Cinematographer Beautifully Captures an Ode to the Mountains

Seattle-based photographer and cinematographer Mitch Pittman captured his friends The Musical Mountaineers and Nikki Frumkin in an ode to the mountains in Mt. Rainier National Park. Watch the video and read how. When I first watched this video I was completely flabbergasted. I've heard great music, seen great drawings and beautiful mountain views, and well-done short films and music videos, but rarely seen them combined in such an alluring way. Watching this video gives me a sense of being in the mountains without actually being in the mountains. "The musical mountaineers love playing simple songs in the mountains," Pittman said. "And it's something pretty I really wanted to share with folks." 

The quality of the video and audio definitely contributed to the powerful impact this video left on me. Pittman shot in RAW on a Canon C200 at 4K with a Canon 16-35mm f/4 lens to get his shots. He also used a DJI Ronin-M Gimbal for stabilization. Pittman noted that although he was using a stabilizer, it was tricky steadying the camera while rock hopping at the vista. I personally think the slight wobble at some points in the video adds to the feeling of hiking, and made a greater impact on me as the viewer than if the film was 100-percent steady. 

To record audio, Pittman used a 3dio microphone. "It's essentially 3-D sound, and when you listen with earbuds it feels like you're right there with the musicians," said Pittman. 

In national parks you need a permit to record paid or commercial video. This has neither component. "It's just art for the sake of art," said Pittman. 

To view more of Pittman's work, follow along on his Instagram.