Patagonia Time-Lapse Video
Notice in the video the subtle movement, the wind toppling the foreground. Imagine the scene you see but in the broader spectrum of the whole surroundings.
Editor’s note: Last week we shared the trailer for Long Treks on Skate Decks' new video series from Morocco. Adam Colton is one of the skaters from the series; he's also a time-lapse photography enthusiast. During a recent trip down to Patagonia, Adam shot some time-lapse footage that we're happy to share with you today. We publish a lot of images from the region that inspired our company's name, but few from the perspective of a skateboarder. If you're interested in time-lapse photography, check out Adam's how-to page on the Loaded Boards website.
Patagonia is a massive, untouched, raw land. It is composed of barren wind-swept fields that rock your car when you drive and topple your tent at night. Camping every night, smelling like the animals we are, we came back with a handful of photos and a time-lapse video that I hope you all will enjoy. I tell you though, the beauty you see through your own two eyes is still untouchable. That is why we travel to and explore these magical places. Let these pictures be the inspiration to go there yourself.
[Above: Patagonia Time Lapse Video. Video and photos: Adam Colton.]
Stokowski and I bushed whacked through mean spikey bushes to set up our camp along a lake overlooking Torres del Paine. When I awoke, this was the view I had looking outside my tent. The mountain was being light up by some of the richest light I have ever seen. The clouds where coming off the mountain like smoke, as if the mountain was on fire. The wind was raging and knocking my camera around. I got a sweet timelapse of this, stoked.
There is something beautiful about a lonely tree — a gnarly wind-blown tree that has spent its life getting thrashed around. The lighting was not ideal for this pic, the sun was a bit too high but we had to keep moving. I shot this with f 1.2. I focused the camera right on the little light spot on the tree. My composition was to lead the eye to the tree over the meadow of waving grass in which we napped.
Waking up to one of the most spectacular sunrises on the Torres del Paine, I saw wild horses off in the distance. The leader of the pack — the one looking at the camera in the photo — was very hesitant. After about 30 minutes they worked their way close enough for me to get a picture. I was a bit nervous since Stokowski and I had a run-in with some wild horses on a previous day where the leader threatened us.
I use to be a sunset man. Always easier, never had to wake up in the cold mornings for the sunrise. But in Patagonia I woke up stoked many times for the sunrise. The sunrise on Fitz Roy was a blessing. I feel very lucky to have witnessed the sight since Fitz Roy is known for bad weather and is usually covered by dense clouds/storms. The morning rays lit up Fitz Roy ever so slowly, lighting the top at first and working their way down to reveal the whole mountain in a glowing beauty.
There are many more timelapse and photo projects to be had in the future. I am excited to keep exploring and learning about photography. It helps me notice little details in landscapes that I would otherwise miss or overlook. Let the magic roll.
