Mexico Slices 3 - Nature

[momoffduty]

A little video on our Eco tour of Mexico. We visited the Tulum/Akumal area and enjoyed getting off the tourist path. The private tour guide Rod was wonderful explaining the history, culture, & nature of Mexico. When I was researching places to go I told my husband about getting a private guide. He asked where I found this guide and I told him the internet. Husband thought the guide would take him into the jungle and cut him up with a machete. I relayed this story to Rod & his driver on the way back to the hotel. The driver said that would cost me extra.

[sidd finch]

Mom I loved it. Well done. Music was perfect too. That must have been an incredible vacation. I loved the jump into the water shots they looked like fun. I also liked the reverse shot too. Colors were nice and brilliant and the water looked really clear. Before I saw the zip line I thought you were flying a quad overhead. I even like the foot shot snuck in at 1:12 mark in the canoe. Nice touch.

Sidd

[Chuck Engels]

Wow, that is a great video and it has everything. Absolutely loved everything about it Cheryl, you certainly have become an excellent editor and storyteller

Oh yes, loved the music too

[momoffduty]

Thanks guys! Sidd, now that you mentioned it, it does appear to be a drone shot. The first zip I ended up backwards in the first few seconds. The second zip shot I was sitting up too straight and got mostly water. We did get to go a few times on the short zip. The second zip line was across the cenote and we canoed back. There is a foot shot before that one. I have to include my trade mark.

Chuck, storytelling is what I picked up here at Muvipix. Rod the guide was full of stories about the region. I think that added to our tour. He is a very nice young man. He worked for the big bus tours for years and now starting his own private tour company. I had the water proof back door on the GoPro and that makes the audio weak. I may try to grab some footage and up the audio to give to him for his FB page. His rates are comparable to the big bus tours and another bonus to his tour is that you arrive before the big vans or buses. At the first location we had the place to ourselves for over 2 hours.

Did the music have a marimba? I miss going to the HS band concerts. My favorite part of the program was the percussion ensemble with the marimbas.

[sidd finch]

At the first location we had the place to ourselves for over 2 hours.

I think that is the best part of going on scenic vacations. It is always frustrating to see the sights with 5000 other people at the same time. I like to capture the moment and it misses the mark when there are lots of folks in the shot. I must be watching to many history channel shows that always make the places seem like a ghost town.

Rod the guide was full of stories about the region.

To be able to have that interaction is priceless. You learn so much and you can ask questions about what interests you without feeling bad because others are there too.

Also, Mr Mom has good camera presence. I think it is time to up his contract to include more speaking parts.

Sidd

[Steve Grisetti]

What a terrific video, Cheryl! It's not at all the Mexico most people imagine or see on a vacation. This is the real Mexico -- and it's beautiful!

I especially liked your amazing underwater footage.

[momoffduty]

Sidd, Mr. Mom has the gift of gab. He has spoke with a mic at the Uni events for students & host families and at ease with 150+ people in the room. I may add some of his vocal humor in a future project although I don't know if I want to open that flood gate!

Steve, Rod's specialty is customizing tours. He has several to choose from on his website. The Yal-Lagoon was my idea. It is a local place and you have to wind through an old residential villa area to get there. No big buses! He took us to lunch at Half Moon Bay and the streets wind around villas & small boutique hotels. The old Akumal section when there were no large AI's and no buses. We passed the Casa de Sol, legend has it that it was once owned by a Grateful Dead member. The streets are interlocking stones and each homeowner is responsible for their section of street. Very interesting the different stones and some were in great shape and others needed fixing.

I told Rod via email when we were in the planning stage that I wanted to shoot video & timelapse. Also, I can't take the heat and wanted activities mixed with water. It was hot that day, but I had no problems. The first part was cool in the jungle. I think the lack of concrete and asphalt helped. The tour was at our own pace, he had plenty of water/snacks, and even carried my backpack.

I have to give credit to Rod for some of the underwater shots. He swam with my GoPro. The lagoon is where the fresh water meets the sea. You can see the waves underwater where they are trying to mix. Sort of like oil and water. I don't think it translated too good in the video.

[Dave McElderry]

Cheryl, your editing has a style of its own, and is your signature. Well, the feet, too, but that's another story.
As always, this vignette of your trip was thoroughly enjoyable and allows us to vicariously enjoy your Mexico trip. Great job. Thanks for sharing!

[Gerlinde]

Wow, Cheryl, what a wonderful vacation. You always have great ideas on how to film and edit. Is everything filmed with the GoPro or did you also use your other camera?
A private tour guide is the way to go. We did once a cruise to the Mexican Riviera and at our stop in Porto Vallarta we hired one of the guides waiting at the port. We did not regret our decision. It was so much nicer than going with a big group packed into a tour bus.
Ahh, starting to dream about a vacation. I really want to go to the other side of Mexico, I want to see Yucatan and Cozumel.

[momoffduty]

Thanks Dave & Gerlinde! I shoot what I what to remember and sometimes when I get home it isn't what I wanted. Shoot lots and delete the extra. The Yucatan has a lot of things to see and do. Cozemel is nice, but we really liked Isla Mujeres. It is old Mexico and quaint. Hopefully we will make it back there one day.

The video was shot on a GoPro and the lagoon timelapse was on the Sony RX100iii. I picked up the camera with an open box deal before we left. I did test it out a little before going. The timelapse stopped at 300 photos and about 10 minutes. At first I thought something was wrong with the camera or battery. My plan was to shoot video of the day on the Sony too. Charged it back up and shot video over the next 2 days and only used 1/2 battery. When I got home I researched and the the timelapse photos are about 300 per charge. It doesn't make sense that shooting video would take less power. The camera has the XAVC format with the higher bit rate and does require a SDXC card. I am happy with the video quality of the camera for a compact and it has the options like a DSLR only with a fixed lens.

Rod's photos were on a Sony NEX-C3. The photos of the day are a gift to his clients.

[Gerlinde]

Thanks for the additional info Cheryl. Would you maybe post the link to Rod's website? Who knows, it might come in handy to have it ( day dreaming about Mexico..... )

[videovillageidiot]

Love all of it! The clouds reflected on the water during the jump and the underwater stuff - such pretty color in these sequences. The bird taking off during the zip was sooooo cool - and, BTW, YOU ZIPPED?!?!?! So proud of you!

All very nice. Yes, you certainly tell a great story in your videos and your editing choices are super!

I agree that typical tours are difficult for seeing what you want to see. Sounds like you found a great guide - and a very funny driver

[momoffduty]

Gerlinde, here is his website. He also has a FB page. The whale shark tour looks cool and is offered only during certain months. All the tours are Eco tours so no animals in cages. Maybe a Muvipix meet-up in the Yucatan?
http://www.rodratner.com/

Thanks Sherrin! Yes my first time zip lining. We went on the short section several times and the long section once. The first time I spun around within a second going backwards. The brake is used to help keep you forward. Rod asked me if I saw the turtle or the bird or the lily pods during the zip and I said no. He asked what I was looking at and I told him my camera.

[Gerlinde]

Maybe a Muvipix meet-up in the Yucatan?

Now, that sounds like an excellent idea! I'm in Who else is coming?

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm in!