Motorcycle YouTube Vlogger
It has been a longer winter than normal for most of us in the UK and in many countries around the world thanks to Lockdown. As you may have seen in my last blog all my regular work stopped overnight thanks to the pandemic but I was able to work on a few commercial shoots in between lockdowns, but I know it hasn't been easy for many of us.
You all know I just cannot sit around for too long, so in December 2020 I decided to edit my GoPro video footage and stills photography from my solo trip to Scotland on my motorcycle and create a three-part mini series and share it on YouTube under the name of The Adventures of Phil Jones. How difficult can it really be to start a YouTube channel? To be honest, I was completely surprised by the response it had, and as I write this Part One has had over 15K views and over 300 likes.
Trying to keep your hand in as a photographer during winter when you aren't allowed to meet with people is almost impossible so in an attempt to Keep Sane and Carry on I was inspired to create more videos for the Channel and learn some new skills. Although I have created videos before, videography is very different to photography. I like to think I'm okay at finding the right camera angles and framing a shot but camera settings for videography, lighting, sound, editing, scriptwriting and the hardest one for me, being in front of the camera are all very different to what I do from day-to-day.
If you have seen my blog from last year you will know that motorcycling has always played a massive part in my life. As a child, I loved Photography and Motorcycling, and I still do. So what could be better for me than to combine those two passions and create videos and photography to share on YouTube and my own website?!
Even as a was planning my Adventures in Scotland series for YouTube, I decided to film and create a How-To video which made me realise how difficult it is to film yourself while working on your own motorcycle, talking to the camera and checking everything is working as it should be, such as the sound and lighting which constantly changes when working outdoors.
I do realise that learing How To fit an SP Engineering Exhaust to your motorcycle won't be what most of my subscribers have signed up for but as I mentioned, it has kept me sane and taught me some new skills which isn't a bad thing.
I have also started writing a new series How To Photograph your Motorcycle which will also include working with models, so I'm sure many of my regular followers will be very interested in that series. I have plenty of other ideas for videos which I've started on including featuring my friend and model Grace, so if that interests you make sure you Subscribe to my new Channel and hit the notification bell too so you don't miss out.
For now, let me leave with the videos I've created so far. If you have any questions or comments please don't be afraid to ask!
The Adventures of Phil Jones YouTube Channel
My first video
Adventures in Scotland
Scotland by Motorcycle - My Bucket List Tour of Scotland In April 2019, I went on a solo motorcycle trip to the Scottish Highlands on my Suzuki GSX-S 750, travelling from Essex to Scotland. I had always wanted to ride through Scotland and see for myself the breathtaking scenery and roads I have heard so much about. In Part One of my adventures in Scotland, I explain why as a photographer and a passionate motorcyclist, I like to mix business with pleasure and share some of my favourite British Superbike Photographs as well as my commercial motorcycle lifestyle images taken for Hideout Leather and Lings Triumph Essex, before I start my bucket list bike ride to Glen Coe, Glen Etive, the Isle of Skye, Bealach na Ba, and Eileen Dona Castle Kyle of Lochalsh, to name just a few magical locations you'll see in part one. Using stunning drone footage, you will not only see the incredible Scottish landscapes from the air but also, as I saw it from the road, from my GoPro camera as I rode along the most amazing roads. I have also shared my own personal favourite Hi-Res images taken from my Canon 5D MKIV camera.
Scotland by Motorcycle - Full-Length Film
Although my first video was well received, I did have a handful of comments from older people who said they found my commentary a little difficult to hear over the music. It was definitely a learning curve for me as I mentioned but by the end of the first series, I felt as though I had already had learnt so much so decided to create a full-length video of all three episodes and improve the sound quality.
Scotland by Motorcycle - Full-Length Film - My Solo Motorcycle Trip to The Scottish Highlands
The best way to clean your Motorcycle - How-To Series
To take us right up to date, my current series is The best way to clean your motorcycle. Now as my bestie always keeps telling me, I'm always trying to be a perfectionist and I must admit I've really tried hard to create the best sound I possibly could for my latest videos, whether that is outdoors using a Lavalier aka a lapel mic, or inside using a voice-over. So you can imagine how disappointed I was when I managed to break a microphone by pulling the lead out whilst catching it on my bike indicator. I've tried not to spend too much money recently as basically it hasn't been coming in, so I opted to replace the mic with a Rode Lavalier Go but had terrible intermittent interference problems, so much of my last video I re-recorded or replaced with a voice-over. But all is now well as I sent that mic back to Wex Photographic, who was very helpful, and upgraded to the Pro Rode Lavalier Mic Kit which seems to be working just fine.
Click the link to view the series The best way to clean your motorcycle
The last thing to mention is I've also signed up to Amazon Associate Programme as so many people were interested in buying some of the products I recommended. So if you do ever shop on Amazon, make sure you click my link first and I could get a little kick-back which will help me as Lockdown hasn't been kind to us creatives.
See below links to the equipment I use for my YouTube Videos
At the end of the day, I'm still trying my hardest to do what I love and I hope you guys like it too!
All the best,
Phil
Subscribe to The Adventures of Phil Jones
New motorcycle photography website The Adventures of Phil Jones https://theadventuresofphiljones.co.uk/
Equipment Used for my YouTube Channel
Canon 5D Mark IV Camera https://amzn.to/3fgEF3A
Canon 24-105 mm F4 L Series Lens https://amzn.to/31gSA1n
SanDisk Extreme 64GB CompactFlash Memory Card https://amzn.to/3lPPuuO
Manfrotto BeFree Live Travel Tripod https://amzn.to/3shoA1g
Rode Lavalier Microphone https://amzn.to/31nowkF
Rode NGT2 Mic https://amzn.to/3tYFGBI
Rode Video Mic https://amzn.to/3sqgymS
Zoom H4N Recorder https://amzn.to/39yV7J5
