyway, art is a so subjective term…

    1. Thing is you last line contradicts everything you said before. Art is subjective. Just take a look at the turner prize in the UK. Art installations that many would never call art. For me this was utterly beautiful and had me transfixed. Not as science but as a work of art. My point of view. Subjective! 😉

      1. I don’t think is a contradiction Philip: everything I say before is my opinion. The last line states that art is a subjective matter. That does not denies that what I said before -my opinion-. I respect yours, of course,

  7. Thank you so much Philip for posting my timelapse video. I’ve loved your work for a long time, so I’m incredibly honored for you to love and share my piece. Was great to see you at NAB! I look forward to the next time our paths cross!

    1. Funny, I never saw your post above and we used the same word… ‘transfixed’.. I don’t think I have used that word in 30 years, lol!!!! Must have had an effect on us!!!!

      Ray

  8. WOW!!

    I was transfixed by this.

    I have a Canon 7-d and shoot mainly weddings, portraits, and am just now discovering HDR.

    I am going to have to do some research as to how to make a time-lapse, then try something like this myself… Talk about motivating… Only hope I can come 20% close to the quality of this work. I am based in Miami Beach florida so I should have some nice subjects to persue….

    I can’t believe how sharp that film was, especially when the trees moved into the foreground in some of the shots..

    Ray

Leave a Reply