Processing and Video Creation
In the first part of this tutorial, we captured the images needed for our Milky Way time-lapse. Now, we’ll go through the steps of processing these images and creating the final video. This part is designed to be beginner-friendly, so you don’t need any expensive software or advanced skills. But it will help to have some experience editing photos or creating videos.
Convert Raw Images to PNG
- If you shot your images in RAW format, the first step is to convert them to PNG. There are several free tools available for this:
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RawTherapee: A free, open-source RAW image processor.
- Download and install RawTherapee.
- Open your RAW files, make any basic adjustments if needed, and export them as PNG files.
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Darktable: Another free option, similar to Adobe Lightroom.
- Install Darktable, import your RAW images, and export them as PNG.
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GIMP with UFRaw Plugin: A powerful image editor with RAW support.
- Install GIMP and the UFRaw plugin, open your RAW files, and export as PNG.
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Online Converters: Quick and easy, no software required.
- Use an online converter like RAW.PICS.IO, upload your RAW files, and download them as PNGs.
Import the Images Into Video Making Software (I used Microsoft Clipchamp)
- Once your images are in PNG format, it’s time to create the time-lapse video.
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Create a New Video Project:
- Open Microsoft Clipchamp and select “Create a new video from scratch.”
- Load your PNG files into Clipchamp.
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Organize Your Images:
- Sort the images by number (or by the order they were taken).
- Highlight all the images and drag them onto the timeline in Clipchamp.
Export the Timelapse Video
- Once all the images are on the timeline, click “Export” to save the video. I selected 1080p as the quality option
- By default, the video will be saved in your Downloads folder.
Speed Up the Video
To create the time-lapse effect, you’ll need to speed up the video. how much you will need to speed up the vide will depend on how many photos you took. I have gone with 100-200 photos.
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Import the Video:
- Open the saved video file in Clipchamp.
- Add it to the timeline.
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Speed Up the Video:
- Use Clipchamp’s speed controls to speed up the video. The maximum speed is 16x, but this might still be too slow.
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Repeat if Necessary:
- If the video is still too long, export it again and re-import it into Clipchamp.
- Speed it up a second time by another 16x until you achieve the desired length.
Export the Video again and that is it!
The Key to the Process is patience and experimentation it is entierly possible to do with free software and approachable equipment which is why I wanted to make this tutorial.