OBI Video FAQ

If you’re curious about the orca videos created by Jason Shields or have questions about the process, this is the page for you! We asked Jason to answer some of the most common inquiries about his videos.

What camera/lens do you use and why?

I use a Panasonic mirrorless crop sensor camera with a Leica full frame 280mm manual prime lens. The lens is paired with a speed booster which gives me an extra stop of light, a benefit in low light conditions. The combination of the crop sensor and speed booster is equivalent to about a 400mm lens. I enjoy this setup because of the smooth and accurate manual focusing experience and because of the nice image rendering from this camera and lens combination.

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What program do you use to edit your videos?

Already being in the Apple ecosystem, the natural direction I went was to use Final Cut Pro. I have dabbled in a few other video editors, but I find that Final Cut Pro works well for me and provides me with more than enough tools to achieve the results I’m after.

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Do you shoot with a tripod or gimbal?

I shoot almost exclusively handheld. The camera that I use has very good in-body image stabilization. Paired with a basic camera support and handholding techniques, it provides me the freedom to move quickly, get down low and add natural movement to the shots that would otherwise be difficult to accomplish with a tripod given the often rugged locations on land or in rough and unpredictable sea conditions on a boat. I also add additional stabilization in post-processing if needed.

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Why don’t you include natural audio in your videos? ‍

Although I capture audio when I’m recording video, it is often not pleasant to listen to! There are so many factors that contribute to this such as: wind, boat noise (engines and/or waves crashing against the hull), people talking, camera shutters clicking, airplanes, or even all of the above at the same time! While music is a subjective choice, I try to choose soundtracks that resonate with me and represent the encounter(s) we had, fully realizing it may not appeal to everyone.

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I would still prefer natural audio!

There are additional hurdles to including natural audio. One is that I often slow the footage down slightly to emphasize detail, and the companion audio would be distorted as a result. Another is that the people I’m with often request not to be included in the soundtrack and/or have not given consent to be included. Muting the soundtrack is always an option for those who would prefer silence. To me, choosing the music and timing the video to the music is part of the artistic and creative process that I enjoy.

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How do you get such good Southern Resident killer whale footage?

Many people are surprised to learn that >95% of my Southern Resident footage has been filmed from shore. It’s nearly impossible to go out with the intent to film Southern Residents because their presence here has become so unpredictable. I’m lucky enough to live on San Juan Island and tag along for OBI’s opportunistic shore-based research encounters when the whales do visit. It has taken years of patience to accumulate the library of Southern Resident footage I have.

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Is your footage available for licensing?

Some of it is, yes! You can fill out this form (when available) to contact me with any inquiries. Requesting specific clips rather than generic whale footage is more feasible. You can browse our whale encounter highlights on YouTube HERE‍

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