Sunrise Timelapse Ideas During Your Flight

There’s nothing quite like watching Melbourne awaken from above—but capturing it in a sunrise timelapse takes the experience to another level.
A hot air balloon ride over Melbourne gives you front-row seats to one of nature’s most beautiful shows, and a timelapse lets you relive those changing colours and drifting clouds long after you’ve landed.

Here are some creative timelapse ideas to try during your flight.

1. The Glow Before Takeoff ✨

The magic begins even before the balloon leaves the ground. Set up your phone or camera to record as the crew inflates the balloon—the burners firing, the fabric rising, and the soft morning light growing brighter.

🎥 Tip: Start recording about 15 minutes before takeoff. Capture the balloon transforming from a bundle of fabric to a towering, glowing giant.

2. The Lift-Off Sequence 🎈

There’s no better feeling than watching the ground slowly drift away. A short timelapse from inside the basket perfectly shows the calm, steady rise into the sky.

🎥 Tip: Secure your phone with a wrist strap and angle slightly downward to show both the basket edge and the shrinking ground below.

3. The Changing Colours of Sunrise 🌅

As you ascend, the horizon shifts from deep blue to gold, pink, and orange. Capture a continuous timelapse during this phase—the most dramatic lighting of the entire flight.

🎥 Settings:

• Use wide angle or “0.5x” on your phone.

• Lock exposure and focus to prevent flickering as brightness increases.

• Keep recording for at least 10–15 minutes to capture the full transition.

4. The City Awakening 🏙️

Once you’re above Melbourne, point your camera toward the skyline. The lights of early morning slowly fade as the city comes to life. This sequence works beautifully for both wide landscape shots and zoomed-in clips of landmarks like the MCG or Flinders Street Station.

🎥 Tip: Pan slowly across the horizon or let the balloon’s natural drift do the movement for you.

5. The Shadows and Reflections 🌤️

As the sun climbs higher, you’ll start to see long shadows stretching across parks and buildings, and reflections glimmering on the Yarra River.
A short timelapse during this phase adds beautiful texture to your video and contrasts nicely with the soft sunrise tones earlier.

🎥 Pro idea: If the conditions are misty, focus on the layers of fog lifting—it's pure cinematic magic.

6. The Descent and Landing 🎥

Don’t stop filming yet! A landing timelapse is the perfect finale—showing the basket touching down, the burners cooling, and your crew packing up the balloon. It’s a satisfying “end credits” to your flight story.

🎥 Tip: Time your recording for when the pilot begins lowering altitude. Capture those final peaceful moments before touchdown.

7. Editing & Sharing

After the flight, combine your clips using apps like CapCut, InShot, or LumaFusion. Add gentle background music and a timestamp overlay to highlight the time passing.

🎥 Hashtag suggestions:
#MelbourneFromAbove #SunriseTimelapse #HotAirBalloonMelbourne #ChasingTheLight

Why a Timelapse Tells the Story Best

Still photos capture moments—but a timelapse tells the whole story.
You’ll see the sky change, the city wake up, and your balloon drift gracefully with the wind. It’s the perfect way to remember not just what you saw, but how it felt.

✨ Ready to film the sunrise of a lifetime?

Book your Melbourne sunrise hot air balloon flight and create a timelapse that captures the beauty, light, and peace of the sky.