Book Description
An in-depth examination of the techniques and films of some of the world's greatest cameramen.
Customer Reviews:
Great! but not for the isolated.......2007-01-04
This is a great book that I used just recently in coordination with an cinematography class at NYU. Its my favorite of all my textbooks on the subject because it deals with actual application of teachings by people actually making movies right now. But the book showcases those people first and foremost and teaches second. And it expects an experienced reader, often using industry terms and concepts without any explaination. That said, I totally reccommend it. It is the best book in actually helping you come to your own conclusions as to how to light a scene and why.
Relections..........2006-04-24
Yes, it's one of the best book... with a lot of french cinematographers. Eric is right ;-)
A masterpiece about masters by masters.......2005-11-05
This is one expensive book, but what a joy!
Personal work flows of some of the very best cinematographers of our time, described by them in their own language. Lighting diagrams for many common shots and explanations of exactly what made them look so good. Footage examples galore, with many what-if comparisons.
Haskell Wexler on lighting interiors. Vilmos Zsigmond talking about what makes for great portraits, and why "key-to-fill lighting ratios are an important stepping-stone for students but [he rarely uses them in his shooting]. Laszlo Kovacs talking about the dangers of video assist, being specific about it and not judgmental. Allen Daviau on "why we hate multiple cameras: because we [light differently] for close-ups." And much more...
This book was put together with love by ASC Press and this also shows in the great color printing and gorgeous paper.
A true joy, IMHO.
Very interesting book.......2005-08-02
The ultimate book about cinematography in technical and artistical ways. Excellent and richly illustrated.
Average customer rating:
- Great print quality!!
- The jury is out... this filmmaker likes it
- Great Student Book
- Best of the bunch
- A comprehensive, professional view of cinematography
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Cinematography: Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers
Blain Brown
Manufacturer: Focal Press
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The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
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ASIN: 0240805003 |
Book Description
Lavishly produced and illustrated, Cinematography covers the entire range of the profession. The book is not just a comprehensive guide to current professional practice; it goes beyond to explain the theory behind the practice, so you understand how the rules came about and when it's appropriate to break them. In addition, directors will benefit from the book's focus on the body of knowledge they should share with their Director of Photography.
Cinematography presents the basics and beyond, employing clear explanations of standard practice together with substantial illustrations and diagrams to reveal the real world of film production.
Recognizing that professionals know when to break the rules and when to abide by them, this book discusses many examples of fresh ideas and experiments in cinematography. Covering the most up-to-date information on the film/digital interface, new formats, the latest cranes and camera support and other equipment, it also illustrates the older tried and true methods.
*The definitive guide to cinematography
*Up-to-date coverage of technical topics, including High Definition and digital imaging
*Full color throughout brings issues of color and light to life
Customer Reviews:
Great print quality!!.......2007-01-10
A very informative read for the beginner as it does not delve too deep into the theory of cinematography but just enough to make you want to research more if needed. It has lots of great information and some good movie suggestions. The book's print is on seemingly expensive glossy stock which is a nice touch. I'd have to say that this is one of my favourite cinematography books.
A major distraction however is that there are numerous spelling & gramatical errors throughout the book which make comprehension difficult in some places.
I would also recommend the classic '5 C's of Cinematography' by Joseph V. Mascelli
The jury is out... this filmmaker likes it.......2006-03-16
Obviously people have mixed opinions of this book. I liked the in-depth info, the readability and the color plates. I'm a director who is interested in learning more about cinematography from that angle. The Filmmaker's Handbook on Plume, or Bordwell and Thompson's Film Art will cover a lot of the same info for a cheaper price, but I like this book's illustrations and more advanced technical info, especially on video. Ultimately you gotta go out and do it, a book will only go so far. But as books go I find this one pretty great.
Great Student Book.......2006-02-24
As a film student myself, I've found this book incredible helpful. Not only is it a great window into understanding how lighting and shot composition work, but it explains clearly and in detail many technical aspects of cinematography. Of course it's not perfect, but it's a great beginners guide.
Best of the bunch.......2005-12-22
I have read most of the books Amazon sells about cinematography and there is not question in my mind that this is the best of all of them. It's really comprehensive and covers all sides of camerawork, both technical things like lens and color and exposure etc, but also composition (which he calls visual language) and maintaining continuity, coverage and what he calls "the language of the lens."
Bottom line: there is a wide range of things you have to learn about if you want to become a professional cinematographer and this book covers all of them. I also read his book on lightingm, which is also very thorough.
The chapter on storytelling with lighting is a really interesting look at how you tell stories with visual images, which is really the job we are doing as filmmakers.
Finally he has really in-depth chapters on techinical things like various formats and HD and doing special effects and operations on the set.
No doubt in my mind I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about cinematography.
A comprehensive, professional view of cinematography.......2005-12-11
I was working on a camera crew with a recent AFI grad and she told me this book is "the bible" at AFI, then a fellow I know at USC grad school had it as a required book in his cinematography class so I checked it out.
I see why these schools use it. It's comprehensive, thorough and most important, it takes a really professional view of how cinematography is done. I must have a dozen books on cinematography. Some of them are sort of student/amateur and some of them are just reminiscences of old studio DPs. Interesting reading, but doesn't tell me what I need to know to shoot a scene.
This book covers technical issues like exposure, optics, color, special EFX, etc but it also covers aesthetics. The chapter on "Lighting As Storytelling" is the best article on the aesthetics of image making and visual storytelling I've ever read anywhere (and I have a degree in cinematography). I have found this chapter on the web. You can download it at several websites that feature this book.
For best results, you need to buy this book in conjunction with the author's book on lighting, which really goes into standard techniques and equipment in much greater depth, as you would expect -- he can cover it better in a whole book than he can in a single chapter (which is how some cinematography books try to do it.) Although this book does have a couple of chapters on lighting that serve as a pretty good introduction.
Worth the price alone is the chapter on Set Operations, which goes into great detail on the job assignments on a set, how things are done and procedures like proper slating technique, etc. The chapter Visual Language is like a mini-course on composition, visual techniques and creating powerful images.
Throughout the book, the illustrations are from great films and the excellent printing makes it a beautiful book also, something that seems to always get mentioned in the magazine reviews I've read.
Since buying it (and reading it three times) I've run into lots of people (both students and working pros) who swear that this is THE book on cinematography. I agree totally. It covers camera stuff, but also set practices and also all the things the director needs to know about cinematography: coverage, screen direction, continuity, etc.
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in cinematography, including not only camera people but also directors.
Book Description
Have you noticed the renaissance of documentary filmmaking going on around you? Some are inspired by the work of legendary directors and cinematographers such as the Maysles brothers, D.A. Pennabaker & Chris Hegedus, Errol Morris, or Ken Burns. Others follow their own idols or simply set their own course. Inexpensive video camera equipment and video editing software have helped fuel this new wave of truth-tellers, bringing the tools of the craft within reach of amateurs and students, as well as independent journalists and filmmakers on a budget.
In The Art of the Documentary, the directors, editors, cinematographers, and producers behind today's most thought-provoking nonfiction films reveal the thought processes, methods, and collaborations that have guided their efforts- from project conception to developing, producing, shooting, editing, and releasing some of the finest documentary films of recent decades.
This richly illustrated volume, which will appeal to professional and aspiring filmmakers, as well as documentary enthusiasts, features conversations with director Ken Burns (The Civil War, Jazz, Baseball), director/cinematographer D A Pennebaker (Dont Look Back, The War Room), director/cinematographer Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens), director Errol Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line), director Chris Hegedus (Startup.com, Down from the Mountain), editor Larry Silk (Pumping Iron, Wild Man Blues), cinematographer Buddy Squires (The Civil War, Ram Dass, Fierce Grace), director/producer Lauren Lazin (Tupac: Resurrection, Journey of Dr. Dre), editor/director Paula Heredia (The Vagina Monologues, In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01), director/cinematographer Kirsten Johnson (Fahrenheit 9/11, Innocent Until Proven Guilty), and editor Geof Bartz (Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth, He's Having a Baby). And with contributions by: Sheila Nevins, President of HBO Documentaries and HBO Family, Carol Dysinger, film editor and professor, NYU Film School, and Haskell Wexler, cinematographer.
Customer Reviews:
Artfully Done.......2006-03-11
The Art of the Documentary
By Mary Cunningham
Review by Pi Ware
Mary Cunningham's "The Art of the Documentary" is an attractive full-color compilation of interviews with some of the world's foremost documentarians. It's an intimate and insightful glimpse into both the art and craft of docs and a must-read for filmmakers serious about creating non-fiction work. You'll learn how Errol Morris creates "first-person cinema" using The Interrotron; why Ken Burns locks music before script, how D A Pennebaker futhered art via technology, and how cinema-verité documentarians like Haskell Wexler are able to "inspire" scenarios within their films.
Notably missing are the king of the personal documentary, Ross McElwee, and the masterful doc team of Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger. But Cunningham fills the spaces with interviews of the behind-the-scenes players--editors, executives and cinematographers. And in doing so she gives you a broader picture of the doc world and deeper insights into what it will take for you to make a successful non-fiction film.
Nonfiction documentaries reveal the methods and focus their directors.......2005-11-09
Megan Cunningham's Art Of The Documentary offers ten conversations with some of the best documentary directors, editors and producers in the industry. Nonfiction documentaries reveal the methods and focus their directors, which is captured in chapters which begin with project concept and move through the entire production process. Plenty of color photos illustrate each director's works.
Mentors Supplied.......2005-11-02
Ever wanted Ken Burns or others in the pantheon of documentary greats as your personal film making mentor? This book gives you that and more. This versatile book is as perfect for someone just starting out in documentary films as it is for a veteran who wants in on a few secrets of the masters. Our film production company read from it aloud on location and everyone, from the producer to the cinematographer to the researchers, all gleaned practical tips from it. The interviews are substantive, insightful and most importantly, very useful. A real keeper for those interested in learning nuances and techniques from a wide range of documentary styles.
Riveting reading.......2005-07-27
Consider this book a master class in documentary filmmaking.
Megan Cunningham's interviews are incredibly engaging - she manages to at once explore each documentarians' creative process, AND discuss how these various filmmakers achieved their success, AND to discuss specific films in-depth AND to elicit the filmmakers' fascinating views on theoretical issues such as what constitutes "cinema verite" or whether documentaries can be considered art.
Furthermore, Cunningham's book is wonderfully readable and well organized (and full of photos!). I especially enjoyed how Cunningham devoted equal space to such luminaries as Errol Morris and lesser known but equally powerful documentarians such as Lauren Lazin. The book manages to seamlessly cover more than 50 years of American filmmaking and it's wonderful to have the thoughts of multiple generations of directors, editors, and cinematographers compiled in one volume.
Whether you're a fan of documentaries, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, or unfamiliar with the entire field and would like to learn more, "The Art of the Documentary" is the book for you.
A must for students or anyone who wants to make docs.......2005-07-27
More so than anything else, this book is informative. In 10 interviews Cunningham does a great job of getting to the core of the passion for doc filmmaking of 10 of the biggest names in the genre (Burns, Morris, Lazin, Bartz, etc.).
Beyond getting a glimpse into the filmmakers' drive, the interviews also offer plenty in terms of understanding technique and the general "how-to."
This book is a must for anyone interested in movie making, be it practically, or academically. It's an engrossing read.
Book Description
Spanning a century of screen wizardry-from the early innovations of the pioneering French fantasist Georges Méliès to the first synthetic TRON images to the cutting-edge technology used in the most recent Star Wars and The Matrix-this fabulous volume pays homage to dazzling visual pyrotechnics and the artists of illusion who created them. This detailed look at the history of these great illusions is presented through interviews with 37 international masters of the art and science of special effects and more than 1,000 spectacular illustrations, nearly all in color.
The monster spewing flames in Godzilla, the flying bicycle in E.T. , the rampaging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park-these are just a few of the cinematic magic moments that have held audiences spellbound over the years. The inventors of such screen legerdemain reveal the huge variety of techniques they employ, from animation, animatronics, makeup, and model-making to the most astounding computer trickery possible today. The book encompasses not only film and television but also theme parks and attractions. As a bonus, the author includes his selection of DVDs with not-to-be-missed special effects. AUTHOR BIO: Pascal Pinteau is a journalist, screenwriter, and special effects designer who has created special effects for commercials, TV shows, and theme parks. Since 1985, he has visited with special effects masters throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia.
Customer Reviews:
Game of telephone anyone?.......2006-02-20
Most of the book is pretty good, I have a number of specialeffects books in my collection and have subscribed to CINEFEX magazine for many years. However there seem to be facts that are not checked and therefore some inaccuracies. The best example I can think of is the description of how Robby the Robot was constructed. The books describes fairly precisely the prosses know as Vacu-Form though never labels it. Which is odd because from all other accounts Robby was Fiberglass and there was only one made. If he was Vacu-Formed, a simple prosses once set up and molds made the studio doubless would have made at least three, if for no other reason that he would have be fragile. I may be nit picking. An I could be wrong
Mind Bending Eye Candy.......2005-09-23
As a charter subscriber to Cinefex magazine, the 25-year industry bible for visual effects, I'm no stranger to this topic. But flipping through Pinteau's book yielded some exciting revelations and mostly, It did not disappoint. The book promises interviews with masters "spanning 100 years" although it skews pretty heavily to the past decade (not a surprise). But I bought it for the pictures and they made it worth the time and money. The pics are well-chosen and even familiar old films are illustrated with scenes seen less often. I also like the durable hard/soft cover---because I'll be picking this one up frequently.
A great book about SFX for everyone.......2005-05-18
If you like special effects, you'll have a blast reading this book which was obviously written to please movie fans of all ages. A previous review onAmazon said "good, but not the best" and went on praising another book,which is in fact a very technical reference book for special effects pros or film students. I think it is a bit unfair to criticize a book because it is different from what you expected. "Special effects: an oral history" is not a dictionary. It is entertaining and fun to read precisely because it is not a boring catalog of techniques, props and apparatus. It manages to tell the history of special effects as a human adventure, involving many wonderful artists and also explain clearly how they've created miracles in movies, animated feature films or in TV series and theme parks rides (special chapters devoted to animation, makeup, television and theme parks effects, are each over 100 pages long, which is great, since all other FX books I've read so far are devoted to movies only) . Famous special effects geniuses like Ray Harryhausen, Stan Winston, John Dykstra, John Lasseter (and many others) tell great anecdotes about their work and about their creativity. You can buy this book, you won't be disappointed and your kids will love it from the first page to the end! And the 1500 photos and illustrations are simply stunning!
Good, but not the best.......2005-02-09
I liked this book a lot. The best thing about it is the pictures, they are well researched and some are quite rare. Unfortunately the text does not live up to the quality of the images and the book's sumptuous feel. The author attempts to explain how techniques work, often relying on interviews with experts who often say WHAT they did but not really HOW. Unfortunately this often leads to slightly baffling and incomplete explanations. I dont think it helps that it has been translated from French. If you want to read about how effects are achieved with REALLY CLEAR EXPLANATIONS and helpful diagrams you still can't beat Richard Rickitt's book 'Special Effects: The History and Technique' which is a real class act- I recommend it to all my FX students. But this book comes a close second (though I did find one or two factual errors). It has some unusual examples and it's interesting to see some of the stuff about TV and theme park effects.
Wonderful work..........2004-12-11
Anyone even slighty interested in this subject will like this book - end of story. From Stan Winstons 'Terminator' to Nimba Creations full size animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex, this is a cracking book filled with great photos that is the best of it's type.
It covers everything from the beginning of filmmaking right up to present day and leaves nothing out, hence the vast 600 page count; this thing is thicker than a phone book!!
No complaints, it's a wonderful piece of work.
Book Description
Robert Bresson makes some quite radical distinctions between what he terms "cinematography" and something quite different: "cinema"-which is for him nothing but an attempt to photograph theater and use it for the screen.
Director of The Trial of Joan of Arc, Pickpocket, A Prisoner Escapes, Diary of a Country Priest, Money, and many other classic films,
Robert Bresson is, quite simply, one of the most brilliant cinematographers in the history of film.
Customer Reviews:
A fundamental approach to know the master of masters!.......2004-08-22
Bresson was a poet . His clear and smart thoughts about the cinema are so clearly expossed that breathe honesty all the way .
If you still do not know the Bresson filmography and you are a real hard lover of the cinema , it is time for you to get close to that unique film maker.
A real jewel.
Must have for any non-Hollywood Style Filmmakers.......2003-05-14
If you want a step by step, how to make film book, you're better off browsing the bookstore at your local film school.
If you are a novice filmmaker, and you want to make art with film or video, and you want a guidebook on how to THINK and FEEL about your chosen art form, this is a must.
Bresson inspired the French New Wave filmmakers, and in my opinion was one of the few directors this world has seen who actually considered the particular reality of the moving image and created a set of principles to guide his choices as a director based on the medium itself, and not on any inherited traditional technique. One of the primary divisions in film theory is whether you believe film to be an extension of theatre or something entirely different.
For Bresson theatre is a more intellectual, mind based experience, whereas film is an EXPERIENTIAL art form. Bresson was highly interest in TRUTH over the APPEARANCE of truth. For Bresson the camera and audio recorder capture the essence of a thing, and therefore he cautions against using actors, and sets, and instead suggests people being themselves and shooting on actual locations.
This book is actually a collection of notes that Bresson wrote to himself over the course of his career. It is a wonderful look into the mind of an artist. In this book I have found a kindred spirit, whose insights into the nature of film and film production are distilled down to their essential forms. What kind of Truth does the camera capture, what elements go in the mise-en-scene which add or distort that truth, how do you illicit the inner truth of the actor (model) while still maintaining the requirements of the plot and script?
There are two books which have, for me, opened up the truest possibilities of film as an artform. These books are: "Notes on the Cinematographer" by Bresson, and "Sculpting in Time" by Tarkovsky. These books are a must read for anyone interested in exploring the true potential of film as an art form.
Also, this book goes in and out of print fairly regularly, so you should buy it whenever you see it being sold. Its relatively inexpensive, but contains a wealth of knowledge. It makes a great gift for someone interested in film or video as an art form.
Writing With Images.......2003-03-08
"Notes on the Cinematographer" is a tidy, Zen-like summation of the special aesthetic Bresson brought to film. 'Cinema' to him was simply filmed theater. He wanted movies to do something more, to create a new language of images that could express a character's inner states and moods (I think this goal, more than anything, explains why he's so often labeled a 'spiritual' director). Bresson wanted faces, not actors; events, not scenes; "BEING instead of SEEMING." To this end he insisted on amateurs over trained actors, noises over music, slowness and close-ups over speed and pans. Cinematography as Bresson explains it here is a unique form of writing. His efforts to make an essentially mechanical & visual medium parallel the inwardness of the written word has to be one of the strangest and most fascinating projects in the history of film. Not surprisingly, he writes beautifully, and these aphoristic koans, surrounded by all that empty white space, are as haunting as anything he captured on film. A tiny masterpiece.
Notes on the Cinematographer.......2002-08-29
Not what I expected. This book is more philosophical, than literal. I like it, but it's like reading a lot of proverbs, you cannot absorb it all, only the few that strike you at that moment.
Towards a Poetics of Film.......2000-08-10
There is no better guide to the process and experience of making a film. Though its epigrammatic style makes it at first seem abstract, Notes on the Cinematographer is essentially a step-by-step handbook on what to do (and more so, what not to do) with actors and a movie camera. The title is so unintentionally misleading as to the subject of the work, which contains not a single line on lighting or photography ('cinematographer' is Bresson's rhetorical name for 'film-maker') that I believe it has obscured what would otherwise be a justly renown (and more readily-available) classic text on filmmaking.
This book stands also as an intriguing commentary on Bresson's films, on which is it is difficult to say anything adequate.
Book Description
The "Hands On" Manual for Cinematographers contains a wealth of information, theory, diagrams and tables on all aspects of cinematography. Widely recognised as the "Cinematographer's Bible" the book is organised in a unique manner for easy reference on location, and remains an essential component of the cameraman's box.
Everything you need to know about cinematography can be found in this book - from camera choice, maintenance and threading diagrams; to electricity on location, equipment checklists, film stock, lenses, light and colour. Of particular use will be the mathematics, formulae, look up tables and step by step examples used for everything from imperial/metric conversions to electricity, exposure, film length, running times, lights and optics. Sections on special effects and utilities are also included as well as a list of useful websites.
David Samuelson is a well known and respected cameraman who has been instrumental in fostering award winning new technical innovations. He is a technical consultant, lecturer and author of three other leading publications for Focal Press: The Panaflex User's Manual 2ED, Motion Picture Camera and Lighting Equipment and Motion Picture Camera Techniques.
A wealth of handy reference information, tables, look up formulae, techniques and mathematics for cinematographers.
Both North American and European principles fully described.
Organised in fifteen sections in alphabetical order with more than 70 makers and models of 16mm, 35mm and 65mm cameras listed.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Reference Manual........2005-03-11
This is the book I ran to when I sent back my 8th edition ASC manual. I refer to this book everyday and always have it with me when shooting. Very well laid out and full of useful information. An indispensable tool for cinematographers, and unlike the ASC manual, has NO advertising in it.
Exellent.......2003-08-02
This and the AC manual are the two bibles that any cinematographer should have in hand when shooting.
It is a comprehensive guide with technical facts, and might be a little to complex for begginers and amateurs.
It is not edited to be readen as a starting/basics book for students, but as a book to be consulted by professionals or starting DPs.
Exellent.......2003-08-02
This and the AC manual are the two bibles that any cinematographer should have in hand when shooting.
It is a comprehensive guide with technical facts, and might be a little to complex for begginers and amateurs.
It is not edited to be readen as a starting/basics book for students, but as a book to be consulted by professionals or starting DPs.
helpful.......2000-07-31
this book is very helpful for students who are aspiring cinemaographers. it provides a guide to various data that is vital on shoots and has basic info that is very important for all cinematographers.
Pretty Good Book.......2000-06-25
I read this book back in film school, it is full of good information and useful tips. For someone who understands film and photography this is a great book. For those who are learning the book is good but may be confusing in some places. That is why I gave it 3 stars.
Book Description
From Forward by Peter Benchley (Author of Jaws) "Ladies and gentlemen, are you in for a treat! You are about to make the acquaintance of one of the most extraordinary gentlemen of this or any recent age. And not just a gentleman but a filmmaker, an adventurer, an explorer, a daredevil, a gallant, a poet, an intimate of creatures as exquisitely exotic as the leafy sea dragon and the sloe-eyed cuttlefish and - this above all - a true pioneer in the discovery of our last frontier, the sea. Stan Waterman has spent more than half a century in, on and under the sea, and in these pages he takes you with him on the amazing ride he calls his life. There is excitement enough in his encounters with wild animals and weird people to fill a hundred lives and all their fantasies. To cite just one example, have you ever wondered what it would be like to dive in the open ocean with a huge school of certifiably anthropophagous sharks as they gorge on the carcass of a whale … at night? Probably not. But hang on, because when Stan recounts scenes from the filming of the classic 1971 documentary feature film, Blue Water, White Death, you'll be there beside him, and astonished that anyone lived to tell the tale. Stan is on intimate terms with many of the seas' most formidable denizens, including that ultimate marine predator, the Great White Shark, and he writes wonderfully about the contradictions inherent in this magnificent creature: the incomparable natural beauty, the perfection of function, all manifest in the creature's capacity as a killing machine. Sea Salt is far more, however, than just a catalogue of critters and close calls. Stan has a profound rapport with the sea, and his command of language and literature eloquently conveys the depth of his feeling. The thoughtful, graceful writing sets the book a full step above most memoirs about the sea; not only does Stan appreciate good writing - you'll be pleased to encounter an occasional quote from Joseph Conrad or Henry Beston - but he'll often turn a phrase or craft a paragraph that could well have come from the pen of a master."
Customer Reviews:
Memories and essays by a diving legend.......2007-04-20
Sea Salt is a different diving book. It's a collection of memories and essays by a man who has been diving for over 70 years. Seventy years! He's seen it all. Born in 1922, Stan Waterman grew up the son of a wealthy cigar manufacturer and is one of those rare individuals who, throughout his life, did as his dreams and love of the sea commanded him to do. Including such things as leaving his fiancee and her mother behind on a vacation trip when the lure of crewing on a fishing boat for several weeks became too strong. Or, on his honeymoon in the Mediterranean, going his own way exploring islands when he was "ready for a little of my own space and the adventure of lone travel." But Waterman is so disarmingly honest, so intent on telling his story, no holds barred, that we cannot help but root for him and his way of life. And that life, after a start in blueberry farming and a brief foray into running his own dive boat in the Bahamas, was spent on, around and under the sea, doing underwater filming all over the world whenever possible, and touring the country speaking and showing excerpts from his films during the winter. He still does that. And he still sponsors live-aboard tours.
Stan Waterman is one of the pioneering underwater videographers and photographers, and he was among the first to swim with sharks without the safety of a cage. He made groundbreaking films, such as the classic 1971 documentary Blue Water, White Death. He directed the diving photography of the movie The Deep. He won five Emmys for production work for the ABC show American Sportsman. But either he is so self-deprecating in his accounts, or so unaware of his own accomplishments, that he never exudes the scientific self-importance of a Jacques Cousteau or even much lesser diving luminaries. Instead, Waterman portrays himself as a free and often bumbling spirit who is frequently in over his head. One who is flawed, always open to indulgence and adventure, and always full of good humor. There are no dry lectures on diving history and theory. Careful yet passionate in his pursuits, Waterman still gets seriously bent when he and his family lived in French Polynesia for a year in 1965, but escapes without permanent harm. He goes with the flow, even takes on mercenary assignments such as promo films for oil company rigs. He is unprejudiced, guided by his enthusiasm, and thus able to relate a great variety of different experiences.
As a result, Waterman comes across as a lovable, unique, worldly gentleman full of stories of the sea and its creatures large and small. One who pursued his own interests with abandon, spent half his life away from home and his wife (who was not a diver and didn't join him on any of his dive trips until his 80th birthday) and his children. Yet, he also never seems without deep love for his family, never abandons them to find his inner self, and is always the good guy, though at times taking liberties and a good dose of freedom.
Sea Salt is a compilation of loosely knit thoughts and recollections, some relating to diving, some about the origins of particularly interesting mementos, a number of vignettes of times gone by and colorful people met and known, and even such snapshots as a brief chapter on a girl that once caught his fancy. It's an old gentleman sitting down, over a tumbler of Vodka or two, and reminiscing, wondering how it all happened, and not believing his own good luck (and bad -- Waterman's mansion filled with history and memories burned to the ground in 1994). It's being proud of his children, of both spending much time away from his family yet also having amazing adventures together. How does a man do all that? How can he hold a family together? How can a man be both as self-aware, strong-willed, independent and proud, and as self-deprecatingly gracious and kind? Sea Salt provides the answer.
This rather remarkable book is organized into three parts.
The first is a collection of 20 memories from Waterman's life, ranging from his youth as the pampered son of that wealthy older father in a grand mansion on the coast of Maine, to adventures throughout the world and the seven seas. Waterman never beats around the bush in his descriptions that are often, well, "salty." He doesn't pull any punches -- perhaps the privilege of a man who has seen and done it all. And is sort of surprised to still be there to tell it all.
The second is 33 essays and articles most of which were published in Ocean Realm magazine between 1986 and 2001. They represent more or less self-contained essays, positions, memories, adventures, and thoughts in general. Here you read much about sharks, the central theme of his professional life. Waterman is fond of saying that sharks put his children through college. He also has strong feelings about how they should be treated (with respect as creatures that are neither friend nor foe), and about the folly of ever more absurd "shark feedings" to provide photo ops for dive tours. He is not afraid to admit mistakes. He does not rewrite history. He never makes himself look the hero. He never lectures. He's just himself.
The third and final part is entitled "Letters Home." It is a brief collection of letters Waterman wrote to his wife Suzy. This section deals a lot with getting older, and what diving means to a man who's done it all his life. The big stuff no longer holds fascination as Waterman turns to the small things out there, the endless world of macro shoots, where tiny creatures fill the lens of his camera.
There are also 32 pages of photos, most in vivid color and showing Waterman and his exploits. This old gentleman may be affable and self-deprecating, but he does like the limelight. And if he truly dislikes the cocktail parties and book signings after his presentations, as he alludes to early in the book, it certainly doesn't show in real life.
[...]
Sea Salt.......2007-01-06
A great book for those of us who have dreamed of leading a more adventurous life and leaving the mundane behind. Here is someone who actually had the courage to do it.
The book is well written. The srories are great. There is a little bit too much reptition.
Great Expectations Realized.......2006-11-13
Stan Waterman's book, like the man himself, is a unique treasure. A raconteur of the highest order, Mr. Waterman is a tough-as-nails adventurer tempered by gentility and grace, and his prose drips with an eloquence that steps lightly across the line between hard-core adventure writing and fine literature. There are fine stories; there are stories finely told. Rarely are the two combined as Mr. Waterman has done.
Clay Coleman
Author: The Certified Diver's Handbook
If you like adventure writing, you will love this book.......2006-08-21
Stan Waterman is a legend in the scuba diving and underwater filmmaking communities. This book is a collection of his articles and essays. His articles range from humorous to cautionary, but all are compelling. Waterman's writing is enthusiastic and full of excitement. Scuba divers must read this book. But, I think those with an interest in adventure travel will also enjoy it.
Welcome reading for the armchair traveler during those long cold winter nights at home.......2005-12-09
A diver of legendary skill, a filmmaker, an explorer, a poet, and an observer of the world in which he has had both adventure and challenge, Sea Salt: Memories And Essays is a compendium of Stan Waterman's personal stories and experiences ranging from the destruction of his home on the coast of Maine by fire in 1994, through his discoveries of treasures and artifacts from beneath the sea and travels around the world, to his encounters on the Aegean Sea, the Amazon, Polynesia, the Solomon Islands, Aldabra, Cocos Keeling and the Turks. That's just the first half of his memoirs. The second half is a collection of his writings primarily drawn from his contribution to "Ocean Realm" magazine in the 1990s where he encountered whale sharks in Australia, sea creatures in the Caribbean, and stories from his various expeditions around the globe. Part travelogue, part autobiography, Sea Salt: memories And Essays is especially welcome reading for the armchair traveler during those long cold winter nights at home.
Product Description
With a career spanning almost five decades, Orson Welles became--and in many ways still is--one of entertainment's biggest names. His temperamental vitality, his humor and his general theatricality contributed volumes to the American stage and movie screen. His concepts of lighting and staging brought a new era to American productions. Welles influenced an entire generation of directors. These interviews conducted between 2003 and 2005 record the reminiscences of 30 individuals who worked with Orson Welles in a professional capacity. Beginning with 1937 and his work in Mercury Theatre, it follows a selected few of many who were part of Welles's life up to his sudden death in October 1985. Including actors, editors, cinematographers, camera assistants and magicians, the work presents a rounded view of Welles's career and, to some extent, his personal life. Each interview is presented in question and answer format with occasional commentary inserted for context or clarification. Projects discussed include Welles's most notable (Citizen Kane and War of the Worlds) as well as others like Heart of Darkness and The Cradle Will Rock which never quite reached fruition.
Customer Reviews:
TOP WELLES TREASURE.......2007-08-19
I have fifty or sixty books by or about Welles, a big collection of his films, and have written my own book about him, THE WELLES REQUIEM, as yet unpublished, and now happily confess to revising what I thought I knew about him, especially about his hands-on mode of filmmaking. For me the most important part of this truly stimulating, wonderful book are the parts about Welles in the cutting room. He himself personally did not cut film! He hired people to do that and told them what he wanted and then came back a day or a week later. Most revealing is the cutter for CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT who tells how Welles did not direct the battle scenes and did not do the cutting or assemblage. I won't reveal the "secrets" about that but they alone made this book worthwhile. Aside from that, this is truly personal about Orson and he is here talking with you straight into your face and gripping your shoulder and feeding you Chinese take-out. Any lover of Welles, no matter how deeply versed in his life-story, can not help but be lifted to the Wellesian heavens by this one-on-one face-to-face meeting with Orson Welles. Congratulations to young author/editor Peter Prescott Tonquette!
Orson Welles and Magic.......2007-07-01
I have always been a fan of Orson Welles on radio and television. Having collected a ton of radio broadcasts on CD and audio cassette and having watched most of his movies, I appreciate the genius of his work. I picked up a copy of this book recently and am amazed at the amount of research put into it. An aspect of Welles rarely discussed is his magic career. At the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention this September in Aberdeen, Maryland, I plan to attend the presentation about Orson Welles and his magic career so I can watch rare footage and films with Welles, and get an even deeper insight to his trickery. Book comes recommended.
Book Description
Through conversations held with fifteen of the most accomplished contemporary cinematographers, the authors explore the working world of the person who controls the visual look and style of a film.
Customer Reviews:
Masters of Light.............2003-10-08
Trough conversations held with fifteen of the most accomplished contemporary cinematographers , the authors explore the working world of the person who controls the visual look and style of a film. In the past two decades a whole new generation of cinematographers has emerged on the international film scene. Often using spare and original lighting and camera techniques that would have horrified oldtime Hollywood, directors of photography have made a public mark on the film-making process that was all but unthinkable in earlier years. No other volume of in-depth conversations with generation of cinematographers is available to students and moviegoers. These interviews are rich in practical detail as well as stimulating discussions of aesthetic issues. Thus, reading this book is like taking a class from fifteen top cameramen. Taken together, the conversation in this book reveal the remarkable range of creativity and dedication demanded of the visual artist in feature filmmaking today.
maybe I was sent the wrong book?.......2003-07-04
I like hearing anyone discuss cameras and techniques except sheep. It seems the newer generation(now old) of cinematographers say exactly what their peers say. 1)Hollywood bad 2)minimalism good 3)Thank God for faster film/ available light 4)newer lenses are too sharp? 5)My lower region fell asleep
6) that's not an entirely bad thing.
Personal Mastery.......2003-01-16
The best book I have ever read in terms of intimately understanding the art and passion of the Cinematographer. All the interviews are great but the interview of Conrad Hall, ASC shines brighter now that he has passed on.
Must have.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!.......1999-02-03
This book almost made me cry. Although I'm more involved with directing itself than DoP functions it made me really want to get deeply involved in photography.
It gives an inside overview by the absolute pros in the matter wisely interviewed about the highlights in their careers, their careers as DoPs, their relationships with the directors and the technical secrets of well-known films and blockbusters.
A must for everybody involved in film or filmlovers!!
Revealing, intimate conversations........1998-01-21
Each chapter is an exciting, revealing conversation with a well known, talented Director of Photography. A great first hand way to learn why the films you love look the way they do.
Book Description
HISTORY: The ASC Video Manual, Third Edition, follows in the tradition of the earlier, highly successful video manuals published by the ASC. This new edition incorporates and updates the best segments from previous ASC Video Manuals and adds newer information about emerging digital technologies.
FIELD GUIDE: Learn how to create video productions, work with digital audio sampling, why time code is important in digital productions, selecting the right digital camera and much more. Everything for the novice right up to the pro level.
TOPICS: The Video Camera, Digital Video Formats, Camera Filters, Digital Test & Measurement, Lighting, Batteries, Digital Audio for Video -- and much more.
REFERENCE: Includes photographs, charts, diagrams, schematics and a comprehensive glossary.
Customer Reviews:
not enough for beginers.......2007-02-13
I think this book covers alot of subjects, but the depth of each subject is very shallow. if I didn't know many of these things before reading this book I wouldn't understand more than half the explanaisions.
I still havn't finished reading because it's just not informitive enough
Great little book that falls apart........2004-11-25
This is a handy little book which covers many technical aspects of video in one volume. It's been a great resource for my work and I'd recommend it to anyone who is technically minded and is interested in what makes things work and why things are the way they are with digital and analogue video. The reason I've given this particular book only 3 stars is that it has started to shed pages after only having been moderately read. The binding glue is brittle and the pages come flying out. Other than that it is a great book.
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New Cinematographers
Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, Third Edition: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution
American Cinematographer Manual, Ninth Edition
Making Pictures: A Century of European Cinematography
Cinematography: Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers
