Location 3D filming
Capturing wildlife in 3D is often the realm of studio work – but over the past couple of years, projects such as Micro Monsters and Conquest of the Skies have allowed me to develop new techniques, enabling location filming of wildlife, in macro and wides.
Faster rigs and more sensitive cameras, combined with the latest lighting equipment, mean location filming is now viable.
3D Timelapses
3D timelapses on location using a mirror rig with paired D800 cameras, mounted on a motion-controlled pan / tilt head and dolly designed and built by me to accommodate the demands of stereo rigs. Rigs such as this have been used in Conquest of the Skies, Galapagos and Hidden Kingdoms.
From the very fast to the very slow.
Phantom 4k 3D
Wildlife can be quite skittish, so to reveal their intricate behaviour Phantom Flex (2k and 4k) cameras have been used to slow their behaviour down so every splash can be enjoyed in detail and depth
Phantom Rig
To capture complex behaviour in 3D requires some finely engineered rigs and optics for maximum light transmission, depth and detail. Then bolt on a pair of Phantom Flex cameras and some specialist lighting and you’re able to capture some stunning detailed images.
Timelapse 3D
At the other end of the scale are the slow things in life such as plants. They too have stunning detail and depth but present another set of challenges.
Timelapse 3D rigs
Stereo sliders enable a single camera and lens to capture the full stereo effect by shuffling the camera left and right so it can ‘see’ both eye’s perspective. Seamless integration into motion controlled system means 3D capture is made easier than every before for speeding up the slow things in life.
Location Macro
While compositing is a superb tool, it’s always best and sometimes most challenging to shoot something for real. Thanks for innovations in rig design, that is now possible. For the first time we can take the studio out into the location and capture natural behaviour in the wild. Just add lighting.
From the very big to to the very small.
Immersive landscapes
Capturing the epic landscapes of the Galapagos in 3D presents new challenges and demands new camera techniques
Side-by-side rigs
Big landscapes means even bigger IAs between the cameras, from 5 feet to 50 meters in some cases.
Microscopic 3D
From the vast landscapes of the Galapagos to the microscopic world of social amoeba. No less fascinating and stunning in 3D.
Microscopic rigs
The domain of the tiny is especially hard to capture in 3D, with depth and working distances working against you. However, with patience it pays off and the results are fabulous, as witnessed in National Geographic’s IMAX film ‘Mysteries of the Unseen World’.
