How did you light Mammoth Caves for Face of America?

Helium Balloons, crane and equipment loaded into main cavern.

I have been receiving this question on and off for several years now. This was one of the early shoots on the 900 series SONY HDCAM  and I had to come up with some novel ways of lighting …. dancers, a constantly moving camera, nowhere to “hide” lights and no mounting as the caves are a National Park. Continue reading

Dynamic Range – What’s it all about?

Dynamic range has become the catchphrase for a whole generation of image makers but many are not sure exactly what it is, what it means or how they can use it. Continue reading

Is it worthwhile owning your own equipment?

This was in response to a college graduate who was looking at purchasing equipment as a way of getting into the industry.

Owning your own gear is a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand you have the potential to make extra income and make attractive deals for Producers but at the same time, what will be an attractive deal to one will become a burden to another.

Fortunately, I am in a position where I can make strong representations regarding my equipment and, based on years of experience, show Producers Continue reading

Do you have any involvement with writing the script?

As a Director of Photography I do not get directly involved in any of the script writing process. By the time a DP is hired the script has Continue reading