Flores – Island of a Thousand Charms
Indonesia is a magical destination, with over 17,000 islands, the nation offers a wealth of geographic and cultural history. Spread over an area the size of the continental USA, Indonesia is a truly diverse country. Hundreds of different languages are present due to populations isolated from one another for thousands of years by the sea as well as high mountains. This means different areas of the country each have their own special cultural history influenced by their unique region. One of the most diverse and unique islands in Indonesia is Flores, a large land mass located in Nusa Tenggara.
Flores is located 240 miles to the east of Bali and is the arrival point for visiting the Komodo National Park. Measuring almost 400 kilometers from east to west, Flores is a mountainous destination with many active volcanoes. As a destination for filming, there are few places in the world that can compare. With thousands of years of civilization on the island, there is boundless variety of cultural history. Add 11 active volcanoes to the mix and you have one of the most interesting islands in the world.
The Flores People
The mountainous interior of the island means that the local populations developed in isolation. This means that each area has distinct cultural traditions and languages. Although mainly Catholic, the local people maintain many of their ancient traditions. For photographers and documentary film makers, this means an incredible opportunity to create. The intricate dances and ceremonies that take place during harvest festivals are a treasure to observe. With very few outsiders visiting the interior of the island, everyone is welcomed to attend. The key is attending festivals that are not a set performance for tourists. We can help organize this via our web of local knowledge.
The traditional houses of the high mountain areas of Flores are unique. The people who live in them live a basic day to day life but still enjoy more modern pleasures such as phone and TV. Their friendly demeanor and willingness to converse makes for fantastic portrait photography opportunities.
The Flores Landscapes
The narrow island has a spine of high mountains running from east to west. These continuous range of mountains and the island itself are the result of the nearby plate subduction zone. The Indo Australian tectonic plate is sinking beneath the Eurasian plate which creates the Indonesian part of the “Ring of Fire”. With subduction comes the creation of volcanoes and Flores has no shortage of those! There are 11 active and many extinct volcanoes in Flores. They range in form and shape from the classic pyramid shape to a more flat topped variety. What they all share in common is a wonderful green jungle landscape. For content creation, there is nothing more beautiful than the early morning light on a mountain with mist rising from the trees. Flores offers these landscapes from one end of the island to the other.
Kelimutu Lakes
The prime jewel of the Flores volcanoes are the multicolored lakes of Kelimutu volcano. This 1600 meter mountain is located in central Flores near the town of Moni. The 1600 meter summit is easily reached by a short walk from the carpark. The dawn light over the craters creates a beautiful setting to capture this incredible location. Mid morning is better for capturing the colour of the lakes as the shadows of the crater walls disappear as the sun rises. There are also a group of resident long tailed macaques living in the area who make great photo subjects. Shooting from a drone is the best way to see the area as a whole.
With a mix of volcanoes, ancient houses, beautiful jungles, and and ancient and thriving culture, Flores island offers endless opportunities for the film maker. Knowing where and when to go is also important. We can help aspiring film crews to organize their trip to this beautiful and little known territory. Please get in touch with us if you are considering a new location to create a stunning travel film.
Although it’s often used in many productions, from BBC documentaries to feature films, underwater filming is a mystery to many. There are many forms of underwater filming, from shallow bath tub shots to deep sea cinematography. Each of these disciplines requires both the necessary skillset as well as the right equipment. In this article we will discuss the tools that are needed to film on scuba.
There is nothing worse for filming than the colour sapping effect of water. The colour spectrum of water is adversely affected by depth which means that in as shallow of water as 10 ft (3 metres), the red spectrum is gone! Once past 20 feet (7 metres or so) then everything pretty much appears blue/green. In order to get true colour on the screen underwater lights are needed. Lights come in many sizes and brightness, however, with the advent of LED technology over the years, quality lighting has become more affordable. When it comes to underwater lighting, it’s always best to have more. Modern lights have many power settings so even the brightest lights can be turned down. For macro/close up work, not as much light is needed. However, for wide angle work, bright lights are needed to bring out the rich colours underwater.
Although many would not think of it for underwater, a tripod is a very useful tool. The main use of a tripod is for static shots when using a narrow angled lens. Keeping the camera still underwater is not easy as such effects of current, waves, and the act of breathing all create movement. When shooting marine life an underwater tripod comes in very handy. It can also be used for wider scenes such as capturing schools of fish moving over coral reefs. There are also uses for tools such as sliders when capturing natural history behaviour.
We have been working in the photography and filming business for 20 years. Our first specialty lies in the underwater world. We have thousands of dives under our belts with cameras in hand. This long experience underwater allows us to be comfortable and confident underwater in all environments. This means that our underwater work is rock steady and professional. Clients looking for underwater imagery want steady and colourful work, the best way to achieve this is to work with professional underwater camera people.
We do have a limited amount of equipment for rent. Our main rental option is the RED Gemini 5K. We can also offer the full underwater equipment that is needed for this camera to film below the surface. Please ask us for our rental pricing.