12 DIGITAL CAMERA^ JUNE 2019Inside Matthew’s camera bag
The lenses, gadgets and accessories that make for filming fun1 Nikon
D
This is Matt’s primary
camera, offering him a
36.3MP full-frame sensor.
The D810 records Full
HD (1080p) videos at
50p/60p frame rates.2 Nikon
D
“I always take two cameras
with me in case one breaks,”
says Matt. “Having two
means you can mount
a different lens on each
camera.” The D750’s tilting
LCD display is a boon when
Matt is recording video.3 Nikkor
lenses
“The usual lenses I have
in my bag are a 17mm and
a 35mm f/1.8, which I love
to use in markets for
storytelling portraits... I’ve
also got a 50mm f/1.8; a 24-
70mm f/2.8 for when I don’t
need the aperture to go as
wide; and a 70-200mm f/2.8.
A 105mm macro lens only
goes on some trips.” Matt had
also hired several optics for
Skomer, including the Sigma
120-300mm f/2.8 and a
1.4x and 2x teleconverter.4 Lowepro
Pro Trekker
AP
Matt’s new bag is the
ultimate expedition-style
pack, which can hold two
DSLRs, up to six extra lenses
and a laptop. “I feel like I’ve
tried out every bag, and I’m
so happy with this one. It has
a detachable top, which could
be taken off if I was going to
use it as flight luggage.”5 Zoom
H1 recorder
Matt uses a super-compact
H1 Handy Recorder, with
a Røde lapel mic and a wind
protector. The H1 is the
perfect size for taking
along on travel shoots.6 3 Legged
Thing tripod
“As well as my tripod for
stabilisation, for shooting
video we have a Steadicam
and Osmo stabiliser crane.”7 Lee Filters
ND grads
Matt’s filters came out to
play when he was shooting
landscapes. “I just carry a 0.
and 0.9 soft grad, a 0.9 hard,
and then a Lee Filters Kit.”6341Matt is careful to
stay on the path,
back from the puffin
burrows while filming.a loud clap means that the audio is
synced, which in turn makes editing
more straightforward. “One thing we
haven’t done yet is to capture a wild track
of where we’re shooting,” Matt tells me.
This ‘wild track’, an ambient recording,
will be laid over the final footage later
on for a more authentic outcome.
Every Photo Escapes film has an
element of fun, but there’s also plenty of
information in there about each location.
By weaving a mix of personality and
background into each trip, the result is
truly immersive. Skomer is run by the
Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales,
and to bring in a human element, Matt
interviews Sarah, the island’s visitor
officer and warden. This provides a
chance to find out what makes the island
special and what people can see there,
and to add a passionate voice into the
footage. He asks questions and puts his
subject at ease, and the conversation
reveals more about Skomer’s wildlife,
which will add depth to the final film.
There are many DSLR video skills that
overlap with stills photography: Matt
tweaks the composition, focus, exposure
and colour to get the most creative
footage. Video itself is shot with manual
settings, for control. A 50mm lens at f/
gets used for most of the close-up
camera presenting, while a variable
neutral-density filter helps to darken
the exposure if required.
This trip has been a shoot of two halves,
covering the tips and tricks for creating
videos and the challenges of travel
photography. For the stills on these
pages, Matt was adept at using a raft of
lenses, plus stabilising focal lengths up
to 900mm. I’ve barely had space to
mention the continuous shooting modes
for sharp wildlife portraits, the inclusion
of low and unusual angles, or his
constant striving to capture the best- stills or video – that he possibly can.
As the boat to takes us back to the
mainland, I’m brimming with anticipation
to see the edited film. “We know what we
need, and how we want it to look,” says
Matt. “For anyone who wants to get into
filming with their DSLR, come up with
a concept. You’ll find your own style.”
one
to
one
All about
the audio
For pro video content,
recording quality audio
is just as important as
(if not more than) getting
the visuals right. When
he’s talking to camera or
conducting interviews,
Matt attaches a small
Røde lapel mic to a Zoom
recorder inside his coat,
keeping it central so the
levels won’t be affected
if he turns his head.The Zoom H
recorder that Matt
uses to record audio
for Photo Escapes.