Hi my name is Stuart Howells and I’m an English Freelance Camerman who specialises in ENG camera work. I do a lot for BBC News as well as a camera operator for the APP Sup World Tour.

I love my job as no two days are the same. I thrive on adapting to situations and capturing special moment which is what my job allows me to do, and get to travel to some of the best places in the world.
I grew up in England on an island called Mersea Island in Essex so I guess thats where my love for the ocean started. I got to travel and was lucky enough to live in Hawaii where I strengthen my love for surfing and stand up paddle boarding.

After studying at University I worked for Sky Sports News for around 5 years before leaving at going freelance. I have just come back from a 10 day trip to Barbados filming the penultimate surfing event of the 2019 season for the APP, everybody sees the beautiful pictures and the stunning beaches I get to work at but nobody sees the 16 hour days we have to work in, the 35 degree heat, sweating and almost passing out due to the humidity. But I wouldn’t change it for the world, I get to see and film some of the most talented surfers in the world and being an ENG cameraman I get to run the camera for the winners and see their happiness at winning events, its priceless.


I’m so lucky in that part of my job combines my two great passions, filming and surfing. I grew up just minutes away from the sea and I love being able to shoot surfing. When I’m not travelling the world the other side of my job is the run and gun style of working as a news cameraman and the need to shoot quickly, accurately and be able to tell a story in pictures. There is such a buzz from having to tell the story from whatever event I’m at and I enjoy having the freedom and the responsibility that I’m the one along with the journalist that has to tell the news through what I capture.

I shoot in a range of conditions in my job, yes sometimes on some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world but also some times filming in torrential downpours and being soaked through. My main worry is keeping my kit safe, dry and useable. I was in Osaka, Japan filming on a tiny little rubber boat about 2 metres wide with no sides, the water lapped over the edge when the wind got up and a storm came over. We were filming some of the SUP athletes at night on the river in the middle of the city. The experience was pretty surreal but we needed to get the shot of them paddling past all the lights and glitz and glamour of the city.


Despite the rain I had my camRade wetsuit EOS C300 cover on and despite thinking myself and the camera were going to end up in the river we survived and got some amazing footage. After my camera it is always next to be packed and goes with me everywhere I go and essential to keep my camera dry and still rolling.

I am away and have to leave my family often which is a big sacrifice but being able to film in some of the most amazing places across the world is a passion and a career I wouldn’t change. Yes spending hours in airports on layovers or rushing in taxis to get flights or trying to translate using my phone in a foreign country are all challenges but its that aspect that makes it all worthwhile. That feeling of knowing you have to get the shot and cover the story and cover it in the best way possible gives me such a buzz and thats what keeps me going when I sat, drenched under my umbrella outside in the snow waiting to get the shot.

Stuart’s Favourite Gear list:

Canon EOS C300
Sony PMW-500
Blackmagic URSA Broadcast 
Canon Various Lenses
Sony Wireless Mics
Sachtler Ace tripod
camRade run&gunBag Cinema
camRade wetSuit EOS C300/500