About me
I'm a photographer, director and camera op working in advertising and broadcast TV.
I've been fortunate to work in some amazing places for clients big and small; such as Netflix, The Guardian, and Visit Scotland.
I remember it vividly. The reflected light in their glassy eyes. The glistening patterns of their scaly flesh. I was 9 and had picked up my father's JVC camcorder. Spellbound, I captured the fish he had caught as they lay still on the grass. Since then I've been chasing that spellbound feeling in one way or another, sharing it the best way I can. After a time in the business world in London I moved back to the homeland (Scotland) and started shooting full time. I'm now based in the Scottish Highlands.
I'm driven by moments of wonder. My mission is to share that feeling. Nowadays it's not all about the dead fish on the grass. The natural world and our reaction to it is a great inspiration for me, but more than this, I'm energised by anyone with a passion whose story I can share.
Contact - hello@rupertshanks.com
Clients and Publications
Adventure Travel Trade Association | Barclays | BBC | Cairngorms National Park | CBS | Classic Boat Magazine | Conde Nast Traveller | Cut Media | Duvine Cycling | House and Home | Microsoft | National Geographic Adventures | Noi Hotels | Norrona | North Coast 500 | Outdoor Magazin | Patagonia | Pearson Learning | Red Bull | Scotland on Sunday | Seasgair | The Guardian | The Herald | The Scotsman | The Times | Unreasonable Media | Visit Meteora | Visit Scotland | Wilderness Scotland
Television
BBC | BBC Scotland | CBS | Channel 4 | Netflix
That's what they said
'Working with Rupert is a real joy. He’s made a positive contribution filming on a variety of projects for The Adventure Show including backcountry skiing, snow and splitboarding; cycling and mountain biking.
He’s an inventive camera person (also an excellent drone pilot) who can work to a brief but is also able to operate independently and to make a substantial contribution of his own. Whilst ensuring his own contribution is of a high professional standard, he can also see the bigger picture and understands deadlines and budget constraints. In short – highly recommended as an outdoor / adventure camera person with a solid and creative skill set.'
Margaret Else - Executive Producer BBC Adventure Show
'We’ve worked with Rupert to produce several videos that define our brand. His understanding of our objectives, visual identity, and tone—all difficult things to define—have been dead-on with every single project. In addition to just “getting it,” Rupert is an absolute pleasure to work with. From conducting on-camera interviews with him to corresponding on the finer points during post-production, Rupert is incredibly creative, easygoing, collaborative, and adaptable. At times my team and I provided him with little to no oversight; other times we exercised a lot of creative input. Under either circumstance, the end result was full of emotional depth, beautifully shot, timeless, and always exactly what we hoped for.'
Mia Liefield - Marketing Director Duvine Cycling
'For more than 4 years I’ve been privileged to hire Rupert to work as a cinematographer at our global programs run in Partnership with Barclays. Rupert’s creativity, professionalism and positivity are a combination of attributes that I really value and that I have found to be truly rare.
We’ve worked together at dozens of events. I’m always impressed with the way Rupert has added new skills and tools to his arsenal of abilities each time. Additionally his consistency, reliability and good nature make working with him so easy and fun. I would truly struggle to replace everything Rupert brings to our productions if he wasn’t available for a shoot. I recommend Rupert without hesitation.'
Scott McElroy - Video Production Manager Unreasonable Group
'We asked Rupert to help us create a "Women in the Wild" series to coincide with the launch of our Women Only trips. I knew what I wanted the films to say but had no idea how to go about it. Rupert listened to my vague ideas and shaped a narrative. It was clear from the beginning he understood my goals and what I wanted from the films. During the interviews, Rupert was patient and kind, putting everyone at ease and instilling confidence as he gently guided us through the process.
Seeing the finished films for the first time was emotional. Rupert took some notes on a page and created something beautiful and powerful and showed there was more to the story than I had imagined. We were blown away by the films and so grateful that Rupert understood exactly what we wanted. The films re-inspire me every time I watch them and I am very proud to share them on our site and social channels where they've made a real impact.'
Rachael Gavan - Programme Manager Wilderness Scotland
'Rupert is a meticulous creative professional. I know because I’ve trusted him on multiple shoots in countries around the globe. Understanding the objective of each project, he paints a picture of the subject matter so artfully I’ve seen it move our audience to tears. Low maintenance and high delivery are what you’ll get if you get the chance to work with him.'
Murray Bartholomew - Marketing Manager Adventure Travel Trade Association