James Stier - Lighting Camera Operator

James is a Yorkshire-based camera operator, Sony Venice owner/operator, director of photography and documentary filmmaker with a base in West Yorkshire and Manchester, UK. His images help shape stories for broadcast television, corporate communication and branded content.

Having trained at the BBC, Arri Academy, and the National Film and Television School, James is also a military veteran, having served as a combat camera operator in both the UK and the USA. He undertook advanced media and hazardous environment training at the Defence School of Photography, RAF Cosford.

James was among the first graduates of the British Society of Cinematographers' mentorship programme, where he was mentored by a high-level Oscar-winning BSC member.

Now an industry veteran, James has over a decade of international production experience across the USA, Europe, and Asia. He holds a US I Media Visa and US Global Entry, enabling him to work regularly in the States. Whether on long or short-term projects, he supports clients on both sides of the Atlantic.

James has directed and self-shot two award-winning feature documentaries, along with a collection of short films typically centred around his personal interests and passions.

A creative problem solver at heart, his happy place is in developing a project’s visual identity through a considered approach to composition and lighting. He supports colleagues with artistic, technical, and logistical decision-making – an eye pressed into the viewfinder, creating work that matters with people who care.

James lives in the beautiful Calder Valley in Yorkshire, close to Leeds, with a production base in Manchester.