I recently organized an extremely interesting field recording trip to the Amazon rainforest. Longer blog post and sound effects library are in the works, but before I do that I want to share a few basic bushcraft skills required for field work in the jungle. Since I’m just learning I will let our guide Julio talk about it. He’s been living in the rainforest for several decades and his experience proved invaluable for us. Check out the video and comment if you have any questions or suggestions:

This is the first episode in a planned series on general fieldcraft and survival skills aimed at media professionals working in demanding or exotic environments. While my focus is going to be field sound recording, these tips easily translate to other areas like photography, video work, research and even responsible tourism. I will try to touch on conservation and sustainability aspects as well.

I will soon put together a video focusing on technical aspects of field work in similar environments. Feel free to comment on this video or blog post if you have questions about it and I’ll try to answer them in the next video.

I’m in the process of organizing a more ambitious expedition to the Amazon rainforest. I will post on the Expeditions page as I work out the logistics. As usual, it will be limited to 6 to 8 sound recordists so feel free to get in touch if you’re interested in joining us. 4 people have already expressed their interest in joining and it works on a first come - first served basis.

Lastly, these are Julio’s contact details in case you want to get in touch with him directly. He’s out with tourists in Eastern Peru all the time so he might not reply instantly:

Julio Mamani Yana

jungleexperience [at] outlook [dot] es

+51 989 070322

The video was shot on location at Las Piedras Amazon Center in Eastern Peru: https://conservetheamazon.org/las-piedras-amazon-center. More about the LPAC in a future blog post.

*Disclaimer: there's a decent chance you'll be bitten, stung or otherwise affected by wildlife in the rainforest. Most bites and stings are just painful and most visits are trouble-free though. Take all necessary precautions and hire a guide if you decide to travel to exotic or extreme locations.

Field recording tools of the trade

At the lower end of the price spectrum, field recording equipment will yield relatively similar results. A few dB of self noise won’t make a huge difference if the recordist hasn’t mastered the other tools of the trade, the ones that can’t be bought. Let’s examine some lesser known but rather more important tools that are sure to improve your field recording practice.

Introduction to Freestyle field recording

Freestyle field recording is a flexible approach to recording nature and wildlife sounds outside of the studio or any controlled environment, developed by George Vlad. While traditional methods are prescriptive and rigid, Freestyle field recording encourages deliberate experimentation and a very organic workflow.

Listening session at the House of Lords in Westminster

I recently received an invitation to play some of my soundscapes and to tell stories about conservation. While there’s nothing unusual about that, the setting was definitely novel for me.

A collection of Owl sounds

Owls are awesome and worth learning about. What better place to start than a curated selection of owl recordings, captured by your favourite wildlife sound recordist!

The 2025 Soundscape Fund

How can field recording make a difference for conservation and environmental causes? I get this question a lot, and one of the answers is here. Once a year I team up with Thomas Rex Beverly and Andy Martin to raise money for environmental NGOs.