All set to go!
We fly out from Brizon Norton this afternoon – After a short piece to camera with Stewart on the runway.
Right up until this point, it’s been a frantic rollercoaster of preparation.
Here’s me packed for the next six weeks.
nanoFlash and EX1
Here’s a photo of the EX and the nanoFlash set up on the hotshot of the EX1. The same kind of workflow that Frozen Planet and Top Gear have been using. A good setup, though a bit cumbersome for those nippy hand held shots, especially with the battery Velcro’ed to the side. We will see. A D-Tap connector would be ideal.
nanoFlash and EX1.. And the BBC HD Guidelines.
Took delivery of the nanoFlash and a second hand EX1 today for our documentary. Time will tell on the use of this neat little device.
We are set for 4:2:2 but it’s a pain in the bum when you can’t get hold of the BBC DQ group.. Does one budding cameraman shoot in 25p or 25i? According to the guidelines, 25i is acceptable, but I prefer the digital workflow of 25p.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/dq/pdf/tv/TechnicalDeliveryStandardsFileBBCv2.pdf
Documentary filming project on the UK Overseas Territories
A new adventure is dawning for me. The plant specialist, explorer and naturalist Stewart McPherson has commissioned me as cameraman to join him on several leg’s of a filming expedition that will cover the wildlife and human stories of existing conservation projects on each of our own UK Overseas Territories. In conjunction with Kew Gardens, Stewart has researched several key conservation stories and obtained permission to film on The Acension Island, St. Helena, The Antarctic and South Georgia, The Caribbean, Gibraltar and Akrotiri in Cyprus. Our first leg will take us to St. Helena and Ascension Island, where we aim to film nesting sea turtles and land crabs, alongside the volcanic terraforms of this spectacular and wild island.
View the map of our destinations here, and watch out for a link that will track our progress LIVE as we travel around the world on our filming expedition’s to the UK Overseas Territories!
Buff sponsorship
I was lucky enough during the winter of 2010 to be sponsored some great head and neckwear from Buff! Thanks guys.
I used a range of Buff’s over the winter, mainly the Polar Reversible Buff during our Paragliding trip to northern Nepal in January, and then the Polar buff again whilst skiing the Eiger ski area in Switzerland. Throughout the summer I’ll be using the Original Buff, to keep away the summer evening chill whilst up in the air, and of course the mozzy’s! Next Winter (or during any Sprintime chills), I’m hoping to give the Cyclone Buff, a great combo that has a windproof section that is ideal for open cockpit air sports, motorcycling and much more!
Paragliding in a 'gaggle' above Sarangkot, Pokhara in northern Nepal
Looking back onto Sarangkot on a sweet evening flight.
Winter to Winter – Paragliding & Adventures 2010
“Ok I went a bit overboard with photo’s – But there was so many good ones to choose from. Mind you, this is a whole years worth of flying, so it is to be expected!”
From Winter to Winter – Paragliding & Adventures 2010, posted by Simon Vacher on 1/06/2011 (108 items)
- Monks Down
- Whitewool
- Butser West
- Butser West
- Butser West
- Butser West
- Butser West
- Butser West
- Trueligh
- Trueligh
- Bell Hill – Oops!
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill – Very cold
- Bell Hill – Pub car park nearby
- Bell Hill
- Stubbington
- Stubbington
- White Horse, Dorset
- Ringstead
- Mercury
- Woolacombe
- Osmington – ‘Smuggler’s Inn’
- Blorenge, Wales
- Blorenge, Wales
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Whitewool XC
- Swanage
- Swanage
- Osmington – ‘Smuggler’s Inn’
- Osmington – ‘Smuggler’s Inn’
- Osmington – ‘Smuggler’s Inn’
- Barton-on-sea
- Mercury
- Rhigos
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Rhossili
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- Woolacombe
- St. Albans head & Chapmans Pool
- St. Albans head & Chapmans Pool
- St. Albans head & Chapmans Pool
- St. Albans head & Chapmans Pool
- St. Albans head & Chapmans Pool
- Hundred Houses
- Hundred Houses
- Hundred Houses – 12km away
- Hundred Houses – 12km away
- Hundred Houses campsite
- Hay Bluff
- Hay Bluff
- Hay Bluff
- Nanty Moel
- White Horse
- White Horse
- White Horse
- XC Whitewool
- XC Whitewool
- Portugal
- Portugal
- Portugal
- Westbury
- Woolacombe
- Kimmeridge
- Bell Hill
- Bell Hill
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Monks Down
- Monks Down
- Monks Down
- Mercury
- Mercury
- Mercury
- Mercury
- Mercury
- Mercury
- Westbury
- Monks Down
- Whitewool
- Whitewool
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
- Westbury
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New Ozone Delta! A first flight.
Well finally this incredible wing has made it’s way to me! Thanks and courtesy to Sussex Paragliding for arranging that.
What to be said about this wing is that all the hype is true! And so next year will be a year for the most incredible aerial adventures, taking the sky elevator to cloud base and gliding through the thermic summer air. WAHOO!!
Paragliding Westbury, White Horse in November
What a stunning day! Really clear. Thought I’d take the opportunity to fly at Westbury in the late afternoon sun. Although it was windy there wasn’t much to worry about as the air was smooth and laminar as it came up over the White Horse hill. It also gave me a first chance to try the GoPro out with a few angles – The best seems to be from the side or front, where you see the pilot. Helment mounted is fun, as it deck-mounted!
Mountain bike experiments
How many times have I thought how cool it would be to put a camera in all those different places when out riding? Well the GoPro HERO HD is the answer! And here’s the results of today’s experiment …
Bell Hill paragliding in November – A Bleak Session!
From Bell Hill Paragliding – A Bleak Session, posted by Simon Vacher on 12/02/2010 (8 items)
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Simon Vacher Media
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- I favorited a @YouTube video http://t.co/eBWO18Bl Cineflex - Norwegian sunrise.mp4
- I liked a @YouTube video http://t.co/eBWO18Bl Cineflex - Norwegian sunrise.mp4
- I liked a @YouTube video http://t.co/f49maC5S Rc paraglider http://t.co/ea0F6tJu - Spiral 1.2m²
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- I favorited a @YouTube video from @wingoverclub http://t.co/tdzueBMb DIY "Леталка" / Shagov's Gopro Paragliding
- I liked a @YouTube video from @wingoverclub http://t.co/tdzueBMb DIY "Леталка" / Shagov's Gopro Paragliding Cha
- @skysurfingclub @dukeofted Yes I'm game Rich, but it's forecast to be 17 - 32 mph!!
- @skysurfingclub Yes I'm game Rich, but it's forecast to be 17 - 32mph!!