Category Archives: Motion
A Life in the Clouds
This film highlights the work being done by Dr. Lisa Dabek and the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program to understand the behavior and ecology of the endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo in Papua New Guinea.
Mile for Mile – Patagonia Trail Running
This is a story about perseverance, commitment, and conservation. For the last 25 years Doug and Kris Tompkins have been working to preserve land throughout Argentina and Chile. The highlight of their effort is the spectacular Patagonia National Park. This film follows runners Krissy Moehl, Jeff Browning, and Luke Nelson on a 106 mile journey through the rugged and wild landscape of Patagonia.
The Last Darkness – Patagonia Trail Running
The Owyhee Canyonlands encompass a remote and little-known part of northwestern Oregon. This spectacular and wild landscape does not have any protections and faces significant pressure from cattle grazing and erosion.
This film follows runners Jeff Browning and Jesse Haynes on a 170 mile adventure through the rugged canyons and dark nights of the Owyhee Canyonlands. Directed, filmed, and edited by yours truly.
Yosemite Meadow Fire Timelapse, September 2014 from MountainsRiversMedia on Vimeo.
Meadow Fire Timelapse
Having been in the High Sierra for the weekend, repeating historic photographs of the Darwin Glacier, I was surprised to see a huge plume of smoke flowing away from Yosemite on my way home. It turns out the Meadow Fire, which was started by lightning in Mid July, blew up due to high winds on Sunday. While it’s now burning in high elevation lodgepole and granite and has slowed down considerably, it is somewhat unusual for this fire to have taken off at this elevation. Most previous fires in this area were much smaller and less intense, but the combination of drought, warm temperatures, and high winds that day showed us that this is maybe the new normal for fires at this elevation.
Yosemite Meadow Fire Timelapse, September 2014 from MountainsRiversMedia on Vimeo.
Music:
Gone for a Run
The way I learn new skills, especially in photography and filmmaking is through doing. I had just gotten a GoPro Hero 2 and Adobe AfterEffects 6, and was looking to do some learning. I headed up to the White Mountains for a weekend of running and playing with cameras. I’d seen a few videos, particularly from Abe Kislevitz, using text that tracked with a point in the video frame, also known as 3D motion tracking, and wanted to learn how to do it. Pretty straightforward and looks good.
It just so happens that the White Mountains are home to the oldest known living organism, the Bristlecone Pine, Pinus longavea, an individual of which in 2012 is dated at 5,062 years old. An inspiring place to be sure, running amongst such ancient things, and a place I definitely plan on returning to.
The Run:
Running to the summit of White Mountain Peak (14,246), the third highest peak in California, is a well-worth-doing adventure. After a long drive up from the town of Big Pine in the Owens Valley, you’ll reach the gate to the White Mountain Research Station at ~12,000 feet and follow the road. Total about 15 miles round trip. Well worth doing, now go do it!
Gannett Peak with EFD from MountainsRiversMedia on Vimeo.
Gannett Peak with Everybody’s Favourite Dino
This short video was shot in 2012 on a late spring adventure to climb Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. I brought along my mascot, a plastic triceratops, and somehow he ended up becoming the featured character of the video. My apologies for any offense caused by the narration.