JON RAY CASE STUDY
“In particular, one shot there were a bunch of riders hitting three jumps in a line, one after the other. It was filmed at sunset, and the colours were stunning in the camera, even as a Raw image. I couldn’t wait to get home and look at the edit. “In another example, I was filming my friends hiking up this ridgeline, pretty far away on another mountain. They all stopped, which I thought was odd. Later that night, going through the footage, I realised a huge ibex ran right in front of them. I think they were all equally scared and intrigued by each other.” Perhaps it’s fitting that this shot of wildlife was so memorable, as there is more than just action sports on the agenda. He has recently left Quiksilver and plans to work on some documentary-style films, especially in the environmental and nature sector. “Documentaries like this inspire me in the same way skateboard and snowboard videos used to when I was a kid. This is something I’m very passionate about,” explains Ray. “I’m excited to work on some personal projects I’d put on the back burner, free up some time to focus on more of what I’m interested in – and keep learning.”
CAPTURING THE MAGIC Extreme sports filmmaker Jon Ray swears by Canon L-series lenses on a Blackmagic Pocket
had it for ten years. It’s the crispest zoom I have, and most versatile. Focus doesn’t shift much, so you can’t tell when I zoom in and out during a shot. I use it in the mountains, on the beach or for fashion shoots.” To keep the camera portable, Ray uses a small cage with a top handle and Rode mini shotgun mic. He puts support rails on when using a larger zoom lens and a matte box if needed. On location, he takes no more than three lenses – but lots of batteries, as the cold can kill them quickly. “Likewise, when you’re on the beach filming surfing, you rarely turn the camera off because you have to be ready at all times,” explains Ray. “Some of the more random bits of kit I take are a light meter, Super 8 camera, 35mm film camera and cleaning kit. “If you are in the back country filming snow, the most essential items are a beacon, shovel and probe. That can save a life if someone gets buried in an avalanche. And radios are important for communication, too.”
Cinema Camera 6K Pro, largely because of the dual native ISO and wide dynamic range. “You can’t control light much when it comes to shooting action sports. You film a lot in the early mornings and later evenings when there’s minimal light,” he says. “Dynamic range is my favourite feature about the camera, though. The colour you can pull from the images is nothing short of amazing and cinema-worthy. It’s as good as any Red camera I have used in the past. “The camera’s size makes it simple to travel with, and easy to grab and shoot when you are on the road or out in nature. I recently hiked Kilimanjaro and am making a documentary with my wife. I shot all of it on the 6K Pro, with one lens and a mini tripod. It was the lightest set-up I’ve ever carried through mountains and some of the best content I’ve ever filmed.” Ray uses Canon L-series lenses, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM being his most-used optic. “I’ve
ALPINE ADVENTURES From filming interviews to liaising with extreme sports athletes and slogging up mountains, it’s all in a day’s work for Jon Ray. He uses the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro for its portability
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