One year in 90 seconds

eirikso, , , , , ,

Please digg this story here.

Link to the video in HD on YouTube.

If you like these videos then follow me on twitter: @eirikso – and you’ll be the first to know about other projects that I might do.

The story

All through 2008 I snapped still images from the same spot on my balcony to make a sort of time lapse video showing one year passing by. The video was hugely successful and has close to two million views on YouTube in addition to about one million on Vimeo and hundreds of thousands of views and downloads from other web sites.

Last year I bought a new camera. The Canon 5D Mark II. In addition to excellent quality stills you can also shoot HD video with that camera. So I decided to do the same thing all over again. But this time I recorded 30 second video clips each time. My idea was that it would be possible to dissolve between the videos to get the same kind of time lapse effect, but this time with motion all the way. Snow falling, wind blowing etc.

2009 is over and I have now put all the clips I recorded through the year into a couple of videos.

I recorded clips with a 15mm fisheye, a 24mm wide angle and a 50mm lens. I’ve made three different versions. The first one is the one at the top of this article. Shot with the 15mm fisheye and “defished” using Fisheye Hemi in Photoshop. To do that I exported the video as an image sequence and did a batch job in Photoshop to run the fisheye hemi filter and some cropping.

The 50mm gives a closer look at the trees and I decided to make a longer video that gives a better view of how nature evolves with that footage. I ended up with 120 seconds.

Link to the video in HD on YouTube.

The last video is a version from the 24mm footage. That’s the short one. One year in 60 seconds…

Link to the video in HD on YouTube.

Download the full quality versions through BitTorrent:

All the videos are available on Mininova for download through BitTorrent in HD:

24 mm – One Year in 60 seconds (1280×720 30P)
15 mm – One Year in 90 seconds (1280×720 30P)
50 mm – One Year in 120 seconds (1280×720 30P)

How To-video (english) (1280×720 30P)

How did you do it?

The way I did it is actually quite simple. I found a spot on my balcony where I could place the camera in the exact same spot each time. Then I recorded video clips at irregular intervals. More or less once a week all thorugh 2009. More often during spring and autumn and not that often during summer and winter. All the videos are then put together using lots of dissolves.

It’s easier to explain the process in a video, so here it is:

Link to the video in HD on YouTube.

The audio

The sound was simply recorded with the Canon 5D Mark II as well. And left as it was recorded on all the clips in the video.

Can I use the videos in my projects?

Yes. All the videos are licensed with a Creative Commons License. To be exact: by attribution, share alike, non commercial.

Creative Commons License
This work by Eirik Solheim is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Norway License.

But what about commercial use?

If you want to use the video commercially I’ve decided to test a feature called Files Forever. At my hosting company, Dreamhost. You can buy a royalty-free, eirikso.com-bug free, totally clean full quality version of the file. It’s a ridiculous $99,- and the money will cover parts of my hosting fees for this website. Buy the files here:

One year in 60 seconds (24 mm)
One year in 90 seconds (15 mm)
One year in 120 seconds (50 mm)

Yeah. But I want to buy the original footage. The files directly from your 5D. I want to edit this myself. No problem. Please contact me at:
eirikso (at) eirikso (dot) com

Where was this filmed?

In Oslo, Norway

I don’t believe you, this is fake.

If you think the video was made in post production using fancy graphics software… Well, that’s your problem. Not mine.

I want to make something amazing from the raw clips

Contact me, and we’ll see what we can do.

I have other questions

Use the comments, so that I can answer to all the other people with the same questions.

…and by the way: if you’re into geocaching I’ve actually placed a cache in the area you see in the videos.

One year in 90 seconds

241 thoughts on “One year in 90 seconds”

  3. Of course I remember your last photo presentation and it’s well know (you just have to Google “four seasons”).

    I also remember you talked about this last time we met and I have been waiting for the result: magnificence! A great proof of the significant four seasons in Norway and how well you’ve captured it!

    Thanks also for explaining how you made it. This is typical you Eirik; “everyone can do it” but it was you who did!

    Of course I will Digg it, and Twitter it and share it in other Social Media – it’s art man; natural, pure art 🙂

    Reply
  9. Eric Reynolds says:

    This is really extraordinary footage. We so often take the amazing beauty of earth for granted. As a professional solar panel contractor I’ve always cared deeply about the environment. Kudos for putting out this footage and reminding people how precious this gift really is.

    Best Regards,

    Eric R

    Reply
  20. Vivian Annuseck says:

    hi Eirik,

    I live in Brazil and although I am in the South and we have a cold winter, a hot summer, etc, Nature doesn’t change during the year. Getting to experience it in your videos was amazing. They’re beautiful!

    I hope you’re always inspired to make more of them. Thanks for sharing!

    Vivian

    Reply

  25. That’s fantastic work my friend. You’re also very generous when it comes to sharing your knowledge, and that’s quite inspiring. A lot of people should be like you. Keep it up, and best regards from Manila, the Philippines. Cheers!

    -Ardie

    Reply

  36. …e un anno se ne va……

    …2010… non ti dirò nient’altro… ci siamo capiti! One year in 120 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo. se volete vedere il making of di questo meraviglioso timelapse cliccate QUI…

    Reply
  37. muti says:

    hi, thanks for sharing. your works are wonderful. inspiring me to make my own, still thinking about the object though. keep up the good work. cheers! 😀

    Reply

  42. That’s really really good. I was attempting to do a similar kind of thing using my webcam, with it automatically taking images every few minutes, but the image quality is terrible. While I do have a nice Nikon D40 I didn’t want to leave it pointing out my window all year.

    It never crossed my mind to take just one or two pictures a week. I think I’ll give it another go.

    Reply
  46. Chip Austin says:

    Amazing and beautiful! I have shared your work with friend on Facebook. Thank you for finding a way to share the world’s beauty and for the joy you have brought me and many others.

    Reply
  57. Anonymous says:

    Can you post more images like this. It’s brilliant.

    Also, nice work on the video. I look forward to your future projects.

    Reply
  59. nhi says:

    Hey, what you’re doing is really cool. Getting to know people in digital world is amazing sometimes, feeling so far but also so close. Few moments ago, I read a piece of news about your clip one year in 120 seconds and having no clue who you are. By following the link, I am now reading your blog and feeling like you’re the neighbor nearby. Great way to finish a day. Anyway, I am from Hue city, Vietnam. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  60. Tammy says:

    Hi Eirik,
    just to let you know I posted your fantastic video on my facebook, just want to share it with other friends! Thanks for an amazingly creative work and for sharing it with us! Happy New Year! 😉 (I actually feel Norway is quite close to me even I’m in Australia as I met some awesome Norwegians here! ^_^)
    Cheers,
    -Tammy

    Reply
  64. anna says:

    wow, so nice to see that you are so generous with your footage and open to others using it. it’s so rare these days. what a breath of fresh air. very nice work.

    Reply
  65. Ann Norton says:

    Lovely! Made me long to go back to Norway.
    Visited the summer after the Olympic games.
    Intend to go back to trace my Norwegian roots. My grandparents came from Farsund.
    Thank you for providing us with a simple touch of beauty!

    Reply
  67. Tony says:

    That would make a great windows screen saver (minus the sound) a endless loop. Can that be done Eirik ? Me and wife thought was great ! very creative and beautiful to see nature in action.

    Reply

  69. […] In 2008, Eirik Solheim of Oslo, Norway, filmed his backyard regularly for a year and compiled the results into a 40-second time-lapse video. In 2009, he did the same thing in a 120-second video. But this time, the video and audio quality are superior and the transitions smoother. You can read a post by Solheim on the technical details at the link. […]

    Reply

  79. Fantastic! Excellent work 🙂 One year in 90 days is one of the most spectacular video I even watched. I thought to something similar but using pictures not videos and maybe I’ll do it. The single problem I see is to take the shots from the same angle/place.

    Reply
  84. francisca says:

    Hola! soy de chile, queria felicitarte por el video ;D es muy bueno. Vives en un hermoso pais, espero algun dia ir a noruega .. saludos!!! esperamos el video del 2010 jajaj

    Reply
  95. Ward Cheney says:

    Dear Eirik,

    Thank you so much for this. And for your sharing of information. Wonderful.

    I keep alive a dream to visit Norway someday. Even the dream of finding a farm somewhere there and arranging to work there for a few weeks one summer. I farm over here in Massachusetts.

    I’ve been doing something similar out the back of where we live, but pretty informal, shooting whenever I like. Fields, woods, sky. Over a year now. If you are on Facebook, I have some photos there.

    Well done. Best to you.

    Reply
  98. Timothy says:

    That’s soo cool but during winter the snow is moving consitently. i.e. the same snowflake goes from top center to lower left.

    Reply
  103. Gabriel Aroca says:

    Very interesting experiment.
    I have inteligence for think about some like this, but i have NOT any patience for do it.
    How many 30 seconds films?
    it’s a joke

    I would like more details about software we could use to do this. Is Create Commons too?

    Congratulations from spain

    Best Regards, Erik

    Reply

  114. I think it is all very interesting. If it is not very expensive with all the best because we’re finding good locations. For the rest of the trip with our family.

    Reply
  124. Christa Thysens says:

    Hello Erik,

    Could you please contact us asap. Question about eventual use/copyrights of your “one year in 90 sec.”.

    0032 474 50 93 97

    Reply

  126. Dear Eric,
    want you to know we have enjoyed “One year in 90 seconds” in Russia also 🙂

    You and me seem to have made a similar thing.

    I am the author of the new weather software – yowindow.

    YoWindow changes the picture behind the window depending on the season.
    It also reflects the actual weather and the sunlight.
    Well just watch a very short video on the front page http://yowindow.com and you will get the idea 🙂

    Now I’m looking for pictures taken at the same place, but in different seasons of the year.
    I want to add them to the program to cover as many places of the world as we can.

    I was thinking that you may know a place on the internet where this weird kind of pictures may be collected.

    Thank you for the video.
    It was very inspirational for me personnaly.

    Pasha

    Reply
  130. Bill Slaunwhite says:

    Erik, I found your 1 Year in 90 seconds, absolutely beautiful, somber and playful. So pleased you took the time to create this to share with the world. (I see you have created various time-lapse still/video). So COOL!

    Lake Charlotte, Nova Scotia in Canada.

    Reply

  131. I’ve been looking at your time-lapse videos, you’re doing terrific work. I’m a musician and I’ve been trying them with audio for a youtube video. I’ll send a link for your approval when I’m done.

    Cheers,
    Louis

    Reply

  132. Wow. Just… Wow. That is, hands down, the absolute COOLEST thing I’ve ever seen on YouTube. I love the first video… I’m a real out-doorsy type, I love nature, and that was just… It almost brought a tear to my eye.

    You should turn this into a movement. Really. Try to get others around the world, in different climates and regions and locales, to contribute their own videos – use it to spread awareness of the environment. I’m not jumping on the global warming bandwagon of course, I guess you could say I’m a non-believer in some of those theories – but I still believe we should respect the planet.

    Perhaps you could find a way to begin the movement, and then find an approprite charity to work with. They may even compensate you for the work!

    And you know, even with my plate as full as it is, I have a Rebel XSi – maybe I could help you create the movement by being the first 🙂

    Reply
  133. pond says:

    I am very impressed with the amount of dedication it took to make a video like this. I also like the simplicity of how you took the pictures. I am going to have to do something similar. It reminds me a lot of the guy who took a picture of himself everyday (or close to everyday) for a year.

    Reply
  145. Marina says:

    It’s a fantastic video, wish I had your patience.
    Also I loved your balconie’s view and the position of your house!!!
    I wish you a happy new year.
    Marina
    Athens, Greece

    Reply
  153. Andrew Kingston says:

    Hey, your work is brilliant, I liked your Year in 40 seconds video too. Have you been working on anymore recently? although I can appreciate you cant make them every week 🙂

    Reply
  154. Texas Process Server says:

    Our nephew emailed this link about your 90 seconds in one year – this so great – and you do not see any difference in positions frame to frame. Great Work!

    Reply

  156. I think you are amazing for being so open about your process and techniques and then giving it away for people to play with or selling it at a very reasonable price. My hat off to you sir. We need more artists like you.

    Reply
  161. Peter C says:

    Very nice video wished I can make one here in Rocky Mountains. What editing software was used in “One Year in 60 Seconds” ? It wasn’t elaborated in the video.

    Reply
  168. Peter says:

    How did you get the brightness so consistent between shots? Just manual adjustment for each video clip or is that done with some kind of automatic settings?

    Reply
  171. David says:

    Hey, I’m working on a project for a play. Could we use your time lapse to show different seasons in the play by projecting a section of this video? Please let me know asap, the play goes on in a month.

    Reply
  176. Marc says:

    We think about moving to Norway. Are the videos from 1st January to 31th December and did you really have more than 50% of the year with 0°C and snow in 2009?

    Reply
  179. David Moore says:

    Thanks for the inspiration. I live in Happisburgh on the Norfolk coastline (uk) which is subject to serious coastal erosion and i would like to do a TL of the beach and cliff face at low tide. There are rock armour defences to which i can return to take images from various locations but no permanent fixed point as every 12 hours it will be under water.

    We have something called longshore drift which means the beaches are replenished by the collapsing cliffs and sand is washed down the coastline by the tides. The drop in beach levels can be quite dramatic which is why i thought it would make a good subject for a TL over a year or so. I was thinking of using single raw images overlaid and then put through Lightroom. Comments or advice would be great on how to achieve this overlay without using an exact static location .

    Regards

    David Moore

    Reply

  183. I’ve been looking at your time-lapse videos, you’re doing terrific work. I’m a musician and I’ve been trying them with audio for a youtube video. I’ll send a link for your approval when I’m done.

    Reply

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    Reply
  228. Unknown Jim says:

    would be cool to see like a time lapse animation of this…. each section changing season… like a wave of seasons…

    so the first section would change to spring, second section to summer, etc through all the seasons…. so it would end up making.. like a “wave” of seasons…

    Reply

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    Reply

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    Reply

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