10 Creative Uses of Instagram’s New Hyperlapse App
From Burning Man to instant ice cream to NYFW, inspiring takes on the uber-fast time-lapse technology
With the debut of Instagram’s new video app Hyperlapse last week, many people have eagerly tested out the polished time-lapse technology. While we all can’t pull a Godfrey Reggio and bang out a Koyaanisqatsi, there’s already been a plethora of creative uses of the new tool. Here are some of our favorites to inspire you to capture more than city traffic.
Landscape
It’s unfortunate that the app debuted just as Burning Man came to close—but we managed to find one video that gives outsiders a peek into the experimental art festival at Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, including the major form of transportation: bikes. Almost like a scene out of a film, or even another century, in the video’s background you can spot “Embrace,” one of the festival’s most popular sites this year.
Performance
Avant-garde British designer Gareth Pugh unveiled his S/S ’15 collection in a show (in collaboration with Lexus Design Disrupted and MADE) that merged fashion, contemporary dance and technology. Transforming the basketball arena at NYC’s Pier 36 into a dark club, this Hyperlapse from model Coco Rocha captures the essence of the event.
Nature
Surfers at Lighthouse Field State Beach in Santa Cruz, California in the line-up paddling for peak position—and from this perspective, they look more like a pod of dolphins. The ocean’s rhythm and strength is even more mesmerizing when put to the speeded-up pace of the app.
Space
Though NASA space organization technically didn’t use the Hyperlapse app or an iPhone to create this time-lapse video of Earth from January to July 2014, we couldn’t resist including it in the round-up—as it sets the bar high. The vast blue seas, the swirling clouds, the deterioration of snow cover is a beautiful reminder of how unique the ever-changing planet is.
Exhibitions
Cool Hunting’s first foray into the app was a brisk walk through Sol LeWitt’s retrospective at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA), which is on view until 2033. Natural light streaming in through the windows, brick in lieu of white walls, the maze-like set up and, of course, the artist’s bold, large-scale works indicate that this isn’t your typical museum experience.
Travel
A Continuous Lean’s Michael Williams sums up the epitome of summer with his Hyperlapse aboard Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, which travels along the coastline and offers a ming-bogglingly close-up view of the beautiful Southern California seascape.
Races
A cycling race, in Hyperlapse, shows not only the intensity of the sport but also the great form of the riders, where in the middle of the packs, it’s near impossible to distinguish one cyclist from another.
Selfie
Icelandic designer and illustrator Siggi Odds offers a unique take on the clever technology by playing with the contrast of fast and slow, starring his own face.
Cooking
Instant ice cream is indeed possible, as this video from new brand Nitro Scoops shows. With just dash of liquid nitrogen and Hyperlapse momentum, the sweet treat comes to life in a quick eight seconds.
Doodles
There’s so much potential for visual artists to make use of Hyperlapse, other than starting and finishing a painting in a minute. This cute video from illustrator Jon Burgerman has a yummy surprise ending.
