Ben Cottman

Ben Cottman, founder of Aerial Film and Photo, specialises in VR and 3D photography and immersive video, he tells us more about his innovative creative work.  

Tell us about your background and what you do?

I set out many years ago to develop my camera work to focus on extreme environment and wildlife, working to create an ‘alternative CV’ of things that might make me stand out. I spent time with the army honing survival skills and worked with specialists on Remote and Camera Trap photography. 

Then one day the call came – the chance to film big cats in Africa, the dream job, but…. It was going to be for three months. I’d recently married and soon realised that the job I’d been chasing for years wasn’t really the life I now wanted. So, in order to keep the creative camera work at the forefront, I qualified as a commercial drone pilot and camera man. And that is how Aerial Film and Photo was born.

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What made you decide to start your creative business?

Spending years working for someone else meant not seeing my son grow up or being with my family. Starting my own business means I worked harder than before but I have more control over when. 

We worked with Hannah to create a Virtual tour of her recent exhibition, How I See Things at the Menier Gallery.

What have been the highs and lows of running your own business?

Highs: 

Flying into Geneva to create virtual reality tours of private jets! 

Hurtling down a runway whilst filming an aircraft from a chase car

Being employed to fly a drone to film aerial shots for the Royal Estate.

Arriving to film a privately-owned Boeing 747 and being asked “where do you want it?!”

Lows: 

getting used to not paying myself regularly in the early years of the business

Not always knowing where the next job is coming from.

Pull Court is a house remodelled in the early 19th century by Edward Blore, set in a landscape park partly laid over an ancient deer park.

We were asked to create a short film celebrating Pull Court and its stunning surroundings.

360° Product Photography

Ben was kind enough to offer to shoot one of our products from our store to illustrate the technology.  This lampshade from "The Bright Side" worked really well.  You can really see every angle of this beautiful fabric using his 360 Product Photography.

Our visit to Ben's studio in Marlow was fascinating, so much high tech kit - a very impressive set up.  It was a pleasure to watch him work and put together the technology that makes the 360' photography possible.

Best nugget of wisdom?

I’ve learnt that when starting a business, it is too easy to focus on things that could be better or just aren’t working right. Enjoy the calm that comes from giving your all - sometimes things go in a direction that you didn’t initially see – be ok with that and embrace it! 

How can people find you?

www.aerialfilmandphoto.com

twitter: @aerialfandp

facebook: @Aerialfilmandphoto

Instagram: aerialfilmandphoto