"I am trying to reconnect humans with the natural world"

Niklas Weber

Scroll down for pictures from the wild!

As a multi-award winning freelance wildlife cinematographer, FPV drone pilot and photographer I have worked for NatGeo Wild, Off the Fence Productions, Blue Planet Film, NDR Doclights, Flying Pangolin Film, Arte and WWF, among others. With unique wildlife stories and perspectives, I try to strengthen the connection between humans and nature.

A few things about me: I love the adventure of shooting in remote places (as part of a team or on my own), have a great passion for wolves, own a small dinghy in the Great Bear Rainforest and explored it on my own for over three months, love working with others and also the challenge of trying new filming techniques. When I work as a wildlife cameraman, I not only try to capture the story as cinematically as possible from different angles, but I also try to think ahead to the editing and all the shots that are needed to make it as easy as possible for the editor. I've also trained myself to find and capture the little stories around the main story and always keep an eye out for good stories that no one has thought of before.

I am specialised in filming with

1. Long lens, with and without camoflage suit or hide. Mostly I´m using the Sony FX6 with the Sony 200-600mm with and without the 2x Teleconverter.
   

2. Drones, certified for EU and Australia. I´m enjoying filming landscapes but also animal behaviour (with appropriate safety precautions so that the animals are not disturbed). I am also an experienced FPV drone pilot (see showreel). I myself own a DJI Avata (FPV Cinewhoop) with a 10-bit colour depth.

3. Gimbal. I myself own the DJI RS2 and use it mainly with my Sony FX6 and Atomos Shogun 7 recorder. I also have experience with the Zhiyun Crane 3S.

I am also comfortable shooting

1. Underwater, using the Sony A7iii in a Nauticam housing (Padi Advanced Open Water Diver certified)

2. Infrared and 4K HDR video camera traps

3. Multi axis motion controlled timelapse

Recent references as cinematographer include:

• Magical France (working title) - (Stories: European wildcats) - Production runs until 2025

• Dream Islands of the Indian Ocean (working title) - Seychelles Episode (Stories: Sooty Tern Colony and Frigatebird Hunts, Mudskippers, Aldabra Giant Tortoises and Seychelles magpie-robin, White-tailed Tropicbirds and Pisonia Fruit) - Production runs until 2024

• Hidden Wonders of Europe (Stories: Stoats)

• Awards:

Official selection - WCFF 2022 with “Mono - the biodiversity in danger”

Official selection - WCFF 2020 with "Chasing Wildlife"

Highly Honored - Nature's Best Photography 2020 with "Chasing Wildlife" in Nature in Motion

More information about the productions can be found here.

Recent references as photographer include:

• Zeit Online and Euro Natur Bulgaria 2022

• WWF and Binco research expedition Democratic Republic of the Congo 2021

• Awards:
  

Highly Honored - GDT Nature photographer of the year 2022 with “Bat Time” in Mammals

Highly Honored - GDT Nature photographer of the year 2022 with “Tree Frog” in Other animals

Best photography winner - El Mundo Festival 2019 with “Costa Rica - Paradise between two continents”

Winner of the Travel Photographer of the year People's Choice - National Geographic 2018 with “Formation” in Nature

Current CV is available on request.

My Equipment

Cameras: Sony FX6 (Cinema Line) with the Atomos Shogun 7 Monitor / Recorder, Sony Alpha 7M3, Sony A5000 converted to Full Spectrum, GoPro 5 & 6.

Lenses: Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8, Sony 50mm F/1.8, Sony 28-70mm, Sony 70-200mm F/2.8, Sony 200-600mm, Sony 2x Teleconverter.

Kameradrohnen: DJI Avata (FPV drone with 10-bit colour depth), DJI Mavic Pro

Gimbal: DJI RS2 Pro

Camerahousings:

- Nauticam underwater camera housing for Sony Alpha 7M3 with the Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8 Lens.

- Bear Box camera housing, manufactured in cooperation with Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG for Sony Alpha 7 with the Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8 or the Sony 28-70mm lens.

- Infrared and 4K HDR video and still camera traps with PIR Motion Sensor V3 from Camtraption and three remote-controlled Nikon SB-28 flashes or three infrared spotlights or LED panels. Cameras can be chosen arbitrarily.

Sponsors

I am very grateful and happy that I have sponsors who provide me with the necessary equipment and the right software. This allows me to capture unique moments and later reproduce them on the stage in the highest quality.