The annual end-of-the-year rush usually starts around middle August and this year is no different. Among the projects I completed this month is this one for the marketing and communication folks at NWU Vaal. Plenty of run-and-gun work here (and a bit of a struggle to get shy people to stand still and speak to you) but I'm happy with the results.

  

The more of these I do, the more I realize how essential camera tools with good low light capabilities are. When producing news programming you will seldomly have time or opportunity to do perfect lighting.



If whatever you're using does not have the ability to make optimal use of available light you're setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. It also justifies forking out the cash for a decent camera setup. On the opposite end of the scale you'll also need a decent set of ND filters for shooting in bright sunlight. I must admit that it is one aspect of my FS100 rig that I find lacking. Manually sliding flimsy NDs into the matte box while you're in a hurry is a bit of a hassle and I'll look at fixing this issue soon. Or just use the X70 that I carry along as standard equipment anyway.