Field recording workshop with Chris Watson and CampFr
In early October 2024 I had the huge privilege of attending a field recording workshop and residency with Chris Watson and CampFr at Aulus-les-Bains, Pyrenees.
We had many trips out in the Pyrenees to record various types of sounds but the one that stood out was the night I recorded red deer rutting.
I had placed my recording gear in a clearing, next to a stream, but soon enough realised that I had no mobile reception to stay in touch with the others, so I left the gear there and walked up the hill, finding refuge under the tall ferns.
It was no easy task because there was a lot of waiting involved, alone in the dark. Eventually, I was lucky enough to be able to capture the ambience and have a deer roam very close to my recorder, whilst it recorded the deer in the surrounding area and the trickle of the nearby stream.
The clearing in Col de Marrous where I left my recording gear, Oktava MK-012 paired stereo microphones and Sound Devices MixPre 3 II on a sound stereo bar and a Manfrotto Carbon Nanopole stand.
During the workshop, Chris was supportive as ever, regardless of the attendees’ experience. He’s the best!
I really enjoyed the workshop and everything we did, but I did not enjoy the social experience. Perhaps it’s difficult for me to be creative whilst managing large group hierarchies.
