Today I am pleased to tell you about my latest video project. Shot over the course of three days, the resulting short film captures the relentless activity of honeybees eager to enjoy the last few sips of nectar from delicate yet generous allium flowers under a bright and warm September sun.
Behind the scenes
A few important decisions helped to establish the style and tone.
Aiming for an intimate and dreamy look, all footage was shot handheld and up-close with a 50mm equivalent focal length and very shallow depth of field.
Based on initial test footage I quickly decided to forego any tripod or assisted stabilization and embrace the jitters, keeping it as steady as I possibly could.
Not only did it allow me to spot and follow the journey of a honeybee from flower to flower more freely. The camera shake actually emphasizes the delicate, fragile and ephemeral nature of the activity going on.
As always music is an essential component of a video project. After careful consideration of several music pieces, this one became the obvious choice. Its appropriately paced waltz rythm, the cheerful, bouncy and warm association of the piano and strings perfectly matched the pace and delicate activity of those bees.
