Timelapse photography: Construction & Industrial
I’m a NYC / NJ based photographer specializing in time-lapse photography. You can see examples of my work on this page, as well as on the main page:
The kinds of time-lapse projects range from events that only last a few hours. Some a few days. Some much longer. Even years.
Although I am based in northern New Jersey, I accept timelapse photography projects across the Tri-State area, with much of my work done across New York City as well.
Time-lapse photography compresses those events to a much shorter timeline, making it visually more comprehensible as everything now unfolds in just a minute or two. You really get a sense of the scale of the event shown. And that’s the beauty and usefulness of time-lapse photography.
Please contact me for more details & pricing, and to discuss your project and see how I may be able to help you.
Neil van Niekerk
[email protected]
862-485-7276
This is part of the time-lapse video created for Carbro Constructors here in NJ, to show how they placed this massive culvert into position. This company had built the culvert over several months, and was then going to move it into position over a 48-hr period. And they rightfully wanted a timelapse video of the culmination of their careful planning and precise engineering.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-lapse photography – Construction
This video again shows how time-lapse photography reveals details that weren’t really visible at the time. This crane being moved from the construction site to the berth in the harbor, took nearly 4 hours to move — so slow, that it was barely visible to the eye. Anyone not specifically observing, would not have seen any movement. But with time-lapse you get a sense of the incredible power it took to move this colossal crane into its new position.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-Lapse project – Moving PNCT cranes to berth
As part of a team creating material for a promotional video for the company that owns this refinery, I was tasked with producing time-lapse videos of various sections of the plant. For this section, the polypropylene refinery, I used a rotational device which allowed the camera to gradually rotate, giving a cinematic sweep.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-Lapse project – Industrial site / refinery
Four cameras capturing different angles as this 500 ton crane was erected overnight. There were a few challenges here that night – this crane was massive. Really tall, and I had to show that in a horizontal format. This meant that cameras had to kept being moved to photograph the construction as the crane was laid out in the parking lot before finally being hoisted up.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-lapse photography – Crane construction
To show the unfolding of a project, or progress on a building site – events which take weeks, or months or even years – it becomes necessary to compress the timescale. With long-term time-lapse photograph we can get a much quicker visual overview of how the project developed. This particular project took 3 years to complete!
The time-lapse camera is protected inside a weather-proofed housing, with the camera and timing device powered by a solar panel.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Long term Time-Lapse Photography – PNCT
Another interesting time-lapse project was for Bureau Betak, a French production company that specializes in fashion shows, events and exhibitions and operates worldwide. They built a stage for the Tommy Hilfiger show at the 2022 New York Fashion Week. Building the set took 6 days, and they tasked me with creating a time-lapse video to show the construction of the set.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-lapse photography – New York Fashion Week 2022
A time-lapse video that shows the progression as LAMY’s flagship store in New York was constructed and finished. This project was shot over an 8-week period with two cameras mounted high up on the door frame.
- For a behind-the-scenes look: Time-Lapse project – LAMY Soho store
- Back to main Time-lapse photography portfolio