Where you put the camera matters as much as which camera you use. A $500 camera in the right position produces better timelapse and documentation than a $2,000 camera pointed the wrong way. This guide covers placement strategy for sites of different sizes and configurations.
Every good timelapse position satisfies two requirements: enough elevation to see the full scope of work, and enough horizontal coverage to include all active areas. On most residential and light commercial projects, 20–40 feet of elevation and a 90–110° field of view cover the site adequately from a single point.
Think of the camera as a silent observer standing on a ladder at the corner of the site. From that position, what can you see? What’s hidden by the building itself? What equipment will block the view permanently? Plan the shot before you mount the camera.
Mount at the front corner of the lot at 25–35 feet. A T-post driven adjacent to the construction fence is the simplest option. Angle toward the foundation footprint with the future street frontage visible. This captures the full project sequence from excavation through landscaping from a consistent vantage point.
Position at one corner of the house at second-floor elevation or above. The camera should see the full addition footprint. If the project is primarily interior, a camera aimed at the exterior of the affected face shows structural changes as they progress.
Mount inside the space at ceiling level, aimed toward the primary work area. This requires power and a stable mount on existing structure. The interior angle captures demolition, rough-in, and finish work in sequence.
Multiple cameras are typically required. Start with one exterior overview from the highest accessible adjacent point (adjacent building, temporary tower, construction crane). Add a ground-level camera aimed at the primary entrance to capture material deliveries and crew activity. Add interior cameras as specific areas are enclosed.
Orient cameras so the primary light source (the sun) is behind or to the side of the camera throughout the workday. A camera pointed east will be shooting into the sunrise for the first hours of every day. A camera pointed west catches the setting sun. South-facing cameras in northern latitudes get the most consistent lighting throughout the day.
Ensure your frame includes permanent scale references—an adjacent street, a fence line, or a nearby structure. Without scale references, timelapse footage can be hard to interpret. Viewers can’t tell a 30-foot framed wall from a 12-foot one without context.
Avoid mounting where dumpsters, porta-potties, or equipment staging areas will permanently block significant portions of the frame. These elements are present throughout the project and become distracting features in your timelapse if they obscure key work areas.
Budget permitting, two cameras covering the same site from different angles provides substantially better documentation than one camera. The classic two-camera setup:
BuildCam supports multi-camera projects under a single subscription, with each camera’s footage maintained in a separate archive that can be viewed and exported independently or synchronized on a single timeline.
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