Visual storytelling defined: The art of photography in a motion picture


Image source: careersinfilm.com

Everybody loves a good story. Film is a great medium that tells stories through sound and pictures in motion. Nowadays, anyone can call themselves photographers and cinematographers thanks to the technology becoming increasingly accessible. Photography student Fred Brisker shares in this blog the basics of cinematography.

In essence, cinematography is both the art and technology of creating motion pictures. Cinematography deals with mise-en-scène or scene composition, camera choice, lenses, films, filters, camera movement and angles, lighting, and special effects if needed. No two scripts demand the same cinematography. The art of photography in a motion picture goes beyond recording the actors in location or on stage. It is an integral part of bringing the script to life.

Image source: backstage.com


As directors are in charge of giving notes to actors and actors responsible for their performance, cinematographers are at the helm of the visuals that contribute to the storytelling. The camera placement, camera angle, camera movement, lighting, focus, composition, and other creative and technical choices made by a cinematographer are instrumental to the overall look of the film.

A film's cinematographer is also known as the Director of Photography or DOP, shares Fred Brisker. A DOP works closely with a director to ensure that their creative choices match the director's vision. Independent films, especially those that have a limited budget, may employ the expertise of a DOP for cinematography and ask them to operate the main camera as well. This is a usual case for film students and independent production houses.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to use natural light in nature photography

Image
Image source: pinterest.com A lot of professional photographers use artificial light to achieve the shots they want. They often use LED lights and diffusers to get the kind of intensity they want and the angle of the light source just right. However, some photographers can use natural light splendidly. Photography student Fred Brisker explains that utilizing natural light is one of the skills every photographer should learn. Light helps define shapes, lines, textures, and highlight specific angles of the subject. The biggest challenge when it comes to natural lighting, especially in nature photography, is that light is often insufficient. And since the light source comes from the sun itself, the quality of light differs from the time one is taking a photo. Light has a different intensity in the morning, at noon, and near sunset. This is why it is important to plan when composing a shot. Image source: ourpastimes.com One thing to keep in mind, notes Fred Brisker, is...
Read more

How to be a better urban photographer

Image
Image source: photocrowd.com Unlike nature photography which is often a peaceful environment, urban photography is all about capturing the beauty of the city amid a chaotic and splendid weave of technological advancement, culture, and diversity. One could say that urban photography is a lot more difficult to pull off amazingly. But for avid photographer Fred Brisker , it’s all about practicing and improving one’s skills in order to capture the cityscape better. Here are some tips to improve your skills as an urban photographer Experiment with different angles The standard eye-level cityscape photo is often the go-to perspective for urban photographers. But what separates a good photo from something that you can sell is uniqueness. You can achieve this by experimenting with different angles. What does the cityscape look like if you point your camera directly upward? Or what about a photo looking straight down from an iconic building? Unique perspectives often generate ...
Read more