Video Shooter: Storytelling with HD Cameras, Second Edition,
Barry Braverman
Focal Press, $45 - 286 pages

If you want to maximize your HD storytelling then this amazingly comprehensive work by Barry Braverman will not disappoint. A veteran DP and digital media consultant expert with more than thirty years experience, Braverman blesses us with his vast insights into the world of digital storytelling. In this often confusing world of ever-changing cameras, equipment, recording formats and media, Braverman reassures us that, "Craft is and will always be the crucial factor in your success, not which camera you use, which flavor of flash media you employ, or which recording format you ultimately decide on". Attention to one's craft is the recurring mantra throughout the work. Though he does delve into the details of the techniques and technology, as well, with discussions on what to include and exclude from the frame, how to build compositions on the power of the triangle, shooting proper close ups and many more, he takes us by the hand and guides us step by step along the path to becoming a master visual storyteller. If you've ever wondered about camera detail, gamma, black stretch, knee, matrix, master pedestal and other such settings, you'll find explanations and tips about them here. Awash with color images and well-defined section headings, all of these important topics are covered in Braverman's easy to read, often amusing style.
Rating: 5