So what was I doing in Japan?!

For most of September I was touring in Japan, for those who don't know I am actually an acoustic guitarist as well as a camera/technology addict.

This year alongside my playing I though that it would be fun to do a big timelapse project so I lugged about 30KG of photographic equipment to Japan along with me, the mac and my guitar.


This included a few pieces of equipment I had for review - some video lights, white balance cards, audio recorder etc. (those should be coming out very soon...)


So when I wasn't playing gigs with Japanese metal, pop punk bands....






...and chilling with fans



:o


I was sitting or standing for hours listening to a camera shutter fire every few seconds, perhaps with the added twist of the motorised dolly moving.

Youtube Collaborations with Hanafubuki / Yokomaririn

I can't remember exactly how I first found Yoko's videos, perhaps it was a fortuitous related video I followed from the video of another jvlogger I was subbed to.... However it happened I am very glad it did because under the Hanafubuki banner Shibata Yoko and Tohdo Naoki have made some stunning videos.






On previous visits to Japan I have been fortunate enough to meet them and I have been mentioned in a few videos which you can view below.


This year we actually set out to make a collaboration video which is still being edited but is nearing completion...



it was a fun shoot around Umeda in Osaka despite some heavy rain forcing changes to planned locations.






Later in the trip I visited Kyoto and we spontaneously met up when I was out shooting more time-lapses around the city. Ate some great Tempura and Noodles, after which I actually got to feature in a 'Snack time' video featured on the Yokomaririn Channel




I look tired and slightly scruffy as I had only planned to be behind the camera that day!

Here are more videos from Yoko sans channels which feature me in some way ; )

Meeting Youtubers at the Lomography Store in Tokyo!

Whilst I was in Japan I had the honour of meeting several fellow youtubers and I even made a couple of collaboration videos with one of them!

First up Minjonju



We share an interest in cameras and photography though my knowledge and skill pales in comparison to his!
I have actually featured in a couple of his videos before which you can view below, I owe him a big thanks for helping set up my gig at the Tokyo Lomography Store in Harajuku.



It was a very enjoyable gig surrounded by all the Lomo finery and I also got to meet Japanese techblogging legend Jetdaisuke!

Bristol Balloon Fiesta 2011

I decided to head down to Bristols annual Hot Air Balloon extravaganza and shoot some timelapse videos of the Balloons inflating and taking off.

I had enquired before hand about getting access to the press/media area in order to get better shots as the spectators are not allowed in the arena where all the balloons inflate. Unfortunately they had filled the quota etc. for the event..... not to be discourage I got up bright and early for one of the 6am launches arriving on site before 5am.

Through the use of Jedi mind tricks and an ability of being able to act like I'm meant to be 'backstage' gleaned from countless concerts/festivals etc. I managed to get into the arena and capture the following timelapses with the use of various cameras, lenses and a Kessler Crane PB Dolly.




The weather was not ideal for the launch, also the clouds were 'boring' from a timelapse point of view for most of the morning.


The following day I returned with my family and shot this sequence from a hill at the side of the arena that I had scoped out the previous day.

Just Arrived! Little Bramper

Little Bramper - Bulb Ramping intervalometer, a set on Flickr.

I have just received a Little Bramper!
This little device acts as a timelapse timer/intervalometer.
But thats not the good part, it allows you to smoothly vary the exposure time. This means you can get amazing Sunrise/Sunset time-lapses.
It is available in limited runs here http://www.thewhippersnapper.com/LittleBramper/Site/Home.html

Call Me - arr. Dale Campbell

Not 'tech' on the face of it but this is a new video from my music channel.

I shot this with;

Canon 550D

Sigma 30mm f1.4 prime lens

Some daylight balanced energy saving bulbs

A couple of dark blue 'fleece' blankets for the Black background

A Kessler Crane Philip Bloom Pocket Dolley (no dolly shots made it to the final cut)

For the wide shots of me I use the 550D 'vertically' in portrait orientation as this gave me the best resolution as I had a lot of wasted space on either side when using the camera in its standard orientation.

This was flipped and resized in post.

In camera I was using the cinestyle picture style and I then graded with Magic Bullet Looks 2 the latest version.

Movie Looks HD - app review