With the iPhone 11 Pro Max, anyone can become a photography superstar. But as great as the camera system on this phone is, I thought...why not try taking it to the next level. 

So ‘Creative shooting...with a few juicy accouterments’  became my mantra and I embarked on a journey to find out how to ‘up my game’.

iPhone 11 Pro Max

The biggest hurdle I faced was knowing where to start - so if you don’t know where to start then let me help you. I was instantly overwhelmed by the number of options to be considered. 

From optics to filters, to stabilizers and so on - there is something for everyone and an option for whatever you need. 

So to save you the leg work and preserve your sanity, I have done the legwork for you and pulled together some of the best add-ons I found. Let’s get into it, shall we?

 

Transform your lens options!

Same lens = same shots = boredom.

Your choice of the lens determines how you will view the world and as a creative you should always be looking to shake things up.

You could try being different from everyone else simply by using a fisheye - it will give you stunning distortions on all your shots.

An anamorphic lens that will make your shots look like those in Star Wars.

A telephoto prime will give you sharp, crystal clear detail on anything you focus on, while a macro will let you capture a close-up of a raindrop on a spider's web.

Any of these lenses will make your shots hugely different from those around you and they are not that expensive to buy.

There are lots of brands and types so whether you're an Instagrammer or a Youtuber - have some fun by transforming your lens collection.

The following M-Series lenses are now part of my own professional gear:

14mm fisheye

58mm telephoto

10mm Macro

1:33 Anamorphic

Each one of these has reshaped what I can do with my iPhone 11 Pro Max and I love it. I recommend that you should check them out.

 

The Transformative Power of Filters

While we all love a sunny day, it’s a challenge when eye-searingly bright sunshine is ruining your images. 

You have to be able to control light if you want to shoot your best. 

You could always move away from the sun... you could change your camera's position and get the sun behind you...or you could just go for delicious ice cream and come back another day, but the better option is -  use a filter.

 

Filters will allow you to take control of bright light situations but it’s important that you understand what a filter does.

They can:

1. reduce the light coming into your camera

2. change your shot's colour when your creative demands it

3. eliminate glare from reflective surfaces like glass and water

Again, I would say there are lots of brands and types out there and with filters quality is important.

For my filters, I went to GOBE – acknowledged specialists in professional quality filters. I bought a 62mm CPL and a 62mm ND 2 – 400.

They were not cheap but are very high quality. I would like to say ‘bring out the sunshine' but I live in Scotland.

Stabilization!

For static shots I've always used a tripod to ensure my iPhone 11 Pro Max was steady while recording...it also allows my hands to be free for more other things - like sweeping away wasps).

However when I’m on the move...either walking, running or riding a bike that's when I want to have smoother shots.

The answer?

‘Stabilization’ - it's how to stop your camera from wobbling around.

The tool that can do this is called a ‘stabilizer’ or ‘gimbal’ and is often quite a small, handheld device into which you sit your phone.

Some simple balancing is required before they work effectively but it's not a very tricky job.

When you have done that you are basically good to go.

The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 - Available from Heliguy for £99 (click the image above to go the Heliguy website)

 

Now you have a stabilizer on your phone the difference will be quite dramatic, transforming your options of how you shoot things.

Apart from the price tag, 6 other things you may want to consider when looking at stabilizers are:

1. Is my phone compatible ?

2. Is it easy to operate?

3. How heavy is it to carry?

4. Are the motors powerful enough for my camera and lens?

5. Do I need to buy counterweights?

6. Operational running time before recharging?

I discovered that with my add-ons rigged onto my iPhone 11 Pro Max that I would need two stabilized setups to cover my options so I went for the ‘DJI Osmo 3’ and the ‘Freely Movi Cinema Robot’.

Check them out... both are truly awesome stabilizers and totally reliable.

The Freefly Movi Cinema Robot - Available for £279 from Heliguy (click the image above to go to the Heliguy website)

 

I went on a great learning curve with all the above and it has taken me time to get the best out of each.

But I'm happy to say I've been using my gear for a while now and I'm delighted with the results I'm getting from working with the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

As a professional filmmaker, I can honestly say that these 3 add-ons have been game-changing and have rekindled and inspired my enthusiasm for shooting with the iPhone 11 Pro max.

I hope they will do the same for you.

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions or think we got something wrong or simply want to let us know what we missed... e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220.

There are those who would say a drone is always a drone, but in my opinion, if it isn’t flying then it's not doing what a drone should do.

DJI has developed and built an amazing array of aerial technologies for cinematographers to fly while at the same time they have developed spectacular cameras for these drones to carry. It seems rather shortsighted not to use these incredible cameras simply because the drone is not being flown.

drone flying over woodland, mountains in background

Recently we took the propellers off a DJI Phantom 4 pro, stuck it through the window of a car, secured the Phantom rig with safety tethers, held the rig by hand, and managed to get some fantastic, high-quality footage from its camera as we drove around the City of Dundee. Shots that, legally, may never have been flown.

Another occasion was a marketing company's request for high-quality stills showing the views of Edinburgh Castle from one of their city centre properties on George Street.  Sounds like a job for a drone but the challenges of the shoot lay in the fact that the location property was in the centre of Edinburgh. Interior work going on meant no access to the building's windows to shoot through and the client wanted high quality, printable views of Edinburgh Castle as seen from the varying heights of the six floors of the building involved.

A simple job that almost any drone could execute quickly and effectively. The drone would provide the remote camera control, stabilized pictures, and wireless viewing on the ground of the pictures being taken and most importantly a drone could be flown quickly and accurately to the various floor heights from which we wanted to take our pictures.

However, following an on-site visit, it was clearly evident that the location of the building meant that it would have been totally illegal and unsafe to fly a drone. So, we just had to come up with another feasible way of doing things while still taking advantage of everything else the drone and its camera proposition offered.

We decide to use our Inspire1 with its X5R camera as it provided solutions to most of the challenges we were facing. But in order to use the drone, but not as a drone, we had to come up with a way of getting the Inspire 1 up and down the exterior of the building safely, without flying it and taking our shots as we went along. The following is a brief step-by-step for what we came up with:

1. Take the props off the Inspire 1

2. Create a hanging harness to carry the Inspire 1

3. Put a secured jib arm on top of the building involved

4. Purchase lots of mountaineering ropes and belays

5. Feed this rope from the top of the building to the ground via a pulley system mounted on the head of the Jib

6. Connect the Inspire 1 hanging harness to the rope with more belays

7. From the top of the building, using the rope - pull the Inspire 1 up to the heights required

8. Take your picture when at the correct height

9. Repeat at the next height and so on until all shots have been acquired

10. Lower the Inspire 1 hanging harness back to the ground

11. Deliver shots to the client

 

This is a brief summary of our solution and I will not bore you with the in-depth details of our particular solution as there were many. Things I have assumed that any reader of this article should understand would require attention before executing this particular solution - hazard assessments, weight loading of ropes, breaking strains of belay fittings, communications at a distance, personnel involved, traffic control, anchoring points, overall health and safety…it is an unfinished and lengthy list.

The point I am trying to make is that when you look at a drone you should think of it as two parts: one - a flying platform, the other - simply a camera. Once the propellers are off the flying rig it can be held, mounted, or placed almost anywhere you would a traditional video camera. These cameras and lenses are expensive, so come on guys and gals let's make the most of them!

 

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions or think we got something wrong or simply want to let us know what we missed... e-mail us at louise@lamedia.co.uk or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

LA Media was excited to be invited to be part of THINK ON’s latest collaboration project using drones to film a stunning Golden eagle named Diesel. The final project looks amazing and we are proud to have been a part of this collaboration.

The purpose of this short-film was to capture 'why' the eagle handler (Steven Mallice) loves flying Diesel, a handsome and majestic-looking eight-month-old male Golden Eagle. Words just can't describe how amazing Diesel looks up close and in person.

A large element of the film was to show Steven’s relationship with Diesel and have him demonstrate how he built their unique bond from Diesel's birth.

Using our DJI Inspire 1 drone, mounted with an X5R camera, we got some amazing footage of this magnificent eagle in motion! The Inspire 1 was the perfect drone option for this shoot as it is a nimble and swift machine that produces high-quality footage. Capturing high-quality 4 k aerial footage has never been easier.

falconer with golden eagle

Image by LA Media 'Steven holding Diesel' 

What could possibly go wrong?

But I guess you are wondering, just like we did,  how would Diesel react to the drone? We took it in baby-steps to make sure nobody, especially the eagle, was injured.

We were worried that maybe Diesel would be unsettled by the noise of the drone propellers when in flight. We were also concerned that Diesel might very well think the drone was prey…and attack the drone.

Diesel may have also attacked had he perceived it as a threat. We also wanted to be sure that the eagle didn’t collide with the drone as the eagle’s flight path could be unpredictable.

DJI Inspire 1 Drone

Image by THINK ON Collaborations ' LA Media's Drone' 

What did we do?

We decided to first introduce two at a safe distance (the drone and eagle we mean), while Diesel was tethered on his handler’s arm.

Step by slow step we gradually brought the two closer together. Eventually, we were able to operate the drone while the eagle was still on its tether.  We tested his reaction to the drone taking off and slowly flew around his position.

We are happy to say he was a total pro and wasn't bothered by the buzzing of the drone. When Steven, Diesel’s handler, was convinced that the eagle was comfortable with the drone and its noise while in flight we were both finally ready to take to the air!

Golden and handler

Image by LA Media 'Steven and the Eagle' 

What we'd like to share

Here are a few pictures we captured while filming. Stay tuned to see the full video and you can let us know what you think.

This production was truly a team effort and we’d like to thank everyone who was involved and especially a big thanks to Diesel the eagle who was a consummate professional.

Golden Eagle staring into the camera: video production

Image by THINK ON Collaborations 

 

Diesel is probably the only star who can get away with looking directly into the camera, apart from maybe Kevin Spacey (think Frank Underwood).

The Team

Eagle Handler/ Subject: Steven Mallice

Producer/Director/Photographer: Carrick McLelland

DP: Danny Bonnar

Drone: LA Media

Gimbal Operator: Alistair Girvan

Location: Cambusbarron Quarry near Stirling

 

We hope you liked our blog! If you enjoyed it don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

The Netflix series, formerly known as Scrotal Recall, now known as Lovesick is a British sitcom created by BAFTA-nominated writer, Tom Edge. Starring Johnny FlynnAntonia Thomas, and Daniel Ings, the show is a fun romantic comedy that follows the exploits of the main character Dylan.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming in Scotland by LA MEDIA

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

The series, which was set in Glasgow,  follows Dylan on his mission to contact his former romantic partners to inform them he has chlamydia. So as you can imagine it has a fantastic amount of hilariously awkward cringe-worthy material. Originally broadcast on Channel 4, Lovesick was quickly picked up by Netflix and made available to US and Canadian audiences.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming by LA MEDIA in Scotland

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

Due to its success across the pond, the show was commissioned by Netflix for another cracking season comprised of eight episodes. This is where we step in, LA Media was asked to film the drone footage for season 2! We filmed a lot of scenes at Loch Lomond in the summer of 2016 using our DJI Inspire with the Zenmuse X5R. Filming near Loch Lomond was a real pleasure as it is one of the most beautiful woodland areas in Scotland.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming by LA MEDIA in Scotland

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

With majestic lochs, epic lowland landscapes, and plenty of mountains there was no shortage of stunning backgrounds. We got lots of vibrant shots, which you can now view on Netflix or you can see on our Facebook and Instagram. The images on this blog show you just how beautiful a location it was and amazingly, for Scotland, how good the weather was. We enjoyed plenty of bright sunshine and clear skies! Perfect conditions for our drone team to work their magic.

 

If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: Twitter, for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

Recently we were very pleased to be asked by BBC 2 to capture drone footage of Scotland’s stunning North Sea Coast for the fifth episode of their fascinating new series, The Great Guide. With Neil Oliver and Tessa Dunlop presenting the show takes the viewer on an exclusive guided tour of the North Sea Coast, which spans from the Forth in Scotland to the Humber in England.

Show highlights include the military shipbuilding project at Rosyth, the unique bird colony at Inchmickery, and the historic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The two presenters provide unique insight and stories about each of the locations. If you do watch it, you’ll no doubt pick up one or two juicy historical goodies.

Drones Photography North Sea Coast Eyemouth Filmed for BBC 2

Image by LA Media 

 

Using our Inspire drone, mounted with a DJI X5R camera, we filmed various locations and were very lucky to enjoy truly beautiful Scottish weather, a rare thing indeed. We did lots of long-distance drone flying to get these shots.

Anyone who knows drones will know that flying a drone at a long distance is one of the hardest ways to fly a drone. It requires a skilled pilot with good battery judgement and nerves of steel, which we are lucky to have in John! If you want to see some of Scotland’s most epic landscapes, then definitely go watch the show on iPlayer while it is available. If you have a keen eye you will be able to spot lots of our lovely aerial footage.

Drones Photography North Sea Coast Forth Road Bridges Filmed for BBC 2

Image by LA Media 

Our fully licensed, two-man drone team, successfully and safely were able to capture footage of the Forth Road Bridges, the Eyemouth Rocks, one of the new Aircraft carriers under construction at the docks in Rosyth, and the bird colony of Inchmickery. There were a few tricky drone shots that we were able to execute but overall it was a great drone flying experience. We certainly learned a few new things, especially about flying drones near top-secret military ships! Luckily, neither Justin nor John ended up in the brig har har har...

Drones Photography North Sea Coast Eyemouth 2 Filmed for BBC 2

Image by LA Media 

 

Project: The Great Coast Guide, Episode 5, Our North Sea Coast

Client: BBC 2

 

This was a unique and amazing project to be a part of and we are really proud of the footage we shot. If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

In August 2016 the very first Scottish FPV Nationals took place in a field near Dundee. The purpose of creating this event was to find a Scottish Champion and a Scottish national team of six pilots that could represent Scotland in the Euro Cup in October 2016.

 Video by LA Media '2016 Scottish FPV Open Championship'

 

Within the FPV world, The Euro Cup is an important global event as it is a qualifier for the World Championship event, which will take place in Hawaii this year.

Winners get huge cash prizes and gain recognition and prestige within the drone world for their team. When LA Media discovered this was happening we happily volunteered our production services to help raise awareness of this newly budding sport in Scotland.

Prior to this Scottish Championship taking place, any Scottish FPV pilot who wanted to take part would have had to go south of the border in order to compete for a place in the British FPV team and if successful, then move on into the global racing scene as a member of that British team. While this has been all well and good recently, it was felt by many Scottish FPV pilots that Scotland should create it own opportunities for Scottish pilots to get into the FPV global racing scene.

One of the most accepted paths to achieving this was through the creation of a Scottish FPV Team that would represent Scotland in national competitions. The FPV scene in England is already well developed with lucrative sponsorship deals and is dominated by professional pilots. Therefore, every year it is the same individuals who rule the scene.

While there is already a club level of competition going on in Scotland the number of pilots involved is small. In order to encourage new flyers, club flyers, and hobbyists to take part, it was felt that an Open Scottish National event was required to help do this.

Scottish FPV Drone Racing

Image by LA Media ‘FPV Drone Racing at 2016 Scottish FPV Championships' 

Enter ERSA

To this end, a web community of FPV pilots called FPV Scotland approached ERSA, the European Rotor Sports Association and they asked ERSA to recognise Scotland as an independent nation in order to allow Scotland to send a Scottish National team to their next event The Euro Cup.

Happily, ERSA granted this recognition and FPV Scotland then followed this up by organising the first Scottish FPV Open Championship in order to find the Scottish FPV pilots to make the team with.

Scotland in the Euro Cup in October 2016

The Euro Cup is an important global event in the FPV global racing world as it is also a qualifier for the World Championship event that is taking place in Hawaii this year.

To have a Scottish national team take part in the Euro Cup is a big step for FPV in Scotland as it is a level of competition of which most Scottish pilots have no experience. By taking part in the Euro Cup, a massive level of experience and learning will be gained by the Scottish pilots involved and through

To have a Scottish national team take part in the Euro Cup is a big step for FPV in Scotland as it is a level of competition of which most Scottish pilots have no experience.

By taking part in the Euro Cup, a massive level of experience and learning will be gained by the Scottish pilots involved and through

It is also an opportunity to raise positive Scottish awareness of drones in general by the proper marketing of the new National Team.

dsc_1836

Image by LA Media ‘FPV Drone Racing at 2016 Scottish FPV Championships' 

Why is it important?

Drones have already developed into a massive global industry on many levels and the development of the industrial growth surrounding drones can be seen particularly in China, USA, Korea and in England.

It is an industry founded on a global demand for all things associated with drones and their expanding use in everyday life helps keeps that market demand high.

The consumer drone market is just starting to hit its stride – largely due to advances made by market leader DJI. These updates make drones more reliable and easier to use for photography and video.

Scottish FPV Drone Racing

Image by LA Media ‘FPV Drone Racing at 2016 Scottish FPV Championships' 

 

The most rapid commercial market growth has come from the small RPAS sector - consumers, hobbyists but mostly leisure flyers.

According to The Royal Aeronautical Society, this is one trend that is set to continue because “the amount of investment is less, the technology is more versatile, more readily available, accessible, and easier to use” than existing methods.

The EU Commission, Lords Select Committee in their report on ‘Civil use of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in the EU’, found that a new drone leisure sector was emerging due to the decreasing size, cost, and versatility.

Drones have officially become mainstream, now they are being used by the general public as their ‘personal camera’, offering new types of ‘holiday snap’.

Moreover, Sky has recently announced that it is investing $1m (£760,000) in the US-based Drone Racing League, and will begin broadcasting its events from next month. The first live races outside the US, including one in London, are due to take place next year.

Scottish FPV Drone Racing

Image by LA Media ‘FPV Drone Racing at 2016 Scottish FPV Championships' 

Why now?

The technology surrounding drones and the applications of drones are changing almost on a daily basis and this speed of development allows for almost any country interested in promoting an industry founded on drones to create one supplying marketable product to a hungry global market.

There is virtually nothing in Scotland to exploit this growing marketplace. This does not mean, however, that the skills and people are not there to do so.

What is required is the stimulus of political and financial support to develop the industrial research and a range of products to meet the needs of drones while at the same time creating a manufacturing proposition that could meet demand across the field of drones.

FPV racing is already established as interest around the globe and would be a great starting point for launching interest and industry in Scotland as the marketing potential of having a first-ever Scottish National FPV Team are clearly there.

It is a strategy that could help develop the sport in Scotland and allow opportunities that would go a long way towards helping to develop a public profile and therefore a media interest around a Scottish Team and potentially grow the number of people who might take up FPV racing.

LA Media is proud to be a supporter of Scottish FPV Racing and we can't wait to see how this sport develops!

To see the first Scottish FPV Open Nationals click here.

To support the Scottish team click here.

 

Thank you for reading!

Don’t forget to follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram for your daily dose of media chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220