Cameraman’s Cut : A Life through the Lens of a Documentary Cinematographer

In The Cameraman’s Cut, Colin Clarke takes the reader on an exhilarating journey through a lifetime behind the camera. From living with tree-dwelling cannibals in New Guinea to braving Arctic conditions at the North Pole, he has travelled globally, capturing extraordinary stories. He has visited the statues of Easter Island and the watering holes of the Congo, filmed with royals in Buckingham Palace and documented lives of the homeless in cardboard shelters. One moment, he’s face to face with cave-dwelling crocodiles in Madagascar; the next, he’s on stage with a rock ’n’ roll legend.

Colin offers insights into human and geopolitical events, from the turmoil of the Middle East to life behind the Iron Curtain and the fall of the Berlin Wall. His work has also immersed him in history, science, sports, music, and the arts.

His 50-year career began in Swinging London in the mid-sixties as a photographer’s assistant, leading to studies at the National Film School and four decades as a freelance cinematographer. Woven throughout the book is his unique perspective on the evolution of factual television and documentary filmmaking—the art, the craft, and the challenges of an ever-changing industry.