Discover Top Documentary DPs in Salinas, California, USA

I have nearly 15 years of professional experience producing, shooting, editing, and directing video. Raised in Sacramento, California, my love for cinematography started at just the age of 17 as a skateboarder. My friends and I would shoot video of each other on our skateboards using a handy cam then used the footage to create VHS tapes. Little did I know those dear memories would foster in me a strong passion to pursue video production for the rest of my life. As I entered my 20's, my shooting skills really began to develop. My classmates paid me to shoot their videos – everything from music videos to short documentaries. I then began to reach out for professional work. Today, I work as a DP/Editor shooting and directing short documentaries, social content, editing commercials for television, and more. I also produce quality still photography and am FAA certified in Aerial Operations.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Drone Operator
• Field Producer
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Production Company
• Production Assistant
• Corporate Videographer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist

Miguel Angel is a freelancer videographer from Santiago, Chile. In the past years, he has collaborated with news media outlets like Fusion TV and AJ+ in San Francisco, Colombia Informa (Colombia), Radio Ambulante (Mexico and SF), along with television channels National Geographic, Link TV, MundoFox, and Señal Colombia. As a filmmaker, he is the associate producer of the feature documentary Voices of Chile, director of A Family's Sanctuary, and director of We're Meant to be Reinas, awarded for Best Documentary at the 2012 Providencia International Film Festival in Santiago, Chile. Currently, he is the DP for the Free CeCe Documentary and Associate Producer of PBS's funded film, Siqueiros: Walls of Passion. He graduated with an M.A. in Social Documentation at the University of California, Santa Cruz. As a freelancer he has produced and edited video for corporations like Twitter, and organizations like the United Nations.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Fixer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer
• Translator
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

Mike is a video journalist with over eight years of video production experience and an MFA in Filmmaking from American University in Washington, DC. He is a visual storyteller with extensive experience operating as an all-in-one producer and videographer in the field. Mike's most recent work was produced for The San Francisco Standard—an upstart digital media company in San Francisco—where he worked as a staff video journalist and contributed his filmmaking skills to the team's coverage of the city and wider Bay Area. Mike's video journalism work at The Standard helped establish and solidify the company's online presence as one of the most active, informative and engaging news organizations in the Bay Area. Mike also has extensive experience as a freelance videographer, Director of Photography and video editor. His work has been published in established media outlets such as Business Insider, CNBC, Bloomberg, Voice of America, 60 Second Docs, Cheddar, and Brut. He has also produced, shot, and edited a variety of independent documentary films which have screened on public television and at film festivals such as the DC Environmental Film Festival, the California Independent Film Festival, Water Docs, the Washington, DC International Film Festival and others. He is passionate about documentary storytelling and bringing ordinary peoples' lives to life through video.

• Documentary DP
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Field Producer
• Motion Graphics Designer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Corporate Videographer
• Production Company
• Production Assistant
• Grip
• Video Editor - News
• Fixer
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Transcriber
• Drone Operator

I am an Emmy winning video journalist and editor. I love to see what's on the other side of the wall. To hear words that shatter all preconceptions. To find connection where all hope seems lost. I am gritty and I do whatever it takes to "get the shot." I am humbled to be allowed into people's journeys of pain and courage, their intimate spaces, and their attempts to survive or build a better existence. This profession gives me a chance to share these experiences with the world, in an effort for us all to understand one another just a little bit more. I specialize in telling stories of social justice issues, people marginalized or misunderstood and the unknown. I have a talent for finding unusual angles and perspectives often overlooked. I am also very adventurous and I love stories that are difficult to get, climbing 100 feet into a tree or trekking through the wilderness. I thrive off getting dirty and risk-taking. I've created news pieces, profile pieces, long-form, human-centered, inspirational stories as well as promotional films and marketing videos.

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Field Producer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• Production Company
• Corporate Videographer
• Commercial DP

Austin Meyer is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Oakland, CA. He is a National Geographic Explorer and his work has been featured by HBO, Hulu, Apple TV, National Geographic, The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, PBS NewsHour, and Al Jazeera among others. Meyer graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. degree in creative writing and an M.A. degree in journalism. After graduation, he was selected as the winner of the New York Times’ International Reporting Trip with Nicholas Kristof competition, for which he reported for the New York Times in Baltimore, India, and Nepal. Meyer has worked as a videographer at the Los Angeles Times and was awarded an IDEO storytelling fellowship, during which he reported for Slate on the social and environmental impacts of hydropower dams along the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. In 2018 Meyer was awarded a National Geographic Explorer grant to create a documentary film on maternal healthcare in Zambia. His documentaries have screened at the American Documentary, Mill Valley, & Milwaukee Film Festivals, as well as in the National Geographic Short Film Showcase and Atlantic Selects series. Meyer’s purpose as a documentarian is to tell stories that change the way people walk through the world by inspiring empathy, curiosity, and wonder. He is passionate about telling vulnerable and intimate stories that are emotionally moving, break down stereotypes, and compel people to take action in order to make our world a better place. www.austinmeyerfilms.com @austinmeyerfilms on social media

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Production Company
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Fixer
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Event Photographer
• Executive Producer
• Senior Editor
• Product Photographer
• Creative Director

Over the past ten years, I have built strong, principled, and trustworthy relationships with many organizations and companies. As a result of my dedicated work ethic to providing the best media production services possible, I frequently received contractual jobs with excellent customer satisfaction. I have produced over 50 video projects, such as product promotions, media campaigns, TV Commercials, and documentaries. Over the years, I have collaborated with well-known national and international institutions such as USAID, US Embassy-Kabul, Counterpart International, DAI, World Vision, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IOM, Afghan Government and Ministries, Roots of Peace, VOA, Newsweek, Discovery Channel, Story Hunter, Newsy, Insider, and UN Organizations.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Commercial DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Company
• Corporate Videographer
• Field Producer

Over nearly a decade of working in documentary production I've shot and produced documentary work for a range of media outlets including Al Jazeera, CNN, the Guardian, the Intercept, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC News, the New York Times, TIME among many others. I’ve also DP'd and directed commercial work for companies including Red Bull, AT&T, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Oculus, Fox Studios, and many more. Additionally I've directed, produced and DP'd independent films as well as commissioned documentary projects for non-profits and NGOs.

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Drone Operator
• Field Producer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Senior Producer / Project Manager

I'm a documentary cinematographer working out of Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, and Portland. My work has appeared on The New York Times, The New Yorker, PBS, Frontline, Al Jazeera, Channel 4 (UK), and more, as well as for clients like CNN, AirBnb, and the Oakland Museum of California. I've also produced on series for National Geographic, Netflix, and for feature documentaries like Girl Rising. I own and operate Sony equipment (Fs7, A7siii), with a MavicPro 2 drone, Sigma Art lenses, Aputure lights, and more. See more work at www.derekknowles.com

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - News
• Field Producer
• TV News Producer
• Drone Operator
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Sound Mixer
• Corporate Videographer

Born and raised in California, Lakshmi is an educator and journalist with a focus on South Asia, gender, race and the arts. Over the past few years she has worked with newspapers, radio and magazines from Gaborone, Botswana to Los Angeles, California. She has written and produced for various audiences, including Mic, Global Voices, Al Jazeera Online, AJ+, Fusion, the New York Times and KQED. Lakshmi is a graduate of Pitzer College and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

• Fixer
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Translator
• Field Producer
• TV News Producer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture

My name is Tri and I’m the founder of Bay Area-based Tri Nguyen Photography and Video Production. My path to this industry was not a straight line, as after getting my B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University and MBA from Johns Hopkins University, I pursued a career in information technology. It was during my time working in corporations that I developed my professional and detailed approach, and I discovered that I really enjoyed the collaborative spirit that comes from teamwork. As my career progressed I realized my true passion was in the creative field, and that my unique background would help me better serve my clients. I don’t think of my subjects as a job, but as a story waiting to be told. Extensive preparation and collaboration are an important part of my approach, and it’s very important to me that you feel comfortable, confident, and excited about our time working together as well as the end result. I’ll provide the talent and leadership to get us there.

• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Documentary DP
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Portrait Photographer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture
• Full-Service Live Production

Crystal Wong is an Emmy-nominated journalist, documentary producer and cinematographer. Born into the Handover period of Hong Kong, her identity is, likewise, fluid and in question. After graduating from the journalism school at CUHK, she relocated to New York City to gain experience in video production. She established herself as a freelance filmmaker by the time she returned to Hong Kong to document the city’s biggest protests in history. She developed a strong interest in long-form documentaries after being an assistant director for an independent documentary, Faceless, which had been screened at various festivals including the Busan International Film Festival 2021. She is currently directing a long-term project addressing the evolving identity of Hongkongers and the Hong Kong diaspora. Crystal currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She welcomes any type of visual and journalism projects. Her works have appeared on VICE, PBS FRONTLINE, Quartz, RTHK and UnionDocs.

• Documentary DP
• TV News Producer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Fixer
• Field Producer
• Corporate Videographer
• Gaffer
• Grip

I’m a film director/producer, musician, and video journalist based in Oakland, CA. For CALIFORNIA Magazine, I've written, shot, and edited around twenty short form documentary pieces, including a 3-part video series called “Bugged,” and am also a frequent contributor to the print magazine. An avid traveller, I have worked, trained, and performed all over the world, including Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa. I have a degree in Arabic and Russian Literature from UC Berkeley, and am the artistic director of Radix Troupe Productions, which I founded in 2013. Since finishing my studies in Arabic and Russian at UC Berkeley in 2013, I've been actively directing and producing original work, including multiple short films, music videos, short form documentaries, and promotional work. My most recent short film "Zoey and the Wind-Up Boy" produced by RADIX, won Best Fantasy Film at the 2017 Roswell Sci-fi Film Festival, was a finalist for Best International Short at the Ithaca Fantastik Film Festival, 2017, and won runner up for Best Film at the Carcosa Film Festival, 2018. Another film I produced, "All We Left Behind" won Best International Film at the 48Film Project Festival, 2018. In 2016, I was also one of the aspiring female directors to be selected to shadow BAFTA award-winning writer/director Amma Asante on the shoot of her soon to be released film, Where Hands Touch (2018). As a singer and cellist, I regularly perform with the award-winning band, MAD NOISE, and my newest musical/visual project called Girl Swallows Nightingale.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Production Assistant
• Music Composer
• Fixer
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Non-Fiction Film Director

I’m a New York-raised Californian, filmmaker, photographer, partner and dad. My first foray into independent filmmaking was aboard a 4-seat Cessna, documenting impacts of the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, I spent several years in New York working and learning as a Production Assistant and later a Cinematographer and Editor in collaboration with networks and brands including ABC, American Eagle and the MSG Network. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2015, I’ve focused on developing my voice through the stories I was drawn to in the beginning, about the natural systems around us and the spectrum of relationships humanity has with them. And I’ve continued to collaborate with other filmmakers, organizations, and brands including Bloomberg, Netflix and the Biden/Harris campaign. My latest effort, don’t feed the coyotes, began screening at film festivals across the country earlier this year. Through the observations of two starkly-different naturalists, the half-hour documentary chronicles several years in the intertwined lives of San Francisco’s urban coyotes.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Field Producer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• TV News Producer
• Video Editor - News
• Reporter / Journalist
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Corporate Videographer

Sara Lafleur-Vetter is a multimedia journalist with a passion for telling stories of the underdog and the underbelly of society. As a videographer, photographer, writer, and radio journalist, she’s covered everything from social orphans in Russia to Native resistance camps at Standing Rock. She holds an interdisciplinary degree in Anthropology and Russian from Reed College. Lafleur began her journalism career in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she documented local NGOs including an organization for the homeless, a kid circus, and an institution for the disabled. Afterwards, she lived in Luxor, Egypt documenting ancient temple blocks for the American Research Center in Egypt. She received her Masters from the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism in 2015, where she won a Dorothea Lange Fellowship for her photography. She spent over half a year covering the Native-led resistance camps at Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, which she is working to develop into a feature length film.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Field Producer
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Audio Storyteller
• Reporter / Journalist

Vatsala is a cinematographer and director based out of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Her films have premiered in competition at Sundance, Tribeca, AFI Docs, Cinequest, Doc Fortnight: Museum of Modern Art (NY), and on platforms such Netflix, Amazon, PBS, CBS etc. Clients include Facebook, Google, Sony, Eventbrite, HBO Docs, MTV Films, VICE/ Refinery 29, Good Company, Godfrey Dadich Partners, Attn: Inc, Tribeca Studios, Firelight, ITVS, TIME, BET, AwesomenessTV, Salesforce and 23andme. Her work is informed by years of experience working across narrative and documentary film, photojournalism and fine art, as well as from her dual cultural identities as an Indian and queer woman of color living and working in the United States. Vatsala is a recipient of the American Society of Cinematographers' Vision Mentorship program (2020) and is a member of the International Collective of Female Cinematographers. She received her MFA in Cinematography from the Film and Television Institute, India.

• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Field Producer
• Corporate Videographer
• Event Photographer
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Portrait Photographer
• Fashion Photographer
• Product Photographer
• Creative Director

I am a documentary photographer and videographer currently based in Northern California. I possess a solid background in photojournalism and specialize in the long-term narrative. My documentary work focuses on social justice, health, environmental conservation, and identity. I am passionate about utilizing the visual narrative as a tool to inform, engage, and impact social change. As a multimedia journalist and storyteller, I have experience working as a producer, visual creator, editor & curator, and project manager. I am proficient in image editing software, studio lighting, video and audio capture, and various array of photography including reportage, portraiture, editorial, travel, corporate, and commercial. I am conscientious, resourceful, and welcome any challenging assignments. Selected Clients & Publications: ActionAid, Asian Development Bank, Bloomberg Businessweek, BuzzFeed News, Clinton Health Access Initiatives, Courrier International, Der Spiegel, Facebook, Fair Trade, Financial Times, Getty Images, Global Citizen, Greenpeace International, The Guardian, Instagram, International Monetary Fund, The New York Times, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Open Society Foundations, Oxfam, ProPublica, Sactown Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, UN-REDD, USAID, USA Today, TripAdvisor, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Field Producer
• Portrait Photographer
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Creative Director
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Translator
• Event Photographer
• Landscape Photographer
• Product Photographer
• Fashion Photographer
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Post-Production Manager

Evan is an award-winning documentary and commercial producer and cinematographer based in Oakland, CA. He loves crafting original and captivating stories, focusing on authentic human experiences and natural beauty. Evan’s work has taken him across the U.S. and abroad: from Guam to Guantanamo Bay, reservations to wildfires, stash houses to state houses, and well beyond. He thrives in challenging environments and loves connecting with people on the fringes of societies. Evan is a veggie-eating, adventure-seeking nomad originally from Texas. He has a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, is HEFAT certified and brews a mean kombucha. Clients include: VICE News Tonight, VICE on HBO, Al Jazeera, AJ+, ESPN, CBS News, NBC News, Dateline, Travel Channel, Square, Samsung, Channel One News, True/False Film Festival, Innocence Project, Hewlett Foundation and more. instagram.com/egrolled twitter.com/egroll917 x

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• TV News Producer
• Field Producer

Hello! I am a documentary film maker based in the Bay area. I shoot on Sony, Canon and Black Magic. My full portfolio can be found at www.ekfproductions.com.  Here is a link to my general video portfolio - https://youtu.be/T09E9hpCebk       Additionally I am a FAA drone certified pilot  My equipment includes pro audio and lighting and is listed on the bottom of this email.       Thanks! Kent Kessinger   ~~ Equipment List ~~ Cameras: 3x Sony A7siii BlackMagic 6k Canon 6D Sony A7iv DJI Mavic Air 2s Drone Lenses: Sony 50mm f1.4 Sony 20mm f1.8 G Sony 35mm f1.8 Sony 85mm 1.4 GM Sony 24-70 2.8 Sony 70-200 2.8 Sony 90mm macro Audio: Tascam x8 32 bit audio 4 cahnnel Zoom H6 - 6 track digital recorder Sennheiser MKE-600 shotgun mic 2x Sennheiser G3 wireless Lav Misc Video: 4x tripods & Dolly 4 point light setup (2 softbox) with three backdrops (key green, white & black) DJI RS2 Pro Gimbal with Raven eye for remote controlling DJI RSC2 Gimbal         

• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - News
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Drone Operator

My name Is Noam Eshel, I'm a video-journalist and independent documentary filmmaker. I've been developing, producing, editing and shooting short form videos and journalistic multimedia pieces for about ten years now. During these years I've had the opportunity to work for major news outlets and my work was published in various programs such as Ha'Aretz,The World, Marketplace, KQED News, NY Times International and Walla). I also shot, directed and edited various mini-documentaries, and as a Cinematographer, I shot a number of feature-length documentaries that were screened at film festivals around the globe. I speak fluent Spanish, Portuguese, English and Hebrew, and lived in South America, Europe and Israel, before coming to the U.S. Documentary work is my biggest passion; it allows me to do what I love the most, visit places, meet people, and tell stories. You are welcome to visit my website at: www.noameshel.com Noam

• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer

Ellie Wen is an award-winning filmmaker from Hong Kong and Los Angeles. She began her career in Los Angeles where she produced independent films and worked at CAA, CBS Films, and Super Deluxe. Ellie is an alumna of Film Independent's Project Involve fellowship program. Her first short documentary "Single Mother Only Daughter" premiered on Short of the Week, is a Vimeo Staff Pick, and was featured by The New York Times. “Doing Good Business,” her short documentary series about social entrepreneurs worldwide, was released on Participant Media's SoulPancake. Ellie recently received her MFA in Documentary Film from Stanford University where she produced four short documentary films. "Share," has screened at DOC NYC, Frameline, Big Sky, DOK Leipzig, and was released on The Guardian. Ellie was awarded the Best Local Filmmaker Award at the UN Women Global Voices Film Festival for "On Mother’s Day," which was recently released by The New Yorker. “25 Hours” was a finalist in the WrapWomen/STARZ film contest and was distributed by STARZ. Her thesis film, "The Missfits," was awarded the UFVA Carole Fielding Student Grant and was released on KQED's Truly CA. She now lives in San Francisco and is developing her next documentary as a resident in the SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Non-Fiction Film Director