Hello Delhi, Goodbye Brazil: The Carbon Rush, Day 32

Glimpses of Cana Brava

Delhi, 5:26am. We arrived in India twenty-eight hours ago and the jet lag still has me in its grip. Yesterday’s eleven-hour sleep helped iron out a few creases from a marathon voyage that began in Sao Paolo and ended in Delhi after a five-hour Heathrow layover. After a lazy day in and around our tourist-infested hotel, this early wakeup call was my body’s rude reminder I’ve still got another day before I’m on local time.

It’s hard to believe we’ve already been at this for over a month, proof of the truth behind the old saying: “time flies when you’re having fun.” There’s a part of me that feels guilty admitting we’re having so much fun while traveling the planet documenting other’s hardships and injustices. From the Campesinos being murdered in Honduras, to the systematic extinction of the Guarani in Brazil, we’ve heard many sad stories and witnessed how lives have been fractured by unchecked corporate greed. Despite their hardships, these people have been exceptionally generous hosts to us, and have also given us inspiration.

The people who are sharing their food, time and stories with us are very poor and very hard working people who have somehow remained optimistic, despite fighting against a system backed by powerful pro-capitalist Governments and profit fixated multi-national corporations. These David vs. Goliath stories are sad to witness, but part of what makes this job so inspiring is seeing how hopeful these people remain despite the impossible odds stacked against them. The effect on our small crew has been profound and has not only contributed to the fun we’re having, it’s constantly reminding us to feel proud to be a small part of (what hopefully will be) the solution.

One of the biggest disappointments on the shoot has been the performance of the GoPro HD Hero. Not only has the GoPro proven to be useless once the sun goes down, it’s also equally useless anywhere outside of direct sunlight; even broad daylight shade and Magic Hour are wasted on the GoPro’s pathetically insensitive sensor. Furthermore, two other shoots produced garbage footage thanks to the GoPro’s nasty habit of fogging up in the presence of rain or rainy conditions. I know GoPro sell anti-fog inserts for the HD Hero and if you do happen to be shooting anywhere humid and/or rainy, my negative experience will confirm these anti-fog inserts are mandatory.

Fortunately I’ve only been using the HD Hero on a trial basis and as my 3rd camera, it isn’t something I’ve ever had to rely on. On the other hand, my 1st and 2nd cameras -the EX1R and the 7D- have handled the wet, humid, muddy conditions with relative ease. One small issue I’ve faced with the EX1R is a hairline crack atop the back viewfinder, an apparent design flaw that should be covered under warranty. The 7D issues I’ve had have everything to do with the fact this is a DSLR and not a dedicated video camera: no zebras, no peaking, a piss poor LCD viewfinder and the absence of built in ND filters. I’ve yet to read of a Canon refresh on the 5DmII or the 7D, but one has to assume there will be a number of video friendly improvements/additions to the next generation of these (otherwise amazing) DSLRs.

As for the arrival of our Atomos Ninja…we still wait. Firmware issues / upgrades are the reported stumbling blocks and even though Jeromy has assured us a unit, we’ve stopped holding our breath. I empathize with Atomos’ delays, but it’s looking like they’ve overextended themselves on their projected delivery dates…let’s just hope the same won’t be said of the product itself (if and when it ships).

Last product gripe: the Scarpa Goretex hiking shoes I picked up at 3 Vets prior to departing have started falling apart. I’ve managed to glue the toe tips back in place with some silicone picked up at the Hipermercado in Sao Paolo and I’m hoping this will continue to keep my feet dry.