And this is where the aesthetic part of
"how I film my aesthetic videos" ends.
In reality, creating these videos
just like anything else,
comes with ups and downs and sometimes even failures
which is something I want to let you in on here.
Beautiful picture is often created
for the aesthetic purposes,
but the process of creation can be far from aesthetic itself.
Depends on how you look at it,
because the mess of becoming is beautiful in itself,
but it doesn't necessarily provide us
with the escapism we seek when we consume content.
Let me get the technicalities out of the way first.
I use the Panasonic GH5 camera
with the Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens.
Which is the equivalent of around 50mm with my cropped sensor.
The lens is wonderful, the camera...
well, it does the job.
My tripod is the cheapest one I found
at a computer store close to where I live.
My only criteria when choosing the tripod was
It needs to be lightweight.
Because I carry my gear everywhere alone
and whilst I sometimes drive to my location
I often walk wherever I want to film at.
My equipment being as light as possible
is important.
But sometimes I also have my husband helping me.
My Panasonic camera has two most important features
I need when filming myself.
A WiFI connection and flip screen.
The flip screen is great whenever I want to shoot at
various angles
as it allows to hold the camera comfortably
and still see what's happening on screen.
And the WiFi allows me to connect my phone
which acts as a monitor.
I use an app called Image App
which works with Panasonic cameras,
but every other camera brand has its own compatible app,
as long as it can be connected with wifi.
The only thing my camera doesn't have is the autofocus.
I mean, it does have it,
but it's very, very bad
so I have to focus manually every time I shoot.
I use the Image App to focus,
and what's great is that it also allows me
to change the white balance, ISO, shutter speed and aperture.
I tend to keep my F stop at f/1.4
for cinematic depth and this smooth soft image
I tend to go for.
And adjust my shutter speed accordingly
to make the image brighter or darker.
When it comes to drone shots...
Well, there is a reason why
I rarely use the drone in my videos lately.
"Watch out for the birds for me just in case"
"Eagle cries"
"He probably noticed me"
"Yeah there's a good chance."
Most often I don't even have any plan when I go out to shoot.
I have an approximate image and mood I want to create
depending on the day and season
the sun or lack of thereof.
I wake up early in the morning which enables me
to film at quieter times.
When nature is most serene and there isn't anyone
but birds around.
Though I always try to structure my shots
into a comprehensive story.
I film a shot from far away first,
capturing the entire scene and action I'm performing.
My phone is usually hidden in a sleeve or pocket
if my dress has one,
and most of my dresses do!
I then move my camera and film medium shots,
close ups on hands, face, hair.
And then film the environment to show my point of view.
I take the camera off the tripod
whenever I'm filming the detailed environment shots,
and try to create a smooth movement.
One of my favourite shots to create
and you probably saw it in this video and others,
is the camera moving through something
like branches of a tree.
I hold my camera steadily and create the shot
by moving my entire body
from back to front whilst
keeping my legs and hands steady.
Perhaps it is important to note that
whenever you create something aesthetic,
it's going to be different from how it is in real life.
Obviously I'm not running through fields
in pretty dresses, wind in my hair,
and not a single soul around on a daily basis.
But it also doesn't mean that these moments
aren't real in a bigger sense.
I walked all these paths you see
without pointing my camera at them first.
I wear most of my dresses in real life,
apart from a couple which I ordered online
and they appeared to be awfully made,
but it's not as noticeable on screen.
I stop and listen to voices of birds,
hug trees, sit by the river,
or on a slope staring at the hills
and little villages in the distance.
I live through these moments in reality
as much as I live through them on camera.
Both are done with purpose and thought.
I get so much inspiration from nature
Waking up at sunrise, which is easier in winter,
watching cold fog build up over the rooftops.
Driving on a narrow woodland road,
trees hovering over, hiding the sky.
foggy fields, mysterious old British cottages,
trees reflecting in a smooth quiet river.
Even strangers greeting each other
on a muddy, wet winter path in the woods.
All of these moments lived in real life,
imprint strongly in my memory,
and I come home yearning to create,
to show this magic to you.
To reconstruct the moments I experienced,
and share them with those who want to
escape into this magical reality with me.
Nature and surroundings
the mood and little details I notice throughout the day,
All of this plays the big part in how I create my videos.
As the words from my favourite childhood book
The Secret Garden go:
"I'm sure there is magic in everything,
only we have not sense enough
to get hold of it and make it do things for us.
I simply see this magic with my eyes first,
surrounding myself with places
and moments I want to live in.
Noticing how light plays in the kitchen,
how candle smoke dissolves into the air,
how beautifully morning frost glistens in the sun.
And that's how I make my videos happen.