As you may have noticed, posts here have been scarce as I live mostly in my weekly dispatch/newsletter on Documentally.net. If you subscribe there (it’s free) you would have seen a version of the flowing info already.
For those yet to subscribe I’ve been helping my Dad and his wife Lesley out in Wales. Just shooting some phone video to assist them with their small company selling wool duvets.
At the risk of leaving gaping holes in this page when Twitter crashes and burns here is a link to one of those videos that Twitter hosts…
And this…
And this…
There is more to come so please do follow @Baavet should you want to either see them or sleep better 😉
I packed pretty light when it came to equipping myself to grab those moments. I was only there to shoot a couple of casual pieces to camera on my phone so kept things simple.
Obviously the kit changes depending on what I have been asked to shoot but here are the items I used on this occasion with some Amazon affiliate links embedded just in case.
The compact tripod is the MeFoto Backpacker Air which was £80 when I bought it. About the size of a 1lt pop bottle and cheaper in the linked orange. My iPhone 13 Pro was attached to the QuadLock tripod adapter. When handheld I use the Rode Tripod 1 and the two mics and a receiver is the Rode Wireless Go II kit.
It all fits in a small Tom Bihn shoulder bag and weighs very little.
In regards to an audio only kit, today I was asked to help out record a school choir who won’t be around to sing on Easter Sunday. They requested a recording to play to the congregation later.
Kids identities hidden as I don’t have permission to share their happy singing faces.
It might be a little overkill but I recorded the choir in 32 bit float with the Rode NT4 stereo condenser mic into the Zoom F6 recorder. The mic was stood on the now hard to find Manfrotto 682B self standing monopod (here is one on eBay) and I monitored with the Rode NTH100 Pro headphones. (So comfy)
As a backup I used the OM System LS-P5 which has of course plummeted in price since I bought it and is almost in focus on the left in the image below. It’s the same recorder I carry in a pocket for impromptu field recordings, interviews or podcasts.
I could have got away just using his little recorder and not bothered setting up over £1000 of other gear. The audio was only intended to go in a newsletter and to be played in church later. But where would the fun be in that. The Rode NT4 delivers far superior audio and recording in 32bit float is stress free with no levels to adjust. Plus the kids had some great questions after they finished singing. Things like:
Q: How much is that recorder?
A: About £600
[Gasps]
Q: Have you ever recorded a hamster?
N: No
[Look of disappointment]
Q: What’s the best recording you ever captured?
A: Probably the first sound my son made after he was born.
[Ahhhh]
Q: Have you ever met David Attenborough
A: Yes. I had dinner with him. He was lovely.
[Many high eyebrow looks of respect]
Q: Do we have to go back to school now?
A: Yes
[Sad sighs]
I’ll post an update should I get any new gear to play with. If you would like to learn how to use any of this stuff I do training.
Thanks for reading.
I have many more words and pictures on Documentally.net. As I said before it’s free to sign up but the cool and the curious pay a little every month to get full access to the newsletter.
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