4-DAAGSE NIJMEGEN – A TIMELAPSE FILM
Duration in realtime: 11h 01m
Displayed photos: 3379
The “4-Daagse Nijmegen” (or “vierdaagse”) is annual event that takes place every summer in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. On those “International Four Day Marches Nijmegen” more than 40.000 participants walk 30, 40 or 50kilometers each day (18miles, 25mil, 31mil) in and around Nijmegen. The Amount of kilometers depends on gender and age; children and seniors participate as well. Started as an military event in 1909, it became a civilian event with only a few military (5000+). People from more than 60 countries in the world do participate.
Start is from 04:00am till 08:00am – finish is at 17:00pm.
During that time there are also a lot of festivals and concerts in Nijmegen City on several different stages, 1,5 million visitors were there in 2015.
Read more here (all new tabs): Wikipedia | Official 4-daagse page (English) | Official 4-Daagse Festivals Page
Equipment:
Samsung NX300M
– with 18-55mm f3.5-5.6
– with 50-200mm III f4.0-f.6
UV Filter
1 tripod
Intervalometer
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Fireworks
L R Timelapse
Adobe Premiere
Music
Thanks for Soni Mind for giving me permission to use their perfect fitting track “Working in Reverse“! You can find Soni Mind on soundcloud.com/soni-mind (new window)
Upload & Rendering
Project Resolution: 5472 x 3078
Upload Resolution: 4096 x 2304 Full 4K
Framerate: 24 – progressive
Bitrate: 80Mbps
Challenges
Scouting & Places
The most difficult part was finding the right places. You may think that within 50 kilometers you will find several spots to take a timelapse, but you might forget that most of the area is flat and with 40.000 people walking most of the area is closed. Driving with a car is not so handy if you need to go couple of kilometers to get to the right position, so walking by feet then takes a lot of time. And riding a bike to the place is also a challenge, since you cannot cycle all the time on the same track as the walkers do you have to cycle around. This all costs a lot of time, time that you might not have, by the time that you arrived there, they might all gone. Or not – maybe they weren’t here yet? I determined most of the places on Google Earth, checked the best way how to get there and have alternative routes for the case that the streets are closed.
Most of the time I took a 2hour timelapse. To cover all 40.000 walkers at one place, I should have stayed for 4 hours, but then I wouldn’t be able to get to an another place on time! The people who start at 04:00am sometimes reach the finishline at 11:00am (remember: last-drop-in time is 17:00pm!).
Festivals:
I wanted also to have some timelapses of the festivals, since the festivals were for 6 days, I had a lot of time to check the safe places for a camera (But not so much time, since I went out with my friends!). I found for each stage couple of safe-places, the next evening I took my camera with me – and all safe places didn’t seem so safe anymore. In total I had some 10-15 places, and only one was indeed available (The scene with Plein 1944) – the other two scenes of the festivals were improvised – last-minute-chosen safe-places. I had a lot of luck with those places, nobody hit me accidently!
Weather
For the first time I took a timelapse during rain, you can find that picture on Facebook with me under the umbrella. It was difficult to keep the camera and the lens dry – while I was getting wet, next time I take a bigger umbrella with me. It was just classical from the weather forecast that the rain was NOT predicted. But I knew already from before that it will rain, if you live here you’ll better than any weather forecast !
An another problem: for the Nijmegen Timelapse I could chose the weather, if the weather wasn’t that nice then I waited. For the 4-Daagse Timelapse I had to use the weather as it is – no exceptions. I’d love to better weather on the sky for better and more stunning pictures, but that’s not an option! Take it as it is.
Sleeping
For the 4 days I had to change my sleeping rhythm completely! The first walkers do start at 04:00am – and so do I, too! So getting up, last equipment check and lets go. Then sleeping in the afternoon for 2hours, and then lets go to the festivals. And after the festivals sleep again for 2hours. It was horrible, but as soon as I see the timelapse it was well worth it.
Funny Facts within the timelapse
- Waalbrug: It rained here twice, the rain wasn’t predicted at all the in the weatherforecast – but like all Dutch people I’ve got also my umbrella with me.
- Grote Markt: The “MMOOXX” band: I had here a lucky moment: As soon as my planned recording of my timelapse ended, they also stopped for taking a break!
- Plein 1944: I started recording when they were presenting their last song. Then the rain started and many people walked under some tents (outside the image frame). I thought that the redecoration and the missing people would lead to a failed timelapse. But the opposite happened: the timelapse got more interesting! Dancing people in the rain, and the crew who re-decorating the stage!
- Oosterkanaaldijk: I’m sorry for the streetlight, but there was definitely no other option. Few meters to the right and then people would have been covered by trees. Fun fact: The camera was hanging up-side-down on the tripod!
- White Bridge: I had to take a walk of 2 kilometers to get there, passing several police officers and guards explaining them why I have to go to that position, and why I don’t want to go elsewhere. They let me pass, and I got that nice recording, of a bridge which is 460meters (1509 feet) far away.
- Big Wheel: I didn’t want any boats on the images, so stopped the timelapse, and started it again as soon as the boats were gone. Because it was dark and I could see a damn thing I lost track of how many pictures I already took. I made 210, target were 240 – but since I’m playing it with 24fps it went fine!
All locations shown in the timelapse (in order of appearance)
In the next few days I’ll upload them as extended single-clips, with detailed camera information (e.g. why did I use ISO 4000, why this camera angle).
– Waalbrug
– Grote Markt
– Van Boetbergweg (left side the “Nijmegen” sign)
– Heyendaalseweg
– Plein 1944
– Oosterkanaaldijk
– QMusic Stage
– Hatertsebrug
– “Witte Brug” 51.738673, 5.842431
– Zevenheuvelen
– Via Gladiola / Sint Annastraat / Keizer Karelplein
– Big Wheel, Waal
See pictures already now from the locations on my facebook page!