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Watch it Grow

True time lapse photography can take a long time and require specialized equipment. You can do an easier version with just a tripod and your camera, to create a unique collage of pictures.

Know your subject

You can track the growth of something as small as a flower or as large as a flowering tree or even a whole garden. Take into consideration how fast your subject grows - a rose may bloom in one day while a garden takes a whole summer to grow.

For a subject that changes quickly - such as a blooming flower - you may need to take a picture every hour, while a slowly changing subject may require a weekly picture.

Keep your point of view

In order to track the changes in your subject from picture to picture and achieve the "growing" effect, make sure the subject is the same size and in the same spot for each picture. If possible, use a tripod to photograph your subject. A tripod will help you keep the same position and minimize camera shake.

For fast growing subjects, such as blooming flower, set up a tripod and leave your camera on it, then take a picture at intervals without moving the camera or subject.

For slow growing subjects, like a garden, mark the spot where the tripod was positioned and make note of the camera's orientation and zoom - or look at a previous picture as a guide to frame the shot so that each picture is similar to the previous one.

Grow the idea

You can apply this idea to other subjects that grow. Try taking a picture of your children once a year on the same day. Track the growth of a new puppy by taking weekly pictures. Just remember to try and pose the subject in the same manner for each picture.