The Power of the Decisive Edit, with Richard Newman

Telling stories and sharing experiences was the reason I wanted to become a photographer in the first place. Historically, in photography, great stories have had to have been told in a single frame, a decisive moment. But times and technologies have changed, and for me a whole new mode of communication has been discovered.

Several years ago I fell in love with using video to tell a story. My photo diary has changed to a video diary, and now instead of pouring over singular still images I watch videos of my ideas and experiences. Keeping an idea on the screen for 2 seconds or 3 seconds greatly changes the impact of the idea. I’m amazed how effective I can be in getting my ideas across in a short amount of time.

Final Cut Pro screen capture from Richard’s current project, the video for Keith Greeninger’s new release “Hop In The Truck”. Look for it on YouTube!

The moment is still decisive, but in my visual world I’m now fascinated with the decisive edit and the power of the short, impactful video. There are great stories waiting to be told. Whether they be songs, profiles or ideas, the technology has made telling these stories possible for all of us.

Learn more from Richard in his workshop
Video Boot Camp
with Richard Newman
June 26 - July 2, 2011

And see what else he’s up to on his blog, Bipolar Pizza