Less Kit, More Adventure: What I’d Pack to Film Iceland

One of our fave creator / entrepreneurs and CTRL family member, Harry, check out  @nohmadictravel, is heading off on an adventure around Iceland, filming his journey and creating content for cold-weather brands along the way.

We’ll be following his journey, but it got me thinking about what kit I’d take if I were doing the same trip.

This year we’ve filmed all over but most brag-worthy are Bangkok, Thailand, all over China and good ol’ Austin Texas.. anyway I’ve become increasingly convinced that less kit means better content. Too much equipment gives you too many options. You end up spending more time trying to get the perfect shot than capturing what’s happening. For social content, a bit of run-and-gun fun often produces more natural, engaging results — and probably a better return for the brands involved.

So after a few decades of cheating the luggage scales here’s what I’d pack for something like this.

Camera

I’d shoot 90% of it on my iPhone. The quality is great, particularly for social, and if you’re editing on your phone anyway, it’s so much easier having everything in one place.

I’d recommend a cage for mounting a light, mic receiver and other bits. It will also protect your phone when you drop it down some ice crevasse.  Just make sure it’s the version that fits your phone.

 

My NEEWER cage on Amazon · NEEWER manufacturer range

I also really like the DJI Osmo Pocket. Great for smooth walking shots and movement, plus Product Showcase mode on the Pocket 3 is brilliant for bringing something you’re holding into focus. We use it for product work in the studio. Compatible DJI wireless mics can connect directly, without a separate receiver which is super handy.

 

DJI manufacturer product page

What About a Proper Camera?

I really can’t be bothered with DSLRs or mirrorless cameras for solo travel content anymore.

There, I said it.

Yes, it’s incredibly creative and satisfying to produce beautiful, cinematic footage with your Sony A1 or RED cinema camera. I love that stuff too.

But just check. Does the client actually care?*

Quite often they’re far more interested reach and interaction and all that stuff. Most wouldn’t know what dynamic range was if you hit them over the head with it.

And while you’re messing about changing lenses, balancing gimbals and colour grading your masterpiece, someone else has filmed, edited and posted five pieces of content on their phone.

I’m not saying there’s no place for proper cameras. Of course there is. We use them all the time.

But for travel, vlogging and social content, I increasingly struggle to see the return on all that extra effort.

*Note, often the client also wants to see you rock up with a Red too… because the kit I’m describing their in-house marketing bod already has. But you’re being hired for what’s inside your brain right? Not how much debt you’re in

Sometimes good enough is actually better.

Lighting

I can’t imagine needing much extra light during the day in Iceland? But something small for filling shadows or filming at night is useful.

I’ve been enjoying the SmallRig RM120 RGB light. Tiny, rechargeable and surprisingly useful.

 

My Amazon link · SmallRig manufacturer product page

Sound

We use both the DJI Mic Mini and RØDE Wireless GO.

If you’re doing the influencer thing of holding a tiny mic up to your mouth, the DJI is great. Because we’re old, we tend to clip ours to our shirts like traditional lapel mics. At that distance I’ve found the RØDE handles background noise a bit better.

I’d say RØDE wins slightly on sound quality, DJI wins on convenience. But for social, who’s really going to notice?

Just make sure you’ve got decent wind protection in Iceland!

 

 

DJI Mic Mini manufacturer page · RØDE Wireless GO manufacturer page

Tripod / Selfie Stick

I love this little NEEWER tripod/selfie stick. Much lighter than a proper tripod, but also works as a selfie stick or makeshift camera boom for getting interesting angles. Really useful when you’re filming yourself.

 

My NEEWER tripod on Amazon · NEEWER manufacturer alternative (TS04)

Getting a Bit More Serious

Two other things I’d consider, depending on how much effort you want to put into the product shots.

A camera slider. We use an iFootage Shark Slider in the studio, often with the Osmo Pocket, to get those sexy moving product shots. Ours was around £700, but smaller sliders can be a lot less.

I can imagine getting some great footage of cold-weather products on a rock face, with a hot spring and a polar bear in the background. 

 

iFootage manufacturer product page

A drone? I’ve not tried it yet, but I’m interested in something like the DJI Neo 2, which can automatically follow you around while walking or driving. Could be brilliant for solo travel content.

But it needs to be cheap and simple (also so you don’t cry when it flies into the ice crevasse after your phone). If you’re spending half your day messing about with it then you work for the drone now .

 

DJI manufacturer product page

One thing worth checking is the drone rules wherever you’re going. Generally, drones under 250g are easier to fly legally, with fewer restrictions — but that doesn’t mean you can fly them anywhere. Registration, insurance, local no-fly areas and permits can still apply.

Iceland, like many places, has extra restrictions in national parks and protected areas, and some commercial filming needs permission.

But what even counts as commercial filming these days? If you’re a solo creator filming your holiday, posting it on Instagram and maybe featuring a jacket someone sent you, is that commercial work? What if the video makes a few quid? The lines have become pretty blurred.

Whatever you call it, check the rules for the location and the purpose of the flight before taking off.

Keep It Simple

That’s about it. There’s obviously a place for big cameras and proper production setups. It’s what we do for a living.

But for this sort of trip, I’d much rather spend my time exploring, enjoying myself and capturing interesting moments than carrying a load of kit and trying to make everything perfect. After almost 30 years of creating for a living all over the world I’m finally embracing looking like an amateur and how much it pushes me creatively and how much more fulfilling that is.

Good content is about you. Not your tools.

Looking forward to seeing what Harry creates out in Iceland.

Follow Harry’s Iceland adventure: @nohmadictravel on Instagram

Finally if you’re reading this and worried about the results / output… on the three trips mentioned above, we consistently delivered 3 – 5 times the views / reach over our nearest competitors at the same events with 3 – 5 times the value of kit. But if you want us to bring the Arri Alexa, no probs. We’ll hire it in 😉

Mat McCallum — CTRL