New experiences don’t always need to be scary and unpredictable. Life is about enjoying the adventure. You can only preplan so much in advance, the rest is up to us and how we approach the situation. By expecting the unexpected we can then take the first step in actually enjoying the journey of life, wherever that may take us. The best adventures are when things are going unexpectedly and in the end we can sit around and have a good laugh about it.
This past October I had the most wonderful opportunity to go film again in the Amazon jungles of Peru. Though I had traveled to this region twice before, this was the first time I headed deep into the heart of the Intangible Zone of Manu National Park. On average only around 30-40 outsiders (researchers and medical personnel) are given permission to enter this protected area each year. This amazing opportunity was made possible by Rainforest Flow, a nonprofit who helps create self-sustainable clean water treatment facilities for indigenous villages within this region. I would be following alongside founder Nancy Santullo and anthropologist Glenn Shepard to help document their efforts. I wanted to help tell their story and visually bring to life the extent of their massive strides to make these projects happen. Bringing clean water to these communities is just the first step, as they are currently in the early stages of expanding to incorporate W.A.S.H. (water, sanitation and hygiene) programs and trainings in order to help bring sustainable economic opportunities.
The purpose of this article is for anyone is considering filming in the tropics or any other humid or harsh environment. These are just a few valuable lessons learned should you ever find yourself on the other side of the lens.
Some main pieces of gear:
- Canon 5D Mark III (used just for photography)
- Canon 5D Mark IV (with C-Log)
- Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 (for wide shots)
- Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 (for everything else)
- Canon 24-105mm f/4
- Sennheiser MKH-416 (with different wind covers and stand)
- K-Tek KE-79CC (compact boompole)
- Zoom H6
- Rode VideoMic Pro
- Manfrotto Monopod (for shooting on the boat or in the forest)
- Libec tripod with Manfrotto 502HD head
- DJI Mavic 2 Pro (with three batteries)
- Boncas Waterproof Backpack, 30L (for carrying the drone and additional gear)
- Pelican Air 1615 case
- Ape Case ACPRO2000 backpack (all lenses and two bodies)
- DSLR Rig: Kamerar Tank, follow focus, viewfinder, matte box and additional parts
- Dehumidifier silica gel packs
Mentally prepare yourself for the trip ahead:
Make sure you preplan everything you want to accomplish and write it down. Even if you don’t get all the shots or ask all the questions you wanted, it’s good to mentally prepare yourself beforehand so that you constantly have an ongoing list in the back of your mind of what you need. Use your downtime at the airports efficiently. I would constantly be writing in my notepad with everything I possibly wanted to accomplish from interview questions, shooting locations, mic placement, etc.
I left on a Monday and after nonstop traveling didn’t arrive to our destination until that Friday. Took an airplane from San Jose to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Lima, Lima to Cusco, then by car drove down from 11,500 feet in the Andes into the jungle until the road came to an end. From there it was by boat, sometimes 10-11 hours a day just sitting down. At the last leg of the trip we had to travel by peque peque, small motorized canoes, that would navigate the sometimes incredibly shallow rivers. At times you would have to get out and push the boat (which could delay your trip by days). But we were fortunate enough to make it there in one day without having to camp along the riverbank. In the end, I’d definitely take a ten-hour uncomfortable boat ride through the majestic jungle over a typical Silicon Valley commute in traffic any day of the week.
Snakes:
My paranoia with snakes manifested itself during the second time in the jungle after I came face to face with a Bushmaster (Lachesis Muta, meaning ‘silent fate’). They were always a concern, but I never thought too much of them until I saw this beauty crossing the trail in front of me. Long before my trip in October I ended up buying a pair of Rocky SV2 Waterproof Tactical Snake-proof boots. They were about 16 inches high and had been tested against North American Diamondback and Cottonmouth fangs, max length of 25mm. Whereas, the South American Fer-de-lance fangs averaged about the same length, the Bushmaster would average around a 35mm fang length and could grow upwards of 12 feet in length.
I thought these boots would come in handy. However, they did not. The pace at which we were trekking through the jungle along with the thickness of the boots (which were too hot to wear) made them impractical. I ended up giving them away. This time around we were following locals through dense jungle, at times I would lose sight of my feet through the thick vegetation. I just kept going, and if I was really worried, I would use my monopod as a walking stick.
Rule: Don’t drag your feet, try to take good strides while stomping the ground (snakes usually move aside if they feel vibrations from the floor coming towards them). I also had with me some “snake-proof” Australian-made gaiters that I had used the last time I was there, but didn’t wear them either…a strike from one of these snakes would easily pierce them.
In the end when it comes to snakes just use common sense, this time around I only saw two snakes, one swimming across river and another small non-venomous one along a trail, even then I was always vigilant. Don’t just step over logs, step on the trunk, look down, and then take the step down. Due to the increase in ecotourism, a lot of people have been venturing deeper into the forests, and as a result many biological stations or lodges now have anti-venom on hand.
Cultural sensitivity:
Do your research on the indigenous populations of the regions you plan on visiting. Learn as much about the local customs as you can. Even though it may seem like there’s just one main indigenous population there may be several different ethnic groups each with their own language and customs. When filming or taking pictures make sure there is always a local is within earshot should something occur. Personally, I would always ask if it was okay to shoot or take photos of people when traveling through a village. Sometimes people do not want to associate with outsiders and might get upset if you ran up taking pictures. I made the mistake twice of walking up to a small child who was wandering down the trail near us, as I approached to take their picture they began wailing. Unbeknownst to me, the only time these children would see outsiders approach them was when visiting medical staff would give them injections.
Insects:
Insects are everywhere…and I do mean EVERYWHERE. Be careful when walking around exposed sandy embankments along the river as they are usually full of tiny sandflies. There was an instance when I was trying to get an amazing drone shot of the boat coming downriver and I looked down at my hands and they were covered in tiny bites (usually accompanied with a drop of blood). I was trying to concentrate flying the drone and covering my hands at the same time, but it was no match for the sandflies.
Another important thing to keep in mind is the amount of sweat that leaves your body when you use any form of concentration. Not sure why, but as soon as you try standing still and concentrate on framing up a shot or holding the camera still your body, just like a computer, starts overheating and as a result you start sweating profusely. At this point, you then start to attract another insect… ‘sweat bees’. And as you can guess, they are attracted to the salts in your sweat. The more you sweat, the more you attract. They’re harmless, but there’s nothing like the sensation of having bees crawling all over your face and arms while you’re trying to hold the camera still.
Lastly, bring simple repellant in a small bottle so as to repel mosquitos. Those bites can get really itchy and some simple anti-itch cream works wonders.
Keep gear at an absolute minimum:
In retrospect, if I was to do it again solo I would take a DSLR stabilizer instead of my large tripod and I would settle for just one lightweight carbon fiber tripod if I could. Even with my monopod I could get really smooth and stable shots, however, in the jungle it’s a little more difficult as your body reacts differently and every minuscule movement of muscle is noticeable in post.
On short day treks I took with me my two DSLR bodies, just in case one broke I had a backup. Even with just three lenses, two bodies, a monopod, and a water bottle it was enough weight so as to hold me back while trekking through the rough terrain up and down steep ravines and across streams. I considered myself somewhat in shape, running 2-3 times a week, but even then, once you enter into a hot environment with rough terrain any little bit of weight will hold you back.
I would consider this rule, if you can’t carry all the stuff yourself, don’t bring it. Most villages in the Amazon are located well above the river level so as to prevent flooding during the rainy season…so now, image just having docked your boat up against a steep muddy embankment and having to carry a heavy piece of equipment up. Not very pleasant.
Properly exposing (extreme sunlight and shadows):
My biggest mistake was not bringing any ND filters. It’s a constant battle between the shade and harsh sunlight. ND Filters would have greatly helped maintain a shallow depth of field while shooting in areas without trees (e.g., open fields and on the river).
Don’t rush yourself, take it slow to get the proper exposure settings down. When I had the choice, I would choose to shoot within shaded areas to avoid overexposing the surrounding areas of my shot. But even in the shade, the surrounding light would constantly be shifting. During longer shots I would see my exposure meter just drop as light would be shifting, be it clouds or changes in the trees. Just resist adjusting mid-shot, if possible ask to take a quick cut and then readjust your exposure.
Audio:
I can’t recommend enough the K-Tek KE-79CC boompole. It’s compact enough to fit inside the Pelican case without any problems. If you plan on shooting some interviews alone be sure to bring a compact lighting stand with boompole holder and grip head.
I chose to use the Sennheiser MKH-416 due to its great ability to pick up sound and reject background noise…also, it’s moisture resistant, which is perfect for the jungle! The jungle is noisy and loud! You get used to sounds and after a time you might easily forget to take that into account. Though I wanted to originally bring a blimp, it was too large to pack, so I ended up settling with a dead cat and foam windscreen.
I used the ZOOM H6 solely as an external recorded and even though I brought different mic capsules I didn’t end up using them a lot. For some reason insects seem to love the Zoom dead cat windscreen covers that I had, and I was constantly getting noise from these bugs that decided to settle in the hairs. On the run, I would use the Rode VideoMic Pro, which ended up working great in most of the shots.
Humidity:
Keep in mind the rainforest is really wet which leads to a lot of humidity. Keep your gear covered when you’re not using it. I recommend using plastic ziplock bags when the humidity gets really bad (usually after it rains). I had several dehumidifier silica gel packs in both my backpack and Pelican case. When switching lenses, do it fast so as to not trap too much moisture inside. I saw someone’s lens get a really gnarly fungi growing inside which is almost impossible to get rid of without taking the lens apart. Likewise, in the early mornings be mindful of condensation buildup. I recommend putting the lens inside the plastic bag and holding it up against your body to get the temperature of the lens a little warmer than the outside air so when you put it on the body it won’t fog up as much.
Lastly, it’s important to note that your clothes will almost never be dry. However, try to keep your feet as dry as possible by changing your socks frequently. Let the socks dry overnight. I highly recommend anti-fungal cream and sprayable foot powder to help absorb moisture.
Do your research:
If for whatever reason you end up taking too much gear make sure you research limitations for traveling within that specific country. Some countries require proof of rental forms and purchases to make sure you don’t try and sell equipment. Professional camera gear may require different paperwork than prosumer equipment. Additionally, check airline and country limitations for amount of memory cards, cameras and batteries you are allowed to carry at one given time.
Check if permits are needed. Popular tourist places such as Machu Picchu do not allow tripods and require specific permits for filming. If you plan on shooting scenery with a drone be sure to check for any drone restrictions within the specific areas you plan on filming.
The Final Takeaway:
1.) Take care of yourself first and foremost. Keep yourself hydrated! Electrolyte powder will help you out tremendously! You don’t realize how much water your sweating out throughout the day, even if it doesn’t seem like your perspiring you are still losing water. Take frequent breaks as needed, don’t overexert yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
2.) Bring ND Filters! The biggest mistake was not taking any and realizing after the fact that it could help achieve filming in bright daylight while maintaining a shallow depth of field.
3.) Pack LIGHT! My personal 120 liter backpacking backpack was overkill. Settle for a regular-sized backpack, and if it doesn’t fit don’t bring it! I wasn’t sure what to expect this time, so I overpacked with clothing, snacks/protein bars, and medicines/emergency packs–some of which did come in handy but I could have survived without. Carry one compact jacket ready to go, sometimes the temperature dramatically drops when it rains, and you need to keep warm. A tent, jungle sleeping bag, compact inflatable pillow and mattress is all you need for sleeping. You’ll be surprised how little you actually need and just how creative you can be in unexpected situations.
4.) Use common sense! I cannot stress this enough. I heard a story while I was there about someone at the biological station going to swim by himself in the nearby lake, and never coming back out. Understand that a lot can happen only when you are careless. Don’t go off to film alone in the forest. Always let people know where you’re going. When in doubt about a situation, just follow the locals. Be mindful of language barriers and customs. Remember that you are a guest and not some entitled westerner.
Anyways, I hope this helps. If anyone has any questions or comments please feel free and let me know!
Stay safe and enjoy every moment of the experience!
For more information or to donate to Rainforest Flow be sure to check out their website: http://www.rainforestflow.org/donations.html