Given his name, James Shooter admits he was always destined to be a spy or a photographer. Thankfully, for those who love nature, he chose the latter.
Yet, there are similarities between the two vocations. Ever since he arrived in the Cairngorms a decade ago, he has focused his gaze on rewilding, deploying the latest technology to capture secret images and creating stunning images of life in the raw.
It was in the north of Scotland where James honed his skills in aerial photography, using drones to capture unique perspectives of Scotland’s spectacular landscapes.
And, as part of Scotland: The Big Picture, he and his colleagues, Peter Cairns and Mark Hamblin, produced their first feature-length documentary, Riverwoods, which told the story of the increasing plight of Scotland’s endangered Atlantic salmon.
In the early days, James had a dream – and even he admits he pinched himself after becoming involved in a new, high-profile TV series, which is being screened this spring.
James set out of his photography career at the age of 21 years old, and thought it would be quite something to work on a David Attenborough documentary one day.
It was a dream come true for James
As he said: “To be honest, I can’t believe that part has actually come true. But I was absolutely honoured to be asked to work as an aerial camera operator for the BBC’s new series Wild Isles [which is presented by the nonagenarian Attenborough].
“Amongst other sequences, I was tasked with capturing some of the best mountain winter scenery we have in Scotland. So, in the winter of 2021, as luck would have it, with probably the best snowfall for a decade, I set about climbing mountains in the dark for (hopefully) spectacular sunrises at the top.”
Now he is eagerly awaiting the finished production and is excited to see it. It is the first time British wildlife has been given the full blue-chip treatment, and James said by the looks of the trailer, the wildlife, timelapse, underwater and aerial camera operators have delivered the goods.
David Attenborough is talking over my footage.
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH IS TALKING OVER MY FOOTAGE!! 🤩
Can’t wait to see the series! https://t.co/VgtCaHSe1n
— James Shooter (@James__Shooter) February 22, 2023
Journey was worth it
Patience is a virtue for these redoubtable characters. On one assignment, he was joined by his friend, fellow camera operator – and recent Strictly winner – Hamza Yassin for a hike to one of Scotland’s most dramatic mountain settings at Sgurr na Stri on Skye.
After spending part of the night sleeping in the back of a van, the pair set off at 4am for the gruelling hike to the summit. Unfortunately, what James described as “the best view in Scotland” was enveloped in low cloud and drizzle and they returned empty-handed and soaking wet, only to repeat the trip a week later when the conditions were better.
As he recalled: “Thankfully, the repeat journey was worth it”.
He is now taking a year out to travel around Europe, visiting sites across the continent and talking to the people behind different nature restoration initiatives, including the first two from Scotland (Affric Highlands and Seawildling) for a podcast.
Yes, this is one active Shooter with a positive message.
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