I’ve just finished watching The Troll (directed by Roar Uthaug) on Netflix. Take Jurassic Park and mix it with Godzilla and you have some idea of the format of this wonderful film. Released just a few weeks ago it has already climbed to Number One as Netflix’s most popular non-English film. I can only agree. I am not going to give any of the plot away in this post at all. There are no spoilers. Rather, watching this homage to Norway, her landscape and mythology has prompted me to look back into my extensive Norwegian image library and share some of the locations with you. After nineteen trips to Norway, Covid very quickly put a hold to that, but now I am ready to return – to travel once again through my second home. Here are some Troll memories and locations. Dovre/Hjerken Huus This region is where we first see our friend as he emerges from the tunnel excavations. In summer, this road is an absolute dream to drive – gentle curves across one of the higher plateaus on The E6 between Lillehammer and Trondheim. Gudbrandsdalen As our friend moves south he starts to stomp down the Gudbrandsdalen Valley towards […]
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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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Where does one start with this year. I am not going to attempt it, at all. I refuse. What I will discuss though, is that extra time spent in front of the television. I am fortunate to have an OLED LG TV along with a Dolby Atmos 9.1 speaker system powered by Bowers and Wilkins. I love it, it’s my escape. So, by way of that means of escapism, here – in no particular order – is my list of favourites for 2020. Note this list is what I watched this year, so the release dates can vary. However, I will start with sorrow. The header trailer features some of the finest television I have seen in many a year. Although Perpetual Grace Ltd released in 2019 (and I devoured it then) it was in 2020 I learned that EPix has decided not to renew. How dare they!!!!! Written by Steve Conrad, Stephen Hoey and Sean Hurley, the series was directed by Steve Conrad (6 episodes) and James Whitaker (4 episodes). When you read the first two cast – Ben Kingsley, Jimmi Simpson surely that says enough about this masterpiece. Filmed on location in New Mexico, the colour, the tone […]
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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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Next week I depart the warm summer of Western Australia for my eighteenth (wow, is it really) visit to Norway. Mesna is my first stop and here I’ll be photographing the annual outdoor play and extravaganza that is Birkebeinerspelet. For those of you that are unaware of this magical event, have a look at my previous posts here. My time at Mesna this year is going to be interspersed with a new adventure to an exciting place with a very proud moment taking place whilst I am there. After time with all of my friends at Birkebeinerspelet I will be making a two day trip to Svalbard. For those that are geographically embarrassed about this part of the world, Svalbard is north, way north of Norway and is half way between the mainland of Norway and the North Pole. I knew it was a long way north but it wasn’t until I looked at my flights that I realised how long way north it was – as in a three hour flight from Oslo to Svalbard. Svalbard is 1300km above the Arctic Circle and has polar bears, the northern lights and the Global Seed Vault. It’s another vault here that […]
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Welcome to Rams, filmed in and around the delightful town of Mount Barker, situated in the south west of Western Australia. Ian Brodie is a unit stills photographer attached to this motion picture. Sam Neill, Michael Caton, Wayne Blair, Leon Ford, Travis McMahon, Asher Keddie, Hayley McElhinney, Kipan Rothbury and newcomers Asher Yasbincek and Will McNeil co-star for director Jeremy Sims. The Jeremy Sims (Last Cab to Darwin, Wayne) directed film commenced its shoot on Monday, October 1 in Mount Barker and surrounding areas in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. Rams is produced by WBMC’s Janelle Landers and Aidan O’Bryan, written by Jules Duncan, and will be distributed by Roadshow Films.
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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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The view from North Beach, on the coast of Western Australia near Perth. Taken with the Nikon D850, 24-70mm Nikkor lens and using NiSi Filters. Processed in Lightroom and Luminar.
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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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During June and July I returned to my second home and families in Norway. What a joy it was to be amongst mountains and lakes in the warmth and beauty of a Norwegian summer. Two weeks in the Mesna area saw adventures with Icelandic horses at the home of Birkebeinerspelet before working with two clients, Eurostop and Hunderfossen. It was also my first opportunity to use my drone in the country, and it was a marvel. The Hidden project is continuing well with some exciting announcements (and a new trailer) coming very soon. The video above is my homage to summer in Norway, along with my love for the vocals of Peter Gabriel. I hope you enjoy it.
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On Saturday I return to Norway. Mesna, Lillehammer, Oslo and Hemsedal are all on the itinerary and I am looking forward to working again with my great friends in this beautiful country. I will be creating more images and for the first time in this country, capturing aerial images and video with my DJI Mavic Pro.
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