Growing up, Mia lived in different countries and experienced a broad range of environments and cultures, fuelling her passion to protect the natural world. Working collaboratively with sustainable brands, eco-conscious hotels, and conservation organisations, Mia’s occupation has taken her to the jungle, mountains and even the depths of the sea. “What I enjoy most about my job is that I have the chance to create meaningful impact through visual narratives. My goal is to foster a greater appreciation for our planet, encourage outdoor exploration and drive real conservation impact.”
13 February 2024
By
Atomos
A walk on the wild side with Mia Stawinski
Mia Stawinski is an award-winning photographer and videographer who specialises in capturing the raw beauty of nature and wildlife. Find out how using the Ninja Ultra and Sony Ci Media Cloud advanced her workflow when capturing wildlife in Botswana.
A unique opportunity presented itself for Mia to capture the awe-inspiring movements of lions, elephants, and rhinos in their natural habitat in Botswana. Requiring a reliable and efficient monitor-recorder to ensure footage was captured in the highest quality, Mia opted for the Ninja Ultra, the latest addition to Atomos’ product range.
The Ninja Ultra proved to be the perfect pairing for Mia’s Sony A7R V mirrorless camera as it unlocked the ability to record in ProRes RAW – a feature which helped simplify her workflow, allowing her to spend more time behind the camera. “Recording in ProRes RAW ensured I received high-quality footage with minimal compression, while being able to record directly to the SSD drive eliminated the need for time-consuming file transfers. Not only did ProRes RAW refine my workflow, but it preserved the fine details, vibrant colours, and dynamic range of my footage,” Mia added.
“The Ninja Ultra and Ci Media Cloud were absolute game-changers for me. They have fast become staple products in my workflow.”
But the Ninja isn’t just a recorder. It also incorporates a range of essential monitoring tools, such as focus peaking, zoom, and vectorscope. With easy access to these tools using the highly responsive touchscreen display, Mia was able to review her footage quickly and discreetly, without disturbing the animals. “Focus peaking and zoom were invaluable. They helped ensure my focusing and exposure levels were correct, reducing any surprises during post-production. Being able to review footage easily with the ability to set in and out points directly on the monitor has significantly sped up my editing process.”
While roaming the subtropical climate of Botswana, clear visibility was paramount to capturing unparalleled shots of the mammals. Thanks to the Ninja’s high resolution 5-inch display, the images could be viewed clearly, even in direct sunlight. “The large, bright display of the Ninja ensured my view was unrestricted, which facilitated the precise framing of shots,” said Mia.
Uploading to Sony Ci Media Cloud
Mia uploaded her footage to Sony Ci Media Cloud – a cloud-based platform where large files can be stored securely. “Ci Media Cloud streamlined my media management, enabling me to access and review footage from anywhere.”
Using cloud storage means that footage can be viewed anywhere in the world, and Mia’s client was able to provide regular input by reviewing and commenting on the project, which resulted in a final product which exceeded their expectations. “I love how Sony Ci Media Cloud streamlines client feedback and encourages efficient collaboration,” Mia added.
Having previously relied solely on the A7R V’s internal recording capabilities and managing physical media with sluggish file transfers, Mia’s entire workflow has been transformed. The Ninja provided exceptional recording quality with ProRes RAW, while Ci Media Cloud lifted the time-consuming burden of organising files with its intuitive platform.
“The Ninja Ultra and Ci Media Cloud were absolute game-changers for me, making my production set-up easy, quick, and smooth. They have fast become staple products in my workflow.”