"When working in some of the toughest conditions on the planet, I need Gates"
David Reichert is a legend among underwater professional cameraman. Tropical ocean to Bearing Sea, Reefs to Icebergs, Blue Whales to Mantas, David's passion for images is boundless. Like a Gates, he keeps going and going and going.....
David Reichert, kelp forest, Gull Island, Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, California, USA
David Reichert was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado where he spent his youth alpine ski racing and white water kayaking. He attended the College of Idaho on an alpine skiing scholarship where he earned degrees in physics and mathematics. After he graduating he moved to Jackson, Wyoming where he found a job as a camera assistant on the BBC’s Blue Planet. He worked over the next five years to earn the title of cameraman and director of photography. David specializes in filming underwater and is one of the most experienced cinematographers with large marine mammals. A few of the species he has worked with include: Blue whales, Humpback whales, Orcas, Fin whales, Sperm whales, Sei whales, Bryde’s whales, Narwhals, Beluga whales, Walrus, Leopard seals, Sealions, white shark, and Elephant seals. Today his credits include: “Blue Planet”, “Planet Earth”, “Natures Great Events”, “The Hunt”, “Blue Planet 2”, “Our Planet”, “Hostile Planet, and Galatee/Disney Nature’s “Oceans” just to name a few. . David has been nominated for eight Emmys for cinematography and won four. He has also won a BAFTA for cinematography as well as best cinematography from the Paris Film festival, Blue Ocean Film Festival, and Japan Wildlife Film Festival. He now lives in Los Angeles and is currently working on natural history series for the BBC, Plimsoll, Silverback Films, Offspring Films, and is the director of photography for the Discovery Channel series “Deadliest Catch”, and “Bering Sea Gold”.
David Reichert,
I've never even thought twice about whether my ProExplore housing is up to the challenges that I throw at it. From being tossed in and out of a boat on pelagic shoots, warm climates, cold climates, deep work, it's always come through for me. The size of it is ideal for what I do, trimmed down for swimming onto action quickly but bulky enough to deliver stable, smooth movements. The Gates team are also second to none in terms of customer service. They go above and beyond and really understand their clientele. An amazing system and incredible company, Gates is the way to go!
Jeff Hester
https://www.jeffbhester.com/Jeff Hester, https://www.jeffbhester.com/
Dan works as a freelancer, based in Cape Town. In partnership with Charles Maxwell of Underwater Video Services South Africa he is an owner / operator of a Sony F55 in Gates Housing. Dan says; "Having been using Gates housing systems for both the Sony F55 and RED Epic tirelessly for the last eighteen months or so, I can honestly say how glad I am I made the switch to the Gates system from electronic housings that I was using previously. The Gates have proved themselves to be 100% reliable in the tough conditions we are forced to put our gear through here in South Africa, without any compromise to image quality or to camera control."
Dan Beecham's Bio:
Dan Beecham is a cameraman specializing in filming natural history sequences underwater and in remote locations.
Born in Oxford in 1983, Dan has been diving and taking pictures underwater since the age of twelve. After participating in a ‘try dive’ with his family in the Florida Keys, Dan was instantly hooked and learnt to dive in the UK before going on to log thousands of dives worldwide.
During his years with the Save Our Seas Foundation, as head cameraman Dan’s duties included filming stock footage sequences for SOSF’s HD library, shooting, producing and editing web shorts and filming sequences on SOSF projects for broadcast documentaries including the renowned BBC series ‘Natural World’.
Dan now works as a freelancer, based in Cape Town. In partnership with Charles Maxwell of Underwater Video Services.
Dan Beecham, http://danbeecham.com/
Richard Fitzpatrick is an Emmy award winning cinematographer based in North Queensland, Australia. His film CV is lengthy (>50 for BBC, NG, Discovery) and stock footage library extensive. Richard is currently shooting DEEP DRAGON, and has this to say:
I have been using Gates underwater housings for more than 12 years. The bottom line is, they work. Not only are they reliable, Gates underwater housings are also durable. I can say thankfully, that they are even shark proof.
Richard Fitzpatrick, http://www.biopixel.tv/You can see Richard's demo reel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVKwp05ybLY
http://www.biopixel.tv/
'As a professional underwater cinematographer working in the field, I need a product that is versatile, well made, well designed and absolutely bulletproof. Gates doesn't just meet these expectations they far exceed them. They listen to needs of shooters and there customer service is absolutely astounding which is why I choose Gates over any other brand'
Located in Sydney, Australia, Jon Shaw / ginclearfilm is an multi-award winning production company specialising in underwater cinematography.
Jon Shaw, http://ginclearfilm.com/
I have been using Gates Underwater Products for the whole of my professional career, filming wildlife and presenters underwater all over the world. Gates is the market leader for good reason, their range of products are rugged and reliable; I know I can trust the housing to keep my camera safe whatever environment I am in. Not only are Gates Products themselves beautifully engineered to withstand the most demanding conditions, their after sales care and service from John, Pamela and the team really goes the extra mile…
They really have your back.
Photo Credit: Jamie Walker
Mark Sharman, https://www.marksharman-cinematography.com/
"My Epic housing is the best underwater housing I've ever owned. It will take any lens I choose, and I can make the change in less than five minutes. Every control that can be accessed above water is easily accessed underwater. And the housing is so perfectly balanced that I can let it go in open water and it just sits there straight and level as if on a tripod."
Howard Hall
Howard Hall, http://www.howardhall.com/
"As a profession underwater cameraman working in the film industry the pressure is high and the work challenging .
The one thing that makes me feel at ease and secure is my gates housing. True to its tag line, it does feel bullet proof and once I’ve vacuum sealed it I simply don’t have to worry about it anymore and trust it completely to deliver every time so I can focus on getting great shots .
With fantastic. Image quality and great balance I don’t think I will ever use another housing .
Thank you gates!"
Sumer Verma,
“The last thing you want to worry about when you’re 45m deep staring at a school of hammerhead sharks is whether your housing is up to the task. With Gates I can focus completely on the cinematography, stay creative and make the most of an amazing moment.”
- Will Foster Grundy / ScubaZoo
Based in Borneo with underwater production company Scubazoo, Director of Photography Will Foster-Grundy has been capturing stories about our oceans for the past 3 years.
Website: http://www.scubazoo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scubazoo/
School of Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna lewini, Layang Layang, Sabah, Malaysia
Scubazoo,
John Bracewell is a commercial diver and underwater cameraman with Merman Diving Services / UK. He recently took delivery of a Gates ALEXA housing with several custom adaptations.
"What an Experience ! to find people who listen...my requests and modifications were met with Zest and Excitement.
I'm truly truly so pleased with my new baby..... Thank you....."
John Bracewell,
I'm shooting in extreme underwater environments that are often remote. We don't have the luxury of second chances. Our Gates housing has been with us under ice in in the Arctic to filming deep caves in the jungles of the Yucatan. I am confident it won't fail me in any environment I'm in and that peace of mind is priceless.
Becky and David Schott
Becky and David Schott, http://www.liquidproductionsllc.com/
As a professional underwater camera operator and DOP in the film and television industry I need the best underwater housing money can buy. I know Gates housings are very well built and I don’t need to worry about the housing and the camera inside it. It all just works when I need it to!
My housings main settings (focus, iris and zoom etc) can be operated from the surface or I can access all the functions underwater for complete manual control depending on the client’s requirements and all with perfect balance in the water.
The UK and USA teams are amazing and very helpful allowing me to customize my housing to accommodate different jobs to my clients brief.
Thank you.
Picture Credits: Neil Blackman & Holly Tarplee
As a wildlife cameraman, Sir David Attenborough described Doug Allan as 'The toughest in the business."
Doug's award winning resume is extensive: Cinema / broadcast productions (including BBC Blue Planet and Planet Earth), stock footage, speaking tours, doctorate degrees, and author of Freeze Frame chronicling his reputation for wildlife imaging at the poles.
Doug Allan, http://dougallan.com/#home
"Underwater filming is a key part of our business; it’s also my ‘first love’ in filmmaking. In addition to shooting internationally for specific projects, I spend as much time as I can underwater, around Australia, to film stock for SeaLight Pictures. It’s also a way for me to research new ideas, and keep learning what marine life behaviours are possible to capture. My Gates is a great system, with the flexibility to shoot in different configurations, from very wide angle to macro, and it is “solid-as-rock” reliable.”
Adam Geiger
www.sealightpictures.comAdam Geiger, http://www.sealightpictures.com
