This story, written by Martha Blanchfield, was originally published on Nikon USA's Focus On Cinema blog.

High Resolution Stills and Video in One Lightweight, Rugged Package

Photojournalists, DOPs, documentary producers and photographers are producing significantly more multimedia assets as part of client deliverables. What’s needed is a rugged, versatile camera that can go the mile, whether at a beachside wedding or high atop a mountain in extreme freezing cold.

Mike Rogers and Scott Woodward, a Singapore-based filmmaker and photographer team, were tasked with testing the new Nikon D4S DSLR and pushing the camera to its limits. Over the span of 17 days, the team created three short films and thousands of photographs that showcase the features and capabilities of Nikon’s latest tool for creative storytelling.

Nikon in Bhutan

Each pro had specific and exacting challenges for the camera. Woodward sought to demonstrate how the D4S is an optimal tool for working in extreme conditions, while

being a must-have camera that produces flawless still images. Rogers wanted to capture the beautiful and enigmatic Kingdom of Bhutan, one of the world’s most

Untouched and unforgiving landscapes through three short films: (1) “Taking Aim” - A film about a young female archer in Bhutan, (2) “A Journey to Perfection” - The team’s story recorded during the Bhutan trek and (3) Behind the scenes for a “A Journey to Perfection”.

Nikon wanted us to reach to extremes for both our creativity and this new camera, so we envisioned a trek up the slopes of Bhutan’s Himalayan Mountains—with a plan to work at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,300 meters (10,000 and 14,000 feet), temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius (15 degrees Fahrenheit), and in environments of snow, dust and wind,” says Woodward. “Our goal: push the new EXPEED 4 image processor day and night. Task every new feature and invent ways to tell our story through both motion and still art.”

Capture in Bhutan hinged on the team’s ability to get equipment to each shoot site. While not a typical commercial production, a large crew and plenty of gear was nonetheless required. A team of 10 Bhutanese guides led

the group of eight; their 21 pack horses carried supplies and gear (totaling 300kg or 661 pounds). The team traversed rough terrain and ascension to altitudes where work in freezing weather—day and night—was on the agenda.

Trek Test

During the journey, Woodward fired off more than 5,000 frames and Rogers produced 15 hours of footage. To task the operating strength of the camera, a decision was made to run all video processing internally. In other words, all footage acquisition went straight to the memory card, minus external recorder and HDMI uncompressed-out. The objectives being to not only prove that the camera alone could deliver tremendous output, but to max-out processing muscle.

“We shot with the decision to perform post-processing and color grading direct from compressed H.264 .MOV files right out of the camera,” notes Rogers. Working that way did create a risky situation in that he did not have immediate large-view feedback. “Nonetheless, our first impression regarding quality of footage was remarkable. Direct-to-camera permitted us to move more efficiently through the final stages of post-production since

capture was already pretty well-balanced in terms of color.”

A View to a Hill

When viewing the films, try to visualize how capture was achieved. The team mixed things with a variety of POV (point of view) acquired using tripod, handheld and glide cam systems. They varied frame rate speed and pushed ISO into the deep end.

Fast lenses were used; a NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 was the mainstay. For longer distances, a NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8 provided depth of field that yielded desired bokeh-ish mood. The NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8—the widest lens on-hand, was tapped when working 60p with a glide cam and jib. “We also heavily relied on a 16-35mm f/1.4 (most of the behind the scenes film was shot on this lens), a 24-70mm f/2.8 (Woodward’s favorite), plus a pair of 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lenses (often used for the long scene-setting shots),” notes Rogers.

Aside from swapping a lens to vary DOF, Rogers eased between FX and DX modes. For instance, his 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens became an effective 105-300mm which served as a quick and effective option to get closer to a subject.

Slowing Down the Ascent

Rogers says, “Let’s start by talking about the 1080p slow-motion capability with the Nikon D4S. Capped at 60p when running NTSC (50p on PAL), this new speed feature turns the D4S from a regular DSLR into a creative power house. Once we saw how 60p looked, we filmed many scenes at this higher frame rate with the intent to create a bed of footage that could be later slowed down to accentuate a key moment in a scene.”

He continues, “A lot of cameras offer capture at 60p, but it’s important to bear in mind that this setting alters how the sensor reads the light. Done poorly, the record process can seriously increase artifacts and noise in dark areas of the image. In our motion scenes—many of which were staged in darkness and illuminated only by a single small studio light and/or purely a table of candles—the blacks stayed smooth with very minute artifacting.”

Rogers jumps back to comment on Nikon D4S versatility at 1080p, specifically when footage is to be cropped down. The camera’s excellent capture gave him more options to vary focal lengths (digital retouch in post-process) using that original take. He could also work this crop functionality into slow motion edit work. And finally, 720p Web delivery was possible.

Black Made Better with White

Calling out a specific span of capture at 60p, Rogers references the candle scene. Here, he wanted to keep the presentation very natural, so illumination cast by the candles was the only light permitted. “I focused the camera, adjusted the Nikon Spot White Balance setting to the skin tone of my subject, then commenced capture.”

Working in this manner did require him to increase ISO to 1600 (to preserve some exposure for background and environment). “This ISO boost, with almost all other cameras, would have rendered blacks in the scene to be grainy and horrible. I’d be spending more time in post-production color to correct things,” he says. “In the past, when using other brands of DSLR as a main camera, I’ve noticed a less than stellar track record properly rendering colors. The Nikon D4S did an amazing job of keeping the blacks nice and smooth, even with capture direct-to-camera.”

Accurate white balance in a final product is highly influenced by the processor’s ability to capture, then accurately display on the LCD monitor, what the camera has acquired. With the Nikon D4S’s new Spot White Balance function, that challenge has been solved. In “Journey To Perfection,” Spot White Balance in Live View was tapped

to accurately set white balance. “In that production there were a lot of different light sources with various color temperatures. Spot White Balance is an amazing feature that we both continue to frequently use on sets and locations. We both witness highly accurate tonal range and interpretation,” says Rogers.

The white balance feature was also called up by Woodward when creating stills during that dark scene. “This spot control allowed us to immediately set control in each and every scene. We could make quick decisions about the look of a scene, which then permitted us to move immediately to creative decisions without wasting time messing around with gelling lights or windows,” he adds. “This feature quickly became one of our favorite functions while on set.”

New Sounds for the Nikon D4S

Just one more aspect put through the tech wringer was the new audio system. “Minus a standalone mic, would our two Nikon D4S cameras be able to satisfactorily record a documentary shoot via solely directional boom mics?” Assets Rogers, “The objective—test the D4S paired with as little extra gear as possible.” What would it be like to take the camera straight out of the box and begin producing?

Rogers affirms that while not one of the sexiest new

additions, the D4S has notable audio functionalities that saved production several times while on location in Bhutan. Monitoring and adjusting-on-the-fly sound sensitivity levels for the attached mics was a breeze. “We could gauge audio levels at any moment of filming. Having that live read-out permitted us to shoot continuously in a variety of locales. If a change in audio occurred, we did not have to interrupt capture to adjust placement of a sound record device.”

This audio oomph came in handy on more than one occasion. Rogers recalls a shoot series where the main characters descend a steep hill then come into the frame aside a noisy river. The Nikon D4S was positioned on a tripod adjacent to the water; the audio setting initially dialed low to tame the sound of the rushing stream. As the characters enter the frame and come close enough for him to hear them, Rogers easily adjusted the dial to a more sensitive level to capture the conversation. “Audio for that progression would have been too low had I not been able to adjust to a significantly different level of sound.”

Mighty Multimedia

Woodward sums up, “We believe the Nikon D4S is a tool that digital filmmakers and multimedia producers should take a serious look at.” From a photography perspective,

his favorite feature is the Group Area Auto-Focus. The improved AF accuracy achieved by a 5-point focus grouping helps reduce back/front focus challenges for a subject that has erratic and/or unpredictable movement. He was able to more accurately track subjects with greater certainty and less distraction or shift of focus.

From a filmmaking point-of-view, a favorite feature of Rogers is the 1080/60p functionality. “To be able to capture slow motion footage at a resolution of 1080p with such a small form factor is a game changer,” he asserts. “I can quickly capture various options for editors without the need to switch between cameras. As a result, I saved time using just one capture device, and kept all files stored on the same memory card. That’s a big time saver in post-production.”

This story was originally published on Nikon Asia's Learn & Explore blog.

A story of tradition and legacy sparking modern day success, 'Taking Aim' was shot exclusively on the D4S by Nikon ambassadors Scott Woodward and Michael Rogers. The story follows a young Bhutanese girl, travelling the roads of her ancestors to deliver traditional yak butter tea to her father.

When Nikon first contacted Scott about test-driving the new D4S, he recounts knowing instantly where he wanted to take it.  Coining his style as “Choose Your Own Adventure Photography”, he knew Bhutan’s rolling hills are a mecca of inspiration, begging to be tapped into.

Bhutanese culture has long celebrated the sport of archery, with communities gathering to observe, sing, dance and drink as men dress in traditional ghos send arrows flying. This inspired Scott and his team instantly – “We thought that there was nice synergy between them through the legacy of archery in Bhutan.  We wanted to create a story that took inspiration from both the history of traditional archery while including Bhutan’s contemporary female athletes.”

Traversing the vast landscapes of the Himalayas is challenging in itself, being rich in vast mountain planes and a lively Bhutanese culture.  It’s not a journey for fainthearted, considering the 4,000 meter trek, with the added task of transporting production equipment onto location.  With the help of Ian Mangiardi, a trekking specialist, the team was left in good hands.  Battling the heat, cold and unfamiliar grounds they began their journey into the Himalayas.

Using the latest features of the D4S, they were able to capture luminescent lighting in dark interiors, all without losing the brilliant colours adorning people and places. Much of the cast in the narrative film were locals from the countryside eager to join in.  “People watching our crew work were very supportive and kind.  We had some serious production equipment, like a 35-foot jib that was pretty unusual to see out in the Bhutanese countryside, so that certainly caused some head scratching and curiosity amongst our observers.”

The short film shares the importance of home, the people that make it your sanctuary, the traditions we uphold and our duty to keep it alive.  Mixed in with sweeping scenes of Bhutan, you get the sense of Bhutanese lifestyle existing in

harmony with nature.  The journey takes us from the country side, riverbeds and bustling market stalls, before we see the metaphorical passing of the torch and sharing of legacy.

Affection for Bhutan and the Bhutanese heritage is not only alive in the 'Taking Aim' story, but was ever present in the people they underwent the journey with.  One of the oldest Bhutanese guides that they lovingly referred to as “Yak Man” was quick in forming a friendship with Scott and the crew, showing them his herding techniques whilst sporting traditional Yak hair sunglasses -- a patch of hair wrapped around the eyes of the wearer.

“Additionally, our Production Assistant and Fixer in Bhutan, Sonam Tshering (ST), is also Bhutan’s national mountain biking champion.  He tutors young riders on the weekends and we required four young boys for our bridge scene in ‘Taking Aim’; they are ST’s mountain biking protégés.”

These are the people that inspired a story of love and culture, old and new adventures.  We can only hope to see more of what makes Bhutan such a captivating place.

See more of our film and photography from Bhutan here.

As a Nikon Ambassador, I have worked closely with my friends at Nikon Asia since 2004.  From shooting new product advertising campaigns to hosting photography workshops and seminars to judging sponsored reality television shows, Nikon and I have partnered on a wide variety of creative collaborations over the past decade.

This past January, I was asked to a meeting at the Nikon offices in Singapore.  Although I was not informed of the specific agenda, I was more than happy to see my friends from the Regional Marketing team for a discussion about upcoming projects and partnership opportunities in the year ahead.  I had no idea Nikon would request I work with them on the launch of the brand new Nikon D4S.

Creatively, I and my team -- consisting of my long-time partners Mike Rogers, Meghan Shea and Annette Fausboll -- was given a very long leash.  The only thing Nikon insisted was that we take the D4S on an extreme adventure.

We knew immediately where we wanted to go: the enigmatic Kingdom of Bhutan.

We decided to bring the D4S on a trek in Bhutan's Himalayan Mountains.  We had only one small problem: none of us had any experience with this type of adventure. So we reached out to Ian Mangiardi, the high altitude

trekking specialist from The King's Challenge.  With Ian's help, we planned a route that would take our team beyond 4,000m (nearly 14,000 feet), pushing the limits of both the camera and ourselves.

Working within the broad creative framework of "I Am Perfected By Pros", Nikon gave our team three specific content deliverables: a Camera Test demonstrating the camera's new features and innovative technology; a Behind the Scenes video giving viewers a glimpse into the shoot production and logistics; and a short, scripted Narrative film shot entirely on the D4S.

In a word, our Camera Test and Behind the Scenes shoots were epic.  A team of 10 Bhutanese guides led our crew of eight people, while their 21 pack horses carried all of our supplies and gear (and there was A LOT of gear) on an unforgettable adventure.  With the local insight and assistance, we were privileged to witness and document the rugged beauty and friendly people of Bhutan: filming an early morning archery competition at sunrise, visiting a monastery on a mountain with a single monk living inside, experiencing an unexpected overnight storm that dumped more than a foot of snow on our campsite, singing traditional Bhutanese songs by campfire with an elderly yak herder and sharing breathtaking views of Jomolhari, Bhutan’s highest mountain.

Immediately following the trek, our team jumped straight into shooting our Narrative movie about a young Bhutanese girl's journeys across the countryside.  Led by Director-and-Writer team Mike and Meghan, making this film was a unique opportunity for me to wear a different creative hat and gain experience assisting them in producing and shooting a short scripted movie.

As I say in "A Journey To Perfection", never in my career have I taken a camera straight out of the box and onto assignment.  But having taken the D4S above 4,000m and through more than 5,000 frames, I can confidently say...
I Am Impressed.

See previous multimedia content created by our team for Nikon Asia for the launch of the Nikon 1 V1 camera.

Credits

Client: Nikon Asia

Executive Producer: Annette Fausboll

Director / DoP: Mike Rogers

Writers & Producers: Meghan Shea & Elizabeth Jensen

Editors: David Flood & Mark Chua

Assistant Cameras: Sangay, Rinchen & David Flood

Trekking Specialist: Ian Mangiardi

Production Assistant / Fixer: Sonam Tshering

For the past few years my creative partners, Mike Rogers and Meghan Shea, and I have worked closely with the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School in Siem Reap, Cambodia to document the positive work they are doing for the nation's disadvantaged youth.  We have made photographic reportage and documentary films about this tuition-free hospitality training school and how they provide students with the skills and experience necessary to secure gainful employment in one of the city's numerous hotels, guesthouses or restaurants.  These skills, and the resulting economic independence, not only improve the students' quality of life, but that of their families as well.

Our close friend, Sam McGoun, has made a lifelong commitment to supporting Sala Bai in their effort to help stop human trafficking before it starts by providing young Cambodians -- teenage women, in particular -- with an education at Sala Bai.  Sam explained, “My purpose is helping others -- giving more in this world than I could possibly ever take.  My passion is Sala Bai, and more specifically, giving young Cambodian women access to education and employment in the hospitality industry.  My true happiness, therefore, is the result of helping others, and in particular, the students of Sala Bai.”

Inspired by the challenges overcome by the students of Sala Bai, in April 2012 Sam decided to run, cycle and swim more than 670km across Cambodia to raise funds for Sala Bai

and to increase awareness of the dangers of human trafficking.  As the documentary photography- and film-making team tasked with chronicling Sam’s odyssey, we did our best to keep pace with him as he traversed muddy lakes and rivers, ran through small villages and pedaled across the craggy countryside of rural Cambodia.

Sam’s route across the Kingdom of Wonder followed the metaphorical journey traveled by more than one thousand (and counting) Sala Bai students -- from a small floating village in Mechrey on Tonlé Sap Lake, to Sala Bai where they study in Siem Reap, to a sandy beachfront overlooking the Gulf of Thailand in Sihanoukville where the students’ graduation celebration is held annually.

For 10 days this past November, Sam and our small documentary team descended upon Siem Reap for a second cross-Cambodia fund-raising adventure.  This time Sam ran, cycled and swam more than 701km across the country, honoring his commitment to raise money to help the students of Sala Bai and to fight human trafficking in Cambodia.  Once again, Mike, Meghan and I were tasked with following Sam up hills, into mud, across lakes, through rivers, onto floating villages and into pagodas to tell the story of his epic journey.

A few months before Sam's odyssey began, I was speaking with my friends at SanDisk in California.  They had seen the

short behind-the-scenes video that Mike and I created following Sam's first cross-Cambodia triathlon and there was interest in us making some similar photo and video content during Sam's upcoming second adventure for the #SanDiskStories campaign.  We were excited for this opportunity and, along with our editor, David Flood, the team agreed to make two short films for SanDisk.

The first video, 'Extreme Cambodian Triathlon', is a short film that introduces Sam to viewers as he explains his inspiration and personal challenge.  It also takes people behind-the-scenes with me as I document Sam's cross-Cambodia adventure.

The second film, 'The Challenge', is a short video about the personal challenge I gave myself during the documentation of Sam’s journey: to make 10 photographs in rapid succession, every hour on the hour, from sunrise until sunset, each day of the adventure.  It includes me explaining the nature of my photographic experiment and shows viewers both the process and results of my creative challenge.

These films are complemented by a series of blog posts that the team created for the SanDisk Stories site.

Click here to see more of my work as a member of the SanDisk Extreme Team.

For more than five years I’ve been collaborating closely with Annette Fausboll at Ugly Duckling Projects and Mike Rogers at Persistent Productions on the creation of a variety of commercial advertising campaigns and documentary films across Asia and around the world.

During the past 18 months, our creative partnership has extended into producing branded multimedia content for a variety of commercial clients, including Nikon and Google, as well as philanthropic organizations like Touch Sala Bai and The Chain Reaction Project.

This past year I also worked with The HISTORY Channel in the dual role of Host and Photographer on Around The World With Voyager, a five-part broadcast television series sponsored by Diageo that featured me traveling around Asia and capturing the Johnnie Walker brand and product story in both imagery and voice.

This combination of presenting/hosting and collaborative photography and video production recently led to Mike, Annette and me partnering with Arcade and their client, Unilever, on the creation of three Clear Shampoo online beauty videos offering tips for women on how to look flawless in headshots: in groups, in a mirror and the increasingly popular self-portrait (or #selfie).

Conceptualized by Arcade, the 360-degree 'Nothing To Hide' campaign also includes a customizable photo app (available for download in both the Apple App Store and on Google Play) that is designed to help users make, upload and share their own "flawless headshots".

Filmed in different locations across Singapore this past May, the making of this campaign -- which was produced by Annette, directed and filmed by Mike and hosted by me -- was a true team effort and great fun to create together.

Clear's 'Nothing To Hide' recently launched in Thailand and will continue to roll-out in markets across Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere around the world throughout 2014.

Credits

Client: Unilever Asia / Clear Shampoo

Agency: Arcade

Executive Creative Directors: Matt Cullen & Mark Taylor

Executive Producer (Arcade): Rebecca Soh

Account Service: Dorothy Yew, Saufi Salleh & Chin-Han Yu

Production: Ugly Duckling Projects (UDP)

Executive Producer (UDP): Annette Fausboll

Producer: Andre Chen

Production Assistant: Quinny Vu

Director / DoP: Mike Rogers, Persistent Productions

Assistant Camera: Shahril

Main Model: Thaís Garavello

Supporting Model 1: Sara A.

Supporting Model 2: Monalika

Styling: Furqan Saini

Hair & Make-up: Andrea Claire

Photographer's Assistants: Zam & Halid (Stills Network)

D.I. Artist: Agnes Teo