Chris Novy
EF0
I just received a copy of Andy Gabrielson's "Tornadoes of 2010" DVD and all I can say is it's amazing --no, seriously! Andy clearly has become a superstar amongst up-close tornado photographers. I've watched him on SpotterNetwork being in Texas one day and in North Dakota the next. That says a lot about what a person will do to make the catch. His footage is seen live on SevereStudios and then shortly afterwords on CNN, FNC, and TWC. Of course the quality of this DVD is much better. I'd love to see it in Blu-Ray, if I had a Blu-Ray. These are BIG tornadoes not wimpy wannabe swirls or scud bombs.
The photography in this one hour 18 minute video is spectacular and involves a combination of tripoded and handheld shots which demonstrate Andy's skill with storm-relative positioning to achieve the best viewing angle, lighting and contrast. Each tornado event has a brief, well-narrated, audio setup followed by the raw footage (edited where necessary to eliminate jump cuts and reduce boredom) and includes natural sound. Andy's "photographic philosophy" clearly makes the tornadoes the star of the picture --not Andy himself. The pacing of the action won't bore hard-core enthusiasts nor will it give your grandmother a heart attack. A welcome thing (for me, a person in the professional broadcast industry) is the LACK of screaming, praying not to get killed, repetitive chaser-related phrases, gaudy music and cheesy video effects --all of which detract from the viewing experience. Another big plus is that the video does not depict nor glamorize any dangerous, super-aggressive, or illegal driving stunts --scenes which have a profoundly negative influence on new and especially younger chasers.
As a SKYWARN instructor I would have liked to see more shots of the whole storm from a distance and perhaps some of the crappy driving conditions depicting how difficult it can be to catch these monsters. Maybe Andy can provide me with his out-takes for my training classes! That said, to catch tornadoes up-close like this you can't sit around and wait for the storms. You have to find them and own them! Clearly, Andy does this.
I highly recommend checking out this video. Even non-tornado enthusiasts will appreciate the beauty and power of nature --and then run out to purchase a tornado shelter! ;-)
..Chris..
The photography in this one hour 18 minute video is spectacular and involves a combination of tripoded and handheld shots which demonstrate Andy's skill with storm-relative positioning to achieve the best viewing angle, lighting and contrast. Each tornado event has a brief, well-narrated, audio setup followed by the raw footage (edited where necessary to eliminate jump cuts and reduce boredom) and includes natural sound. Andy's "photographic philosophy" clearly makes the tornadoes the star of the picture --not Andy himself. The pacing of the action won't bore hard-core enthusiasts nor will it give your grandmother a heart attack. A welcome thing (for me, a person in the professional broadcast industry) is the LACK of screaming, praying not to get killed, repetitive chaser-related phrases, gaudy music and cheesy video effects --all of which detract from the viewing experience. Another big plus is that the video does not depict nor glamorize any dangerous, super-aggressive, or illegal driving stunts --scenes which have a profoundly negative influence on new and especially younger chasers.
As a SKYWARN instructor I would have liked to see more shots of the whole storm from a distance and perhaps some of the crappy driving conditions depicting how difficult it can be to catch these monsters. Maybe Andy can provide me with his out-takes for my training classes! That said, to catch tornadoes up-close like this you can't sit around and wait for the storms. You have to find them and own them! Clearly, Andy does this.
I highly recommend checking out this video. Even non-tornado enthusiasts will appreciate the beauty and power of nature --and then run out to purchase a tornado shelter! ;-)
..Chris..
