You as the cameraman always tell the story from a subjective point of view. You choose what gets seen or not seen as soon as you turn the camera on. It’s not reality unless you put the camera in the corner of a room and let it record with no editing. Now that is a true documentary film. You have reality in the room when people show up and they don’t know a camera is watching!

I think the biggest gift or talent a cameraman can have is the talent of being there but not being there. Where his equipment is small and compact where he melts into the environment over time – becoming a member of the group – where people trust, relax and become themselves – essentially – forgetting about the camera presence.

Technical proficiency and camera technique are important but connecting at the human level is vital in capturing a real story with real human behavior, emotions and thought.