Timelapse of a City Waking Up

Fixed-position timelapse from a rooftop overlooking a dense city intersection.
Blue hour through to full morning rush, compressed to 20 seconds.

PROGRESSION
0-4s: Deep blue pre-dawn. Street lights on, almost no traffic, a single delivery van.
4-9s: First warm light on the tallest building faces. Shutters lifting, a few pedestrians.
9-14s: Sun clears the skyline. Long shadows sweeping across the intersection.
14-20s: Full daylight. Traffic dense and continuous, crossings surging in rhythm.

TECHNICAL
Camera absolutely locked — no drift, no reframe.
Holy-grail exposure ramp: the transition from night to day exposure must be smooth,
with no visible stepping or flicker.
Shadows move continuously and consistently with a single sun position.

LOOK
Cool blue shadows early, warm amber highlights as the sun arrives.
Slight haze in the air for depth. Sharp throughout — deep focus.

AUDIO
Ambient city bed that builds in density alongside the visual: near-silence to full traffic.
No music.