AUGUST 2022 - Drone operator on the Isle of Arran for Dana BBC ALBA Show

Great to return to another Dana TV show this time on the isle of Arran. Again here I am doing the aerial filming while Hamish does the directing and A camera. Kenny presenting and Rich doing the mountain safety. We are now all good friends after several trips together and these are a total pleasure to do. Day one I think spent 14hrs on our feet and half of this carrying all our camping kit, food and drone kit. Fortunately we set up camp in the morning then headed to film the main part of the Arran ridge. I hadn’t climbed here since I was a student and I’d forgotten how amazing the mountains here are.

We were lucky with the weather after a midgy and damp start it cleared to an amazing day as we walked up. Then the ridge itself was spectacular and we got a great sunset. As in almost all Dana episodes we arrived at our pre set camp on the ridge in the dark with head torches. No minutes of the day wasted without filming lol.

The next day we awoke in the clouds and rain after a blustery night. Then we walked on into another clearing day that was very atmospheric:) Rona next

Kenny at his bivvi site on the ridge:)

The Epic Team:)

AUGUST 2022 - Drone pilot Orkney for more light shows and filming round the islands including North Ronaldsay

This was a fun trip getting to fly a drone on Orkney and North Ronaldsay. We had about a week or more up here to create a few light shows and get a bunch of shots of the islands. North Ronaldsay was a new Island for me with 4.5hrs further north from Orkney where myself and Rupert did the filming of the light shows up there. then Richard Elliot and several hundred volunteers joined us in Orkney at the stone circles for a great light show there! Again great editing and directing from Rupert Shanks.

North Ronaldsay Lighthouse

AUGUST 2022 - Drone pilot Aviemore with a night shoot and light display

This was the first of several shoots to come of filming lights at night as several hundred volunteers create a light show. Part of Green spaces dark skies series. Rupert Shanks was directing with James shooter doing daytime drone and both doing night shots on the ground. I did some camera and long lens during the day and then Drone at night with the Inspire 2 drone with X7 camera shooting in prores.

Pretty exciting shoot as only have 40mins at night to get the shots. But longer during the day. Camping shots by Rupert and beautifully put together by Rupert and Lindsay the editor.

Practice as the light starts to get right for it:)

AUGUST 2022 - Aerial filming Perth, Scotland at Scone Palace

Today was filming for a large event with Joe Wicks the body coach at Scone Palace. Definitely some tight Risk Assessments for things like these each time. Was a fun day and all a bit of a blur as happened so fast lol. Flying the inspire 2 but trying to use longer lens to seem like I am closer to the crowds than I am. Had some good shots and the rain stayed off just for us:) This is to create an advert of these type events:)

Standby for the start of the show

Joe Wicks on stage

AUGUST 2022 - Drone pilot at St. Andrews for a drone demo with Nat Geo and Journalist

So this was first for me. Here I was doing a drone demo and letting other people fly my drones eeeek!! Several Journalist from round the country came to do a piece on Europe from Above and to find out more about drones. I was losing my voice a bit from a post cold (not covid this time thankfully) but I think I held it together with my speaking lol.

Was great to meet this group and I set up a little kind of assault course with the drone for them to do. All at the Fairmount hotel which was nice. If the photographer on the ground sees the images below please give me a shout I’ll pop a link to your site as pics are superb.

Some of the articles here:

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/how-aerial-photography-reveals-scotlands-complex-beauty-in-national-geographic-show-europe-from-above-1790354

https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/17-stunning-pictures-that-show-scotland-from-the-air-3799319

https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1652679/Europe-From-Above-series-4-National-Geographic

https://www-tmp.thenational.scot/news/20614505.europe-national-geographic-set-showcase-scotland-new-season/

A few pics below of the day:)

Pics from photographer that day. Who I can't remember eeek! If you see this remind me I'll pop a link to your website:)

The Fairmount Hotel and golf course

AUGUST 2022 - Drone Pilot on the Western Isles, Barra for National Geographic

A trip to Barra for the second time this year. This time for ‘Europe from above’ a National Geographic program you can get on the Disney channel. Can see last years series just now, where I filmed about 70% of the Scottish parts:)

Well this was a challenging shoot travelling all the way there with ferries needing booked well in advance and then first day of shooting the winds are 40mph and raining!! Fortunately we got a couple of moments where it cleared and winds dropped and managed to film two planes landing. A few permissions were needed for this lol.

What an awesome airport where the planes only land at low tide on the beach. Great bunch of crew working there to making for some fun filming. the weather was a bit better day two after a morning of rain. Had to squeeze my 2 day shoot into an afternoon. I was like a headless chicken trying to get it done and ticking off the script as i went.

JULY 2022 - Live Drone pilot filming at Belladrum, Inverness

This was an exciting day filming live for BBC and BBC ALBA at Belladrum during the main event evening then shooting the massive fireworks at the end. The fact it is live makes everything more exciting especially the fireworks as they go off just nearby you as you are flying nearish to them and hoping none go off track towards the drone lol.

JULY 2022 - Drone pilot Aberdeen direction as I aerial film storm destruction at Haddo House

Pretty interesting and a real shame for the estate and many others in Aberdeen area with the destruction of forests and trees all over Aberdeenshire. This was for a TV show about the storm. Some shots from the air below to see the destruction. Pretty windy day for flying but got some great shots all the same:)

JULY 2022 - Camera operator and Drone pilot Isle of Arran for BBC Countryfile

A great few days over on the Isle of Arran with Countryfile as we do a piece on the poor state of the CalMac ferries. Bit of touring round the island speaking to different business’s. Great bunch of locals, from hotels, farmers, shop owners, cocktail bar etc. We got some good weather too so was a fun journey. Tom Heap was presenting, Becky Whitefoot directing/producing and Martin McNair on the sound:)

We also had a bonus day out on a rib filming the calmac ferries by drone. This was great fun and always a bit more adrenaline flying from small boats. But a smooth day at sea:)

JULY 2022 - Aerial filming trains from London to Luechars

A few days as drone operator for Richard Elliott Aerial Filming. Richard was away on a cruise filming ships so myself and Pete stepped in for a few days. A few dual op days and a few solo days and a lot of driving. Finished footage was for use in a TV Commercial for LNER. Always exciting filming trains and trying to find nice spots but also spots so you can see the train coming and actually have the drone rolling in time for it:)

JULY 2022 - Aerial filming in Melrose in the Scottish borders and down in Ribchester England. More horses

Here we are back with the Stunt horse team to film as they pack up in the Scottish Borders for a journey to Ribchester for the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show. Here they are putting on a Cowboys and Indian show. I am filming with my drone the Inspire 2 when it doesn’t rain and also doing some long lens slow mo action of the riders. A Great day seeing this team riding, they are pretty amazing at what they do:) This is for a BBC prime time program following this team and directed by Ramsay.

JUNE - JULY 2022 - Camera operator and aerial filming around Aviemore for a few days with G2 Outdoors

So continuing filming with G2 Outdoor for their new website. getting out Tubing, Zipping on both self guided and the big guided zip and also their Gorge which lies below the Zips. Was a fun few days always a great fun team at G2 and with good weather for the filming. So busy just now though be a while before I get to editing these together lol.

JUNE 2022 - Drone and Camera Operator and editor for Wolftrax films

Spent a few great days filming with several different people for Wolftrax as put together a few short films for their new website. Below to see:)

JUNE 2022 - Aerial Filming highlands on a short fictional film with an all female cast:)

A fun challenging day working on this short fictional film. A costume drama with lots of sword fights and a great all female cast. I was filming with the Inspire 2 and trying to get some stable running scenes in winds that slowly increased to about 35mph lol. We managed to get some good shots and everyone seemed happy. A great crew from all over UK here and a fun crew to work with.

JUNE 2022 - Drone pilot Scottish Borders for BBC show on a horse stunt team

Today I was back with Ramsay and Robyn from Caledonia TV for a program about a horse stunt team in the borders of Scotland. Today was a little different where we were filming an annual ride out of 300 or more horse, which was pretty amazing to see. Very busy few hours so not much chance for pics as had to film then run to the next spot lol. Will go out late summer on Prime time BBC.

APRIL 2022 - Drone pilot on Mingulay over on the Western Isles for BBC ALBA

Now this was an amazing trip with the Dana crew. Filming the 8th episode together and the 2nd episode of season two. Here we head to Mingulay the un-inhabited island on the far south of the Western Isles. We are going for 4 days camping and climbing on the massive sea cliffs. there is something very special about this island, not sure what it is just feels great being there with the wildlife and sea and cliffs:)

We amazing get great weather although quite windy. We almost get stuck there which we were all looking forward to but Angus in his boat managed to get in to the little rocky gully where we load up. Some pics below just to show how amazing the place looks.

The footage was stunning here with climbers high on the cliffs and an ever moving background of waves crashing against the cliffs. Akira Kurosawa would have loved the movement in the shots lol. These episodes are out in October:)

APRIL 2022 - Filming for BBC Education at Falkirk wheel and the Kelpies

Another day filming for BBC education on the canals between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Also filming in Dundee and Edinburgh centre for three films

APRIL 2022 - Aerial filming and Camera Operator in Aberdeen for BBC Education

Have done several of these jobs before during covid times for online learning in schools. It is an animated series for Geography. I shoot the plate shots and then the team animate them with characters on their journey learning about the geography. This time was in Aberdeen and the Deeside way. Fun day filming just by myself:)

MARCH 2022 - Aerial filming on Isle of Skye for BBC ALBA

Had a great week here working for Solus productions on a Dana episode for BBC ALBA. We aimed to do a winter traverse of the Cuillin ridge but the weather did not permit us so we had a few days on the Cuillin ridge doing some munro in great winter conditions and a rock climb on the Cinch one of the other days in-between the 80mph winds and snow/rain lol.

Great team as alway here with Hamish as A Camera and director myself doing drone and second camera and Kenny presenting with Matt. Rich Parker and Jon Saunders doing our safety. Pretty heavy sacks and lots of walking for us all but should be a great episode in October:)

MARCH 2022 - Drone pilot Ben Nevis as 3 climbers make a new first ascent

Here we spend two days on Ben Nevis in great weather filming one of the last great ice climbs getting done for the first time. Great conditions but still looked terrifying as the icicle does not touch the ground and is free hanging so the team have to decide whether they reckon it is safe to be swinging ice axes at:)

Alastair Lee is hanging on a rope to catch the close ups while I fly from below with the drone and a long lease too:) Greg Boswell, Guy Robertson and Hamish Frost are the climbers. Robin is doing the safety for Alastair.