A couple months ago we ran a video competition with Sony Australia themed ‘City life’. After watching hundreds of entries we narrowed down the winner to Alex Pidgeon, who won himself a Sony a6400! We sat down with him to see what inspires him and how he created the winning video.
1. What gear do you use?
I used my Sony a7iii with a Sigma 24mm f/1.4 for most shots. I mixed in a bunch of Drone shots as well using the DJI Mavic Pro
2. What type of photography/video are you into?
I think my biggest interest would have to be street / urban style photography. But I have been experimenting with my style lately, trying to create a more “cinematic” type feel to my photos. I want to convey a type of mood or story through these kinds of shots.
3. How did you start shooting? What inspires you?
I originally got into photography thanks to skateboarding. I wanted to capture what we got up to on the weekends skating around the streets. A lot of spots we skated were in or around abandoned buildings so it was quite photogenic.
I get inspired by the people I surround my self with, I have to say most of my inspiration is coming from my talented friends. But also I get ideas from movies and music.
4. Any tips for those who are starting out?
I think the biggest thing is to get out, shoot and experiment. I learned the ins and outs of a camera before I even owned my first DSLR thanks to youtube.
I think what’s even better is trying to surround your self with people who are also interested in photography. You can learn so much by bouncing ideas off each other and creating stuff together.
5. How did you shoot your winning video?
It was super last minute!! I noticed the post on Instagram a day before the deadline. I packed my gear up and went to the city to try can capture as much as I could. Instagram only allows videos to be a minute long, so I knew I would have to try and fit in as many creative shots as possible.
I wanted to try out different video techniques that I’ve never done before. Things such as hyper lapses and unique drone shots. I just wanted to try and create something that stood out.
