Raspberry Pi Python script that shoots a single photo with a filename corresponding to the time and date. Can be called over and over in a timelapse context.

record_timelapse.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import os
import time
import subprocess
from datetime import datetime

def has_already_restarted():
    return os.path.exists("/tmp/camera_restart_status")

def mark_as_restarted():
    with open("/tmp/camera_restart_status", "w") as f:
        f.write("restarted")

def capture_image():
    try:
        timestamp = int(time.time())
        output_path = f"./timelapse/{timestamp}.jpg"
        command = [
            "libcamera-still", "--output", output_path, "--awb", "indoor", "--hdr", "auto", "-q", "100",
            "--height", "1440", "--width", "2560", "--brightness", "0.1"
        ]
        result = subprocess.run(command, check=True, capture_output=True, text=True)
        print(f"Success: {output_path}")
    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
        print(f"Error: {e.stderr}")
        return False
    return True

def main():
    if not capture_image():
        if has_already_restarted():
            print("Error: Camera still not working, no longer rebooting.")
        else:
            print("Error! Rebooting Pi...")
            mark_as_restarted()
            os.system("sudo reboot")
    else:
        if has_already_restarted():
            os.remove("/tmp/camera_restart_status")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()