Inspirational Content Sucks | Stoke-Ness
If you haven't noticed, you are probably spending more time inside.
Yep, Netflix is slowly becoming a portal to the world as the nights start earlier and the weather becomes gloomier. It doesn’t have to be that way, there is so much creating you can do and so much to learn about how to do it.
In this issue, Alex Strohl recommends a film, I recommend a journal with real good photos, a person to follow with depth in his story and guidelines for a great time-lapse.
Be stoked,
Isaac
New Places
Beartooth Pass
This place is out of the way, even for Montana. The road climbs up to nearly 11,000 feet from Red Lodge, Montana and ends at the little town of Cooke City. It has more twists and turns than Going to the Sun Road in Glacier national park and spans the border of Montana and Wyoming.
A great thing about the road is that it isn’t in a national park or even a state park. It’s national forest service territory which means less rules and it’s less known. You can pull off the road for any vista and no Ranger is going to tell you it’s forbidden. You will want to stop often, the alpine landscape is massive and mountain goat herds roam everywhere. The road is open late May through early October and is a great route to add to your next Yellowstone trip.
See it on Google Maps Here
Gear
GoPro Hero 7 Black
I know what you are thinking “Didn't Isaac recommend a GoPro a few months back?” Why yes I did and I’m back with another.
To be honest, I’m not much of a gear head. I like my stuff to work and then I go out and use it. One of the challenges I had recently is how to get smooth video when shooting action. I obviously shot most action video on my GoPro Hero 5, and was close to pulling the trigger on a gimbal to smooth it out. Gimbals, because of there design, are finicky, fragile devices that require time to calibrate. That gets in the way of shooting and creating.
The GoPro Hero 7 all but eliminates the need for a gimbal. It’s “Hypersmooth” stabilization is incredible and is near enough to gimbal performance for what I need. As a bonus, the dynamic range and audio quality have gotten better as well.
For $399 I think it’s a piece of kit that every filmmaker should have, and if you are a photographer that wants a water proof still camera you can get it and have the video as a bonus.
Buy it Here
Who I'm loving on Instagram
@jamesbarkman
Do you ever find yourself scrolling through Instagram looking at all the perfect places everyone else is visiting and reading all the “inspirational” captions and feeling disgusted with it all? I mean I think it’s all beautiful, but it often feels like everyone forgot that interesting stories have ups and downs. Without some tension or less produced moments it all feels like looking at advertisements for a life that isn’t possible and I don’t want anyway.
James Barkman is different. There are moments that are beautiful, but there are moments where I thank God I’m not in his shoes. It’s a long story arc that keeps me curious and checking in to see what he is up to next. He lives a life that most (including me) don’t have the balls for. I can’t be sure, but I think he traveled from Alaska to Argentina on nothing but hope and one pair of pants.
If you are tired of “inspirational travel” that is as authentic as the ads between the posts, give James a follow. It’s refreshing.
Give him a follow Here
Music I'm Diggin'
Sleepless - Novo Amor
This is the second month in a row I’ve recommended a down tempo song. I feel like the end of fall is a down tempo season and calls for it.
This just released song has a chorus that will be stuck in your head for more than a few days and have you playing it over and over. It’s going to be a 2018 favorite of mine.
Give it a spin on Spotify here.
Videos, Movies, and TV
SEATREKKING
I’m not an ocean guy. Something about giant creatures moving about below me while I bob helplessly on the surface just trying not to sink makes me uneasy.
This film makes me want to face my fears. Recommended to me by @alexstrohl, the concept of exploring new sections of unseen coasts by swimming and hiking is exciting. I may never try it but this beautiful film makes me want to.
10/10 would recommend.
Watch it here
Reads
The Modern Huntsman Volume Two
I’ve just received this journal/magazine in the mail today. It feels more like a book.
If you love conservation and long form essays with some of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever seen in print, then this journal is for you. There are no advertisements and every page feels like a whole new experience.
I specially love the photos and story by @ngkelly of the Gauchos in Argentina.
Buy the journal Here
Photo/Video Technique
How To Make Great Time-lapse Video.
There are 100’s of great YouTube video’s that will teach you the technical details of how to make a time-lapse video (here is one from Peter McKinnon). Because of that, I won’t go into the boring details on here. What I want to talk about are the elements that I’ve found that make a time-lapse interesting and one folks will watch more than once.
A great time lapse has motion in multiple parts of the composition. A great sunrise is fun to watch, but add fog, and maybe boats coming and going from harbor and it is interesting.
It happens during a period of transition. Night to day, day to night, clear to stormy, foggy to clear etc. To create the illusion of time passing pick a time of day where a noticeable difference is happening from minute to minute.
Add motion to your framing. There are a few ways to do this like moving your camera on a tripod along a path way, using the new GoPro 7 Hyperlapse function while walking, using a slider for your camera, or shooting photos from a slow moving drone. This adds a whole new feel to the time-lapse that can be used to draw the viewer into your subject. For instance, you can start outside and walk into a building or fly from far away to a location you want to highlight.
Less is more. As with any beautiful shot, it’s probably more entertaining to you than it is to a random viewer. If you love all 30 seconds of your time-lapse, speed it up to fit into 15 seconds. I always recommend starting the clip later than you want and ending it sooner. You want the viewers left unsatisfied and wanting more, not wishing it was over already.
Scout areas and start to notice the change and motion around you, then go out and shoot a few of them. A great time-lapse will take a great moment so be patient. Most importantly, make 100’s of them. It’s the only way to get better.
I hope this was helpful! Let me know if you have questions about the process.
A recent video I did on IGTV about How to Get Paid to Travel has taken off. I’ve had hundreds of folks DM me asking for more details. Should I make this a series? If you are reading this you are the core of my audience and if you want it I’ll most likely make it. Let me know what you think (you can reply to this email and I’ll see it)
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
