Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. After successfully operating drones for the last ten years I am proud to announce I now hold an official Australian commercial RePL Drone Licence. I am also officially endorsed with a sub class <25kg rating (meaning I can fly drones that weigh up to 25kg). I also now hold an AROC (Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate). What does all this mean – essentially I am fully certified to operate commercial drones in Australia and have been approved by the Australian Civil Aviation Authority. This gives me the ability to operate legally within airport zones (with correct approval). My licence is your safeguard. for some of my drone images please see Explore Ian Brodie Photo. The RePL is not just a piece of paper. The week long classroom course is both theory and practical and fully covers subjects that include: Aerodynamics Navigation Lithium Polymer Batteries Air Law RPA Components Meteorology Human Factors Risk Assessment Mission Planning Our other two instructors made sure we had a thorough understanding of both the theory of flight (pictured right) and also the operation of larger drones like the Inspire 2 (far right). The course was held by […]
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After the very successful release of the interactive Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site e-book we felt it necessary to produce a brochure detailing the many facets of our books. Our interactive e-books are entertaining, educational, and informative. Simply put, we create communication products that attract attention and interest to suit your needs and goals. Our interactive e-books cannot be compared to a normal book, or even a standard e-book for that matter. They are truly created to match the dynamic urge to explore and learn –– you can freely move around and navigate, allowing your curiosity to lead the way. Your interactive e-book can vary in length and complexity depending on your budget, and your needs. Contact us to learn more about the different alternatives open to you. Our 24 page brochure also answers all those questions you may have about how our books are created. On Location Guides are a collaborative team of Ian Brodie, David John Smith and Per-Ole Hagen. We merge our collective backgrounds within film, writing, management, photography, and different elements of ICT with our experience related to communication, marketing and PR. Please, download or view our brochure online for more information. Our fully interactive e-brochure […]
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Last month was very special for me, for two reasons. Firstly I made my first trip (North of the Wall) to Svalbard, probably the most northern place in the world I will ever visit. The result – astounding. We arrived only a few days after the return of the sun from the long northern winter so we did only see the sun (through cloud unfortunately) for a few hours. It’s a crazy light here. As Svalbard moves towards the longest day the sunrise and sunset times increase by over 40 minutes per day in each direction. The sun might have been absent but the light (twilight lasts for over four hours) creates a hue and vision that is unlike any other place I have ever been to. The main reason for this visit was to deposit some of my images that I have taken for Hidden into the PIQL Digital Library (refer to this post). It was an amazing experience and I must say, very humbling, to be in the company of The Vatican Library and ESA. A part of me is now forever Norway. In thousands of years these images will still be there, stored in the mine under […]
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Birkebeinerspelet 2018 was performed over three February evenings against the stunning backdrop of Sør-Mesna at Mesna Activities and Accommodation. A resounding success, over 2000 people attended and they were both entertained by the markets and stalls and wowed by the spectacle of a mid winter night time outdoor play. Plans are now well underway for an even bigger event in February 2019. Mark your diaries now – this is one Norwegian event not to be missed. This year I was able to use my new Nikon D850 as the camera of choice and the high pixel count, low noise and superb focussing all combined to help me take some images I am very proud of.
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Next week I return to Mesna in Norway, to take part in Birkebeinerspelet 2018. The following is an interview I undertook for the programme. Photographer and author Ian Brodie has many years’ experience in the film industry. He has specialised in film location tourism, and has published a number of location guidebooks that showcase the beautiful places in his native New Zealand where both the the Lord of the Rings and the The Hobbit film trilogies were shot. In 2012 he was invited to speak at a film tourism conference in Lillehammer, having never been to Norway before. At the conference he met representatives from the Norwegian film industry including Paradox Film. In 2014 they asked him to be unit stills photographer on Birkebeinerne. The rest, as they say, is history. Ian now spends many months every year in Norway working on a number of varied projects. – I fell in love with Norway immediately, says Brodie. – To me, it was a lot like home, like New Zealand, another Middle-earth, but with a long history and a broad mythology that actually inspired Tolkien. – The people, too, are similar: sensible, practical, reserved till you get to know them, but […]
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Living in a world of social media and instant sharing, the travel guide is perceived by many to be a thing of the past. A dinosaur that has been replaced by the instant consumer review and obligatory selfie, denoting both a “this is where we are and this is what we thought” moment for the poster and all their friends. Unfortunately these type of posts and reviews often have no basis of fact or knowledge and can have a detrimental effect as the post spirals out into the cyberspace. However, technology has also delivered a new medium for the travel guide that allows tourism organisations to provide an authoritative platform that showcases a country, a county, a town or an attraction, with consumer interaction and social integration for the reader and user. The modern e-book has a number of benefits. It allows us to merge the content and the purpose of a traditional guide book with new technologies, new narrative concepts and dynamic, interactive content through handheld devices such as iPad, iPhone and HTML5. It provides a platform that immerses the user and reader into stories, histories, landscape and places by using moving images, animation, sound, photos, live interviews, samples […]
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The three months that Dianne and I spent in Provence during 2015/16 was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. Today, I am dreaming of Provence, and vowing to return. For more, see my Provence Page Here, which includes the gallery below.
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Working with some wonderful people as we practice for the opening of Birkebeinerspelet 2017 on Friday 17 February. Robert Follin is a professional stunt man educated in the United States. He has choreographed fighting for film and theatre, in addition to working as a stuntman and actor in film, television and theatrical productions in Scandinavia. He has featured in Arn, Vikings, Mammon, Bridge, Eyewitness, Fair Game and the movie Birkebeinerne.
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The update of my website continues. The latest page brings back very many happy memories of our three months spent living in L'isle-sue-la-Sorgue in Provence.
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In 2015 I was very fortunate to be able to have a footplate ride on the West Somerset Railway between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead. As a true train buff, this was a dream come true. An unforgettable experience. The gallery below is just some of my images of that amazing journey.
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