September 2022 - Aerial Filming on Holy Island for Nat Geo

A trip to Holy Island for a bit of filming of an archeologist dig for the program “Europe from Above” can see last years on the Disney channel. Super interesting learning about this very early healing island and early Christian place and who lived there.

Also ome interesting weather to deal with. Was rewarded for both my early mornings filming the Sunrise though. Especially liked the castle framed through the church spire:) Had to occasionally fly the small drone due to the number of tourists around. Nice and quiet when the causeway is closed lol.

Castle framed through the Spire in 25mph winds and a bouncy drone:)

A 600 or more year old day person eeek.

Holy Island castle at dawn:)

Abbey and the dig from the mini 3 pro drone

The dig

SEPTEMBER 2022 - Director of Photography and Aerial Filming in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales

Green Space Dark Skies Light Art Project all over the UK

So for this whole month I was on this project with my good friend Rupert Shanks. Rupert was directing and I was Director of Photography for the month. I mainly filmed with the Inspire 2 during each shoot alongside Phil and Tom of Pivotal films from Northern Ireland. We then had a variety of camera folk. Fred, Mike Webster, and good mate Andrew O’Donnell. Then Jason, Olly and Amy from production done by CC-Lab who were great to work with.

This light show was a concept by John and Mark to make an art installation on the highest peak in each country in the UK. A pretty hard thing to do mainly thinking of the weather on these peaks and whether you could actually film it. Also if volunteers will be keen. But all worked out amazingly. We had a few exciting days with weather but got there in the end.

The first shoot on Scafell Rupert was on another job so I had to fill in directing. This was fun as none of us new each other and was the first time filming together and figuring out how the light team and camera team can all work together. And a few plans changed at the last minute and a camera team looking at you for what we should do different. Was quite a bit of adrenaline but all worked out well and got some great shots with the 550 people on the mountain!

The finished film below which aired on Countryfile and has been seen by 5.5m people at time of writing this. Opening shot is mine:) Plus the sunrise shots on the thumbnail and at the end:)

AUGUST 2022 - Aerial filming on Rona near Skye for Dana with BBC ALBA

Another great trip aerial filming for BBC ALBA . This time with new team member Owen we head to the Isle of Rona near Skye to see if we can climb any new rock routes😁. Pretty interesting trying to find routes and how safe they maybe as you climb up. Might even see a drone in this show? Was great fun few days somewhere new😁. Kenny presenting, Hamish directing and A Camera and editing (most things really), Rich Parkermountain safety and myself on aerial filming😁🎥. Production by Solus Productions

The ace Dana team on the way:)

Rona Bay

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 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.

MAY 2022 - Countryfile episode Camera and drone in Kilmarnock and Aviemore

Always fun filming with BBC Countryfile. Here we filmed a piece about the making of a Children in need hat in a Kilmarnock factory and also interviewed a Ukrainian farmer online. Then we came to Aviemore to film with Fiona’s ponies on a piece about the Queen for the Jubilee. Great to finish on my own patch and meet another local too.

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:)

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:)

FEBRUARY 2022 - Drone pilot London to St Andrews while aerial filming trains

So this week I have been working for Richard Elliot aerial filming. Richard does a lot of filming of LNER trains and needed a hand from myself and Pete as we had to cover London to St Andrews. A lot of driving for this job but fun. There is always a bit of adrenaline filming trains as they usually come allow pretty fast and and gone quickly. Easier near london as the next one is along 5mins later but in Scotland its a bit more exciting as when you miss it. It might be 2-4 hrs before the next one lol.

This was for creating their new TV advert

FEBRUARY 2022 - Drone operator Stonehaven at Dunnottar Castle for the Murder Mystery

So today I was told to meet the crew at 10am at Dunnottar Castle to film more for the ancient murder mystery TV Show. but I saw the weather the night before so I stayed at my parents nearby for the night and arrived at 6.45am to have time to set up for sunrise as looked liked it would only be clear for a bit then clouds come in then 45mph winds by midday!

I knew the location of the ancient murder so I went about capturing lots of shots before anyone arrived. I certainly was not disappointed. I reckon my shot revealing the castle with a thick red blood sky just as a large murder of crows fly out from the Tower Keep will definitely be in the opening credits. Not often when everything alines for a money shot but so good when it does:)

FEBRUARY 2022 - Drone pilot Nigg Bay and Fortress for a Murder Mystery TV show

Today I was doing some aerial filming for a Murder Mystery TV show that follows a retired Detective from the States as he along with some specialist experts tries to solve some ancient murders. Super fun and interesting to be involved with. The detective was brilliant to chat too and a fabulous crew. Definitely had some very challenging flying today as the Inspire 2 drone does not like dampness in the air and sleet and snow wasn’t the best but did make some amazing looking shots:)

This cave at Fortress had ancient burial where a guy had his head bashed in eeeeew. Hundreds of years ago though!

JANUARY 2022 - Drone pilot in the Cairngorms and Glen Africa for an Amazon Prime TV Show

So a few days with the drones for an Amazon Prime TV show called Car and Country. Nice bunch of people and we did a bit in the snow in the Cairngorms then headed up Struy estate (A place I actually made 31 films for a few years back lol) to do some Landrover driving and staying in Eagle Braes lovely Log Cabins.

AUGUST 2021 - Aerial filming Honey bees in the Scottish Borders

Back on ‘Europe from Above’ for the Nat Geo program. This time filming with Hoods Honey to film the moving of the bees all from the air apart from a couple of go pro shots and interviews. A fun day out that started very early in the pitch dark before the bees waken up. A few screen grabs. All in log so look a bit bleached out:)

The bees being released next to the Honey

Bees covering my camera:)

The bee taxi from the fields to the hills:)

AUGUST 2021 - Aerial filming in Fort William for BBC 2 'Inside the Factory'

A day filming the Aluminium smelter in Fort William. Pretty interesting to see around this place after passing it a few hundred times over the years. Thankfully I was fore warned by management that the main melting plant gives off a huge magnetic field and has in the past shot drones off into the distance which later crashed in the surrounding forest. I thankfully only had the occasional compass warning as I stayed well away from the central plant building lol.

Here we were filming with the presenter for a few pieces to camera to sync and a few walking shots then I was left to get a bunch of shots to help introduce the different parts of the factory and to head up the slopes of Ben Nevis to get shots of the hydro system:) A fun sunny day to be out.

Fort William Smelter

My High Vis and a helmet to be up in the woods on my own lol.