James Stevens
Filmmaker, Photographer, Aerial Operator and Guide
James has dedicated his career to telling wildlife stories in the UK and internationally. Driven to promote positive change in the natural world, he is particularly focused on raising awareness of global issues and conservation.
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James is available for work as a camera operator, second camera, assistant, aerial operator, sync, editor and making-of. With nine years of freelance experience across many genres, wildlife in particular, James has honed his skills as a one-man production unit as well as part of a team, and immerses himself in all aspects of film. With his own extensive equipment, James is available for work with quick turnaround.
About James Stevens
Life as a Naturalist
James Stevens is a wildlife filmmaker, photographer, CAA approved aerial drone operator and guide based in the Scottish Highlands and Gloucestershire. Growing up in the idyllic Cotswolds, James has immersed himself in nature from a very young age. Upon graduating from university he headed North to the Cairngorms National Park where he slept in his car for over 2 months in order to be as close to wildlife as possible. Since then he has lived and worked in the Highlands, focusing all efforts on showcasing the natural world through media and guiding, as well as highlighting environment issues and promoting conservation.
James has credits as a camera operator, aerial operator in programs such as BBC Springwatch, Wild Isles, Scotland: A Year in the Wild, The One Show to name a few. He has also worked on documentaries for Silverback Ltd, Humblebee and Passion Pictures. With a worldwide knowledge on species and interest in global conservation, he has worked on creating his own independent documentaries, the latest of which is ‘Conserving Sumatra’. In 2018 and 2019 James journeyed throughout the Indonesian island and filmed the incredible conservation efforts being carried out by small organisations and individuals, in particular conservationist Pungky Nanda Pratama. Together they captured success stories, as well as uncovering the islands issues such as poaching and logging.
James’ latest release is ‘When the Snow Melts’, a short documentary about living and working with Sleddogs in Scotland whilst their way of life is threatened by the change in climate. Alaskan huskies are capable and comfortable living and running in temperatures of 40 degrees below. With the Scottish winters becoming shorter, wetter and more unpredictable, the Stewart family struggle to run the dogs due to being too warm for the dogs and too wet to keep them clean and healthy. The short documentary has been shown internationally within many film festivals.
If you are interested in hiring James as a camera operator, commercial drone pilot, photographer or guide please contact by clicking below or filling in the contact form.
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Skillset
Camera Operator
Drone Operator
Camera Assistant
Wildlife guide and ecological surveyor
RED, Phantom, Sony, Z-CAM, Panasonic, Canon, others
Long lens (Canon CN20 etc)
Macro
Sync - presenters and contributors
Audio - radio, shotgun, parabolic, field recording
Timelapse and motion timelapse
Gimbal
Jib
Slider
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Recent Credits
2024
Camera Operator and Editor - Channel 4 News
RF Engineer Assistant - Cloudbass
Camera Operator - Humblebee
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (long lens on location)
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (VT)
Camera Operator - Channel 4 News
Camera Operator - BBC Winterwatch (long lens on location)
Camera Operator - BBC Winterwatch (VT)
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2023
Producer, Camera Operator, Editor, Presenter - 8 Out of 10 Bats
Camera and Drone Operator - National Parks From Above Channel 4
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (long lens on location)
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (VT)
Camera Operator - Channel 4 News
Camera Operator - BBC NHU
Camera Operator / Presenter - Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Camera Operator - BBC Winterwatch
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2022
Self-shooting PD and editor - BBC Winterwatch
Camera Operator - BBC Winterwatch
Camera Operator - True To Nature 'OZT Goes Wild'
Camera Operator - BBC Autumnwatch (Ivy Spider and Nighttime Mindfulness Moment)
Camera/Drone Operator - Humblebee (in Production)
Camera Operator - BBC NHU 'Big Little Journeys'
Camera Operator and editor - Channel 4 News
Camera Operator - Plimsoll for Disney+ (in production)
Camera/Drone Operator - Humblebee for Netflix (in production)
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (Zebra Spider and Granny Pine VTs)
Camera Operator - Passion Planet (in production)
Camera Operator - Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (several films)
Camera Operator - Helping Rhinos
Camera Operator + editor - BBC Winterwatch (Abernethy Forest, Stewart Taylor)
Camera Operator, Making-of - Silverback Films (in production)
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2021
Camera Operator - BBC Autumnwatch (Pine Martens, Coal Tits)
Camera Operator - Silverback Films 'Wild Isles'
Camera/Drone Operator - BBC Countryfile (Isle of Mull)
Camera/Drone Operator - Wildlife Trust
Drone Operator - Scottish Wildlife Trust
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (Tiger Beetles)
Camera Operator - Cairngorms National Park
Camera/Drone Operator - BBC Winterwatch (Mindfulness Cairngorms)
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2020
Camera/Drone Operator - BBC Autumnwatch (Grey Seals, Sync)
Story Developer - BBC Autumnwatch (Isle of May)
Camera/Drone Operator - Channel 5 Scotland: A Year in the Wild (Red Squirrels Summer, Red Squirrels Autumn, Salmon Autumn)
Camera Operator - BBC The One Show (Dolphins, Waders, Moray Firth)
Camera Operator/Editor - Channel 4 News Glasgow (several news stories)
Camera Operator/Editor - Channel 4 News London (several news stories)
Camera Assistant - Silverback Films 'Wild Isles'
Story Developer - BBC Winterwatch (Cairngorms)
Producer/Camera/Drone/Edit - Independent 'When the Snow Melts'
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2019
Producer/Camera/Drone/Edit - Independent Conserving Sumatra (in production)
Camera/Drone Operator - BBC Autumnwatch (Fungi of Abernethy, Manx Sheerwaters)
Story Developer - BBC Autumnwatch (Cairngorms)
Camera/Drone Operator - BBC Countryfile (Balcaskie)
Camera Operator - BBC Springwatch (Timberman Beetle, White-faced Darter)
Get in Touch
Please get in touch to discuss commissions, quotes and my work.
07833775859