Abu Dhabi skyline, captured in May 2022. The frame was extracted from an 8k resolution time-lapse sequence.
THE TASK
I've finally had time to write about my most recent paid productions. I'll begin with a selection of the time-lapse clips I produced especially for the exhibition at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in 2022. If we could call it that, the exhibition stand for the DCT Abu Dhabi was the penultimate stop for these beauty photos. The "stand" was more like a maze than a show, about the size of a small building, made of massive LED displays on the walls, floor, and ceiling, with mirrors reflecting everything below. In essence, it was an elaborately coordinated audiovisual walk-in kaleidoscope. The purpose of this piece was to immerse visitors' whole field of vision in stunning images, blocking out the noisy exhibition floor and allowing them to briefly experience Abu Dhabi's natural and man-made beauties. The kiosk served as a tiny entryway to Abu Dhabi. The concept looked fantastic on paper. Did it actually function? Yes, to put it modestly. It did.
PLANNING THE SHOOT
The task was pressing; I only had five days to select and scout every location, shoot, edit, and send the client the material. That is an extremely short deadline, especially for a time-lapse work, which is a laborious and slow process that cannot be sped up very much. The term "time lapse" has a meaning. Geddit? The client's confidence in my advice and previous experience with comparable shootings was really helpful. I am well-versed in Abu Dhabi and am aware of all the best vantage locations. I've completed numerous tasks of this nature. Additionally, after living there for 31 years, you tend to know where things are.
I was tasked to produce a compilation of beauty shots; various views of the Abu Dhabi’s skyline and landmark captured from the rooftop of a skyscaper and the Qasr al Sarab hotel resort, built at the edge of the Empty Quarter, the world’s largest sand desert. The intention was to depict these views in transition of light, during the sunrise and sunset.
Obtaining all of the necessary permits on schedule was the most difficult part. Because the shoot was scheduled over the Eid al-Adha holiday, it proved challenging. During this time, the nation is effectively shut down for a week, and no government employees are in the office. However, we managed to get past this obstacle and obtain all essential permits at the last minute.
THE SHOOT
Then came the time to shoot.
In fact, the exhibition displays were four times larger than they were tall. These time-lapse sequences' aspect ratio of 4.5:1 necessitated specific treatment. There isn't a camera out there that can preview such a very wide aspect ratio. I made the decision to cut two pieces of tape into the shape of a 4.5:1 aspect ratio and adhere them to the back LCD displays of my cameras to help me visualize it. It wasn't the best option, but it got the job done. What I didn't want to find out was that some of the larger buildings' tops had been removed when the produced time-lapse clips were cropped from their original 16:9 aspect ratio to 4.5:1. I set up and programmed the cameras, then monitored them for 4 to 5 hours. There is a lot of waiting, but it's not passive waiting—I have to make sure that all the cameras are operational and that the still frames are exposed properly.
Normally, a crew of 3 people, including myself, shoots time-lapse videos. Rarely do I need to move around with a bigger team. This approach is quicker and more effective. All the cases of equipment, including numerous DSLR and mirrorless still cameras, motion control systems, dolly tracks, numerous tripods, a number of lenses, camera accessories, grip, filters, trolleys, the toolbox, the first aid kit, and the day's worth of food and beverages, are transported in a single large 4x4 vehicle. Both the driver, who is always at my side, and my camera assistant work together to execute small tasks. On numerous lengthy projects spanning several months, both domestically and overseas, this personnel and transportation setup has proven itself in the field. Nearly every factory, hotel, mosque, rooftop, school, university, lab, park, nature reserve, beach, mountain, oasis, office, airport, desert, police headquarters, space research and command center, football stadium, museum, library, shopping mall, onshore or offshore refineries, and many other locations have been the subject of my photographs. I've never failed to arrive at the site my clients ordered me to shoot at, and I've never been late for a deadline.
This specific job was shot with 4 cameras simultaneously. Why? Because 4 cameras allowed me to capture 4 times as much footage in the time I allotted at each site. This gave me the freedom to select from a wider selection of time-lapse clips when I was editing. That is always a good thing.
POST-PRODUCTION
The time-lapse sequences' post-processing is the last step, the one I fear the most. Tens of thousands of files need to be transferred onto the hard drive! Every single one needs to be accurately identified, categorized, and arranged before being cleaned up using the LR Time-Lapse application. The images must be stabilized, color adjusted, de-flickered, rendered, and then mastered in the desired resolution. It takes a lot of time and effort, accounting for more than 70% of the total time required to deliver the finished product to the client. Additionally, it is impossible to speed up because a significant portion of the process is manual and necessitates ongoing verification to ensure that everything appears correct.
THE FINISH LINE
I still get the giggles when I see the finished film on my monitor for the first time. It is incredibly exciting and inspiring to see all all the lights, colors, and motion patterns dancing with perfect choreogrpahy. That’s the magic of time-lapse!
A limited montage of the time lapse sequences shot for the DCT Abu Dhabi project
This is where my work ended up; at the impressive installation belonging to the DCT Abu Dhabi at the Arabian Travel Market 2022 in Dubai
BEHIND THE SCENES GALLERY
Client: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi
Production commissioned by: Ivo Films Production FZ LLC
Shout-out to the coolest dudes - Seb and Omar at Ivo Films Production. You guys rock.
And to my bros Yousaf and Ismail; the work is twice the fun because of you two!
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