Congratulations again! Well deserved. It shows what can happen if you go develop your skills and go for it! My favourite scenes in Island of the Sea Wolves include the Otters and of course the beautiful footage of the wolves and the island itself!
I picked up a camera for the first time right around a year ago with the specific goal of wildlife photography. Since then I absolutely fell in love with getting videos of wildlife and would love to become a wildlife filmmaker. I’ve got a few stories of local wildlife I’m hoping I can tell soon with the weather warming here in New England! I am about to go binge the rest of your videos, but so glad to see you here on UA-cam!!
Wow what a great story! It’s so interesting to hear how we all begin at a similar starting point and learn from each experience. The eagles, marmots and otters were my favorite stories in the series. Well done!
Congrats on your award!! Thank you James for sharing your story up until this point. Looks like you have had some great adventures traveling and connecting with people. I'm excited to see whats next for you!
Love this man 🙌🏻 congrats, I absolutely adored the series and stories you helped bring to life. I’m a 25 year old wildlife cameraman just starting to get my foot in the door. My dream is to one day win an Emmy as a wildlife cameraman, and this video definitely reminded me not to give up! Thanks and looking forward to more
Hey mate great work. That’s a big achievement 🎉 I’m a photographer looking to get into wildlife documentary. I live on Stewart Island at the bottom of New Zealand. We have some critically endangered birds here. I am working in conservation to help save the Southern New Zealand Dotterel, only around 100 birds remain. I want to document these birds, they have multiple habitats. I was thinking of choosing a few pairs and following them for the breeding/nesting season, then general footage through winter. I’d really like to get some ideas if there’s a way we can correspond off YT. Cheers Craig.
Congratulations on the award ! This was a really great video and I found it just at the right time. I’ve just moved to Canada from the UK and glad to hear your journey and just having a go. It’s people like yourselves that keep me going when starting out in the move to wildlife film-making. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Thanks for the inspiration!
@@jamesfrystak ah thanks man ! Just moved to Ontario, no job at the moment but watching the season and filming. Would love to travel around to a few places, my partners got family in Banff and the Yukon. Not sure on where to start in Canada with film-making but hoping to meet other local people and just get out shooting some footage.
What a phenomenal story and journey! It's all quite inspiring how you dared to make the jump from a stable job to this new world--well done man. I'll be sure to stay tuned to all your platforms.
What a journey! Amazing how things line up when you are doing what you love 💫 Has your electrical background ever been an asset on a natural history shoot?
It certainly has. We often deal with batteries and inverters, and we need to be crafty with power while on remote shoots or working with different voltages in other countries.
I loved watching this, thank you so much for making it. Congratulations on your success, and it's so refreshing and inspiring to see that you can make it in the industry even if you're not a biologist, or went to film school. Sometimes I feel like because I had a "normal" job before following my passions, I will never be able to succeed, and you're the living embodiment of my inspiration haha. Can't wait to watch more!
Really interesting to hear your story. I can relate to a lot of what you describe since I started as a photographer but now is more of a Hybrid shooter. I still struggle with the priorities - get the photo or get the footage 🙂. Mainly that is due to the limited time I have had to get the shots that I wanted, going out just on weekends and holidays. So far it has been more of vlogging than filmmaking. But I am evolving so subscribing to your channel will be a step on the way for me🙂
Yes, the hybrid approach can be a challenge. I still have that itch to snap a few photos while on these shoots, but for me, no one is paying me to take photos.
@@jamesfrystak No one pays me either unfortunately😄. Joke aside, I try to keep on filming even if it means a lost photo. But the video shows the story better than the photo and I love to share the behaviour to others.
Awesome!! Not an easy achievement by any means, well done!! ...... I live in South Africa, and busy with a self funded production at the moment which has opened other doors..... A question I need answered, when is a camera good enough....... From a Sony A6400 to a Canon C300 II, I can't see the difference...... Keeping in mind I fund the purchase of my own equipment I need to turn the penny's over ten times before I buy. How do I decide when the most expensive kit is not necessarily much better than cheaper equipment.
The age-old question. It's good enough when you are free of limitations of what you “Need” to get a job done. There are so many features I want but most of the time I don't “need” them. What I need is a 6k sensor, high-speed up to 120fla in 4k and pre-record.
Good day James, I sincerely appreciate your input concerning cameras, and have written to “Z-cam” for more details, it seems as if I could get a lot more bang for the buck going this rout. I must admit that I have never heard of “Z-Cam” , so did a little reading on the brand . The fact that they do EF mount as well is encouraging as we have a load of EF lenses. I’m doing my best to move away from Canon out of protest to the fact that they are excluding other manufacturers from producing the RF lenses, yes genuine EF glass works fine on the RF setup with the adapters but we already had some sigma lenses which were now rendered basically useless, when we went this rout we specifically asked if they would work and were told YES !! .. and they did not, the issues were too many to actually even mention. Cannon have released some well-priced primes but at F11 it isn’t going to work for us….. We were seriously considering Sony …FX3, FX30 and FX 6 …. This is where we were moving till you mentioned Z-Cam, Im old school and prefer to use manual focus BUT!!! Autofocus has become a necessity with some of the shots, and we could not believe the Sony performance. Your article on how you became a “Wildlife” camera man is good, I guess you had a bit of luck as well, but knowing the rite people at the rite time and being able to do the job and being adaptable helps a load. "they say" the harder you try the luckier you get (Garry Player) I am not a full time cameraman , but get enough work to keep me busy , how I did it was different , I made sure I had kit that others would need to hire to get a project done , having a ProAim hydra , gimbals, on vehicle camera mounts etc etc made a difference, having a dedicated vehicle for wild life filming also paid off , we took a Jeep wrangler and put an angle grinder to it , now we have an unbelievable “tool” that works. Most of the wildlife guys in South Africa use modified Toyota Landcruiser’s, (Dereck and Beverly Joubert / Peter Lamberty) Landcruiser’s are good but cost a fortune in South Africa and by the time they are sorted they tend to not be road legal anymore. Our jeep is also a “daily driver” Our Jeep has a 12v fridge in the back as well as charging points, both 12v DC and 120/220v AC. I am currently busy with a project which is going to be called “Baboons of the Cradle” Near Johannesburg there is an area called the “cradle of human kind”, it is an area full of sink holes and caves, its about 40km from Johannesburg and has a number of small farms, holiday destinations etc in the area, there is a troop of baboons living there in reasonable harmony with the locals, this story is about them. Anyway, if ever you are in this side of our dumb planet, look me up , Im sure I could be of assistance, I know I will feed on your experiences as the only constant in our passion is change and the requirement to learn.
What an amazing series, went back and watched it again. Your honor is well deserved. Love the story on the Sea wolves, on how their lives are similar to the inland wolves yet so different.
Thank you again for answering in detail about everything I was so suprised/excited knowing this video was coming up after you responded to my last comment. Im currently going to college for photography in hopes to earn a masters wich could open doors to government for nature/wildlife presrvation work but hopefully that all comes to fruition. Thank you again
@@jamesfrystak For those of us working with mirrorless cameras for video, would love to see a future video on your approach for wildlife filming with a smaller setup!
Awesome story and congrats on the Emmy, I appreciate you telling it. I know this is a loaded question, but if you was starting all over again what gear would you invest in to get your feet wet? I’m in a similar place of wanting to transition from photography to videography and am overwhelm by all the information out there. I have the story as I’ve been tracking Monk Seals on the island I live on and keep being told that I should produce a book. However, I want to make the story come alive with motion which is why I’m searching for direction on UA-cam for content like yours
I would Invest in a really good tripod and fluid head. It's no one's favourite answer, but I promise it will make all the difference in the world. Next, I would get a decent zoom lens like the Sigma 60-600mm. What Camera are you currently shooting on?
@@jamesfrystak I’ve heard someone else say that you should get the best tripod you can but in reference to photography. I think his recommendation was to save the money from the first 3 you were going to buy and put it towards the one you should have got first. lol. I’m a bit frugal, so when I upgraded my camera gear I went with a Canon 5d mkiii and a sigma 150-600mm lens all used. It’s been good for the last couple of years and I pleased with what I’ve done with it. I’m wanting to upgrade but don’t know if I want to invest heavily in mirrorless. Salt air from the beach hikes I do has left my gear with some corrosion issues. I also don’t want to put $$$ in something I might drop into the ocean, as Murphy’s law will probably happen. I spent some time looking at the canon R8 as a entry level. Any thoughts? Btw, I have watched you video on other gear to add to your camera setup. Notes taken!
There is nothing like being alone in the wilderness and watching the natural behaviours of wild animals and getting to share their story. It's my happy place, for sure.
Congratulations again! Well deserved. It shows what can happen if you go develop your skills and go for it! My favourite scenes in Island of the Sea Wolves include the Otters and of course the beautiful footage of the wolves and the island itself!
Thanks!! It can seem like an impossible journey, not knowing where it will lead, but I sure do love the ride.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing the story.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
I picked up a camera for the first time right around a year ago with the specific goal of wildlife photography. Since then I absolutely fell in love with getting videos of wildlife and would love to become a wildlife filmmaker. I’ve got a few stories of local wildlife I’m hoping I can tell soon with the weather warming here in New England! I am about to go binge the rest of your videos, but so glad to see you here on UA-cam!!
Thanks Calvin! Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions.
Found your channel after seeing you on Truth and Legend Productions Podcast. I had previously seen the Sea Wolves movie and it was so incredible.
Thanks!! Happy shooting
Thank you for sharing your story and congrats on your success. Keep the videos coming.
More to come!
Wow what a great story! It’s so interesting to hear how we all begin at a similar starting point and learn from each experience. The eagles, marmots and otters were my favorite stories in the series. Well done!
We all have to start somewhere. When did you get into photographing wildlife?
@@jamesfrystak yes true. about 3-4 years ago.
Congrats on your award!! Thank you James for sharing your story up until this point. Looks like you have had some great adventures traveling and connecting with people. I'm excited to see whats next for you!
Thanks, Matt! I've enjoyed watching your adventures and seeing your YT channel grow into what it is. All the best, and let's get out sometime soon. 🍻
Congratulations 👏👏👏..great story how you got there…subscribed….off the watch a few more of your videos…and the sea wolves 🐺
Awesome! Thank you!
Love this man 🙌🏻 congrats, I absolutely adored the series and stories you helped bring to life. I’m a 25 year old wildlife cameraman just starting to get my foot in the door. My dream is to one day win an Emmy as a wildlife cameraman, and this video definitely reminded me not to give up! Thanks and looking forward to more
Thanks, Adam!! Keep on shooting and working on a unique storytelling perspective and you'll get there.
Hey mate great work. That’s a big achievement 🎉
I’m a photographer looking to get into wildlife documentary. I live on Stewart Island at the bottom of New Zealand. We have some critically endangered birds here. I am working in conservation to help save the Southern New Zealand Dotterel, only around 100 birds remain. I want to document these birds, they have multiple habitats. I was thinking of choosing a few pairs and following them for the breeding/nesting season, then general footage through winter. I’d really like to get some ideas if there’s a way we can correspond off YT.
Cheers Craig.
Congratulations on the award ! This was a really great video and I found it just at the right time. I’ve just moved to Canada from the UK and glad to hear your journey and just having a go. It’s people like yourselves that keep me going when starting out in the move to wildlife film-making. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks!! And welcome to Canada. Where did yo move to?
@@jamesfrystak ah thanks man ! Just moved to Ontario, no job at the moment but watching the season and filming. Would love to travel around to a few places, my partners got family in Banff and the Yukon. Not sure on where to start in Canada with film-making but hoping to meet other local people and just get out shooting some footage.
What a phenomenal story and journey! It's all quite inspiring how you dared to make the jump from a stable job to this new world--well done man. I'll be sure to stay tuned to all your platforms.
Thanks, Mike! It's been a wild journey.
So cool to hear about those early days! ..and well, the Emmy is okay too I guess : )
Thanks, Greg! We all have a starting point, and it's those who don't have a “finish line” who will succeed.
What a journey! Amazing how things line up when you are doing what you love 💫 Has your electrical background ever been an asset on a natural history shoot?
It certainly has. We often deal with batteries and inverters, and we need to be crafty with power while on remote shoots or working with different voltages in other countries.
I loved watching this, thank you so much for making it. Congratulations on your success, and it's so refreshing and inspiring to see that you can make it in the industry even if you're not a biologist, or went to film school. Sometimes I feel like because I had a "normal" job before following my passions, I will never be able to succeed, and you're the living embodiment of my inspiration haha. Can't wait to watch more!
Thanks!! The journey was not easy and continues to challenge me in so many ways. I hope our paths cross someday, and Keep up the great work!
Fabulous story! Congratulation - well deserved!
Thank you so much ☺️
Really interesting to hear your story. I can relate to a lot of what you describe since I started as a photographer but now is more of a Hybrid shooter. I still struggle with the priorities - get the photo or get the footage 🙂. Mainly that is due to the limited time I have had to get the shots that I wanted, going out just on weekends and holidays. So far it has been more of vlogging than filmmaking. But I am evolving so subscribing to your channel will be a step on the way for me🙂
Yes, the hybrid approach can be a challenge. I still have that itch to snap a few photos while on these shoots, but for me, no one is paying me to take photos.
@@jamesfrystak No one pays me either unfortunately😄. Joke aside, I try to keep on filming even if it means a lost photo. But the video shows the story better than the photo and I love to share the behaviour to others.
im still chasing the dream its so good to hear stories like this to see it does really happen for real people! congratulations
Thanks!!
Awesome!! Not an easy achievement by any means, well done!! ...... I live in South Africa, and busy with a self funded production at the moment which has opened other doors..... A question I need answered, when is a camera good enough....... From a Sony A6400 to a Canon C300 II, I can't see the difference...... Keeping in mind I fund the purchase of my own equipment I need to turn the penny's over ten times before I buy. How do I decide when the most expensive kit is not necessarily much better than cheaper equipment.
The age-old question. It's good enough when you are free of limitations of what you “Need” to get a job done. There are so many features I want but most of the time I don't “need” them. What I need is a 6k sensor, high-speed up to 120fla in 4k and pre-record.
I feel that Zcam is one of the most underrated and overlooked cameras out there. You can get an E2 F6 used for under 2k and it has a fantastic image.
Good day James,
I sincerely appreciate your input concerning cameras, and have written to “Z-cam” for more details, it seems as if I could get a lot more bang for the buck going this rout. I must admit that I have never heard of “Z-Cam” , so did a little reading on the brand . The fact that they do EF mount as well is encouraging as we have a load of EF lenses.
I’m doing my best to move away from Canon out of protest to the fact that they are excluding other manufacturers from producing the RF lenses, yes genuine EF glass works fine on the RF setup with the adapters but we already had some sigma lenses which were now rendered basically useless, when we went this rout we specifically asked if they would work and were told YES !! .. and they did not, the issues were too many to actually even mention. Cannon have released some well-priced primes but at F11 it isn’t going to work for us…..
We were seriously considering Sony …FX3, FX30 and FX 6 …. This is where we were moving till you mentioned Z-Cam, Im old school and prefer to use manual focus BUT!!! Autofocus has become a necessity with some of the shots, and we could not believe the Sony performance.
Your article on how you became a “Wildlife” camera man is good, I guess you had a bit of luck as well, but knowing the rite people at the rite time and being able to do the job and being adaptable helps a load. "they say" the harder you try the luckier you get (Garry Player)
I am not a full time cameraman , but get enough work to keep me busy , how I did it was different , I made sure I had kit that others would need to hire to get a project done , having a ProAim hydra , gimbals, on vehicle camera mounts etc etc made a difference, having a dedicated vehicle for wild life filming also paid off , we took a Jeep wrangler and put an angle grinder to it , now we have an unbelievable “tool” that works. Most of the wildlife guys in South Africa use modified Toyota Landcruiser’s, (Dereck and Beverly Joubert / Peter Lamberty) Landcruiser’s are good but cost a fortune in South Africa and by the time they are sorted they tend to not be road legal anymore. Our jeep is also a “daily driver”
Our Jeep has a 12v fridge in the back as well as charging points, both 12v DC and 120/220v AC. I am currently busy with a project which is going to be called “Baboons of the Cradle”
Near Johannesburg there is an area called the “cradle of human kind”, it is an area full of sink holes and caves, its about 40km from Johannesburg and has a number of small farms, holiday destinations etc in the area, there is a troop of baboons living there in reasonable harmony with the locals, this story is about them.
Anyway, if ever you are in this side of our dumb planet, look me up , Im sure I could be of assistance, I know I will feed on your experiences as the only constant in our passion is change and the requirement to learn.
What an amazing series, went back and watched it again. Your honor is well deserved. Love the story on the Sea wolves, on how their lives are similar to the inland wolves yet so different.
Thank you, Craig.
Thank you again for answering in detail about everything I was so suprised/excited knowing this video was coming up after you responded to my last comment. Im currently going to college for photography in hopes to earn a masters wich could open doors to government for nature/wildlife presrvation work but hopefully that all comes to fruition. Thank you again
You are so welcome! And good luck with your program. Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions.
Really great story. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Man, such a great story! So inspirational! Thanks for sharing it 🎥
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome video! We're loving getting to see behind the curtain on the work you do!
Thanks! It feels super strange to make a video about yourself. I hope someone finds value in it.
Great story, it is very inspiring! Thank you
Thanks! Im glad you enjoyed it.
So cool!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!! :)
Thanks!
Awesome story. Glad I ran into this channel and looking forward to learning from it!
Cheers 🍻. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
@@jamesfrystak For those of us working with mirrorless cameras for video, would love to see a future video on your approach for wildlife filming with a smaller setup!
@@brianthrallphotography That is very doable. What are you currently shooting on?
@@jamesfrystak I use Canon R5 along with canon prime and zoom lens. Trying to improve using clog3 but its been a journey.
Awesome 😎
Thanks, Roman!
Awesome story and congrats on the Emmy, I appreciate you telling it. I know this is a loaded question, but if you was starting all over again what gear would you invest in to get your feet wet? I’m in a similar place of wanting to transition from photography to videography and am overwhelm by all the information out there. I have the story as I’ve been tracking Monk Seals on the island I live on and keep being told that I should produce a book. However, I want to make the story come alive with motion which is why I’m searching for direction on UA-cam for content like yours
I would Invest in a really good tripod and fluid head. It's no one's favourite answer, but I promise it will make all the difference in the world. Next, I would get a decent zoom lens like the Sigma 60-600mm. What Camera are you currently shooting on?
@@jamesfrystak I’ve heard someone else say that you should get the best tripod you can but in reference to photography. I think his recommendation was to save the money from the first 3 you were going to buy and put it towards the one you should have got first. lol. I’m a bit frugal, so when I upgraded my camera gear I went with a Canon 5d mkiii and a sigma 150-600mm lens all used. It’s been good for the last couple of years and I pleased with what I’ve done with it. I’m wanting to upgrade but don’t know if I want to invest heavily in mirrorless. Salt air from the beach hikes I do has left my gear with some corrosion issues. I also don’t want to put $$$ in something I might drop into the ocean, as Murphy’s law will probably happen. I spent some time looking at the canon R8 as a entry level. Any thoughts? Btw, I have watched you video on other gear to add to your camera setup. Notes taken!
Great background story James. What would you say is your major inspiration for picking this as your career path?
There is nothing like being alone in the wilderness and watching the natural behaviours of wild animals and getting to share their story. It's my happy place, for sure.
Mine too. It's like the rest of the world disappears and we live in just that moment in just that place.
@@jamesfrystak