Collecting information via time-lapse photography is nothing new. Scientists and artists have been using this kind of data since the late 1800s. However, my research and experiments with time-lapse have shown that great potential may lie in its application to educational and social scientific research methods. This article is part history, part research method, and part methodology. As I uncover the science and art of time-lapse and sort through theory and practice from a number of fields, I share these findings, collect my own time-lapse data, and pose new queries into the use of time-lapse data collection for qualitative and social research.