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movies and photography

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last scene from Great Expectations by Alfonso Cuaron

I graduated from film school 10 years ago, but it isn’t until recently that I realized how much my love for movies has been influencing my photography. The musicals from the early 30s and their vibrant black and white, the rich colors and subtle lighting of My Blueberry Nights, the beauty found in the most ordinary, unexpected places in Amelie, and many more.

One of the movies that I think has had the greatest impact and has shaped up much of my approach to photography is Great Expectations by Alfonso Cuaron. The thought he put in the composing and framing of each sequence has been a huge revelation to me.

What about you? Are there movies that inspire you, and influence your photography?

Comments

  1. Most of the movies filmed in southern Louisiana have such a dreamy feeling to them. The light keeps me trying to capture that feeling.

  2. Oh, yes! I love that photograph too! Visually, that movie was like a moving painting! I also loved the English Patient and A River Runs Through It.

    Mostly, I feel inspired by the quite moments. The ones that say so much without using words at all, which is how I view photography. I think sometimes we ruin moments, when we add too many words, when a simple gesture, like reaching for someone’s hand is all that’s needed.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/artbybeatriz/3552879471/sizes/o/

  3. I saw this posted last night and thought, "hmmm, this is a thinker." On Golden Pond was the first movie that came to mind, then A River Runs Through It and PS I Love You when she is in Ireland. I don’t think it has ever been a conscious effort, but I strive for the quality of light that is found in these movies. Really, it has only been within the last few months that I’ve really made that conscious effort to pay attention to the cinematography, even on television shows. I find I’m paying more attention to the night scenes, probably because I s**k at night photography.

  4. Absolutely — my favourite is Amelie. I bought the DVD and listened to the director’s comments about the saturation of colour, and the intentional pop of brilliant blue in certain scenes. I definitely think about how that movie was shot in many ways when I shoot images.

    WONDERFUL thought-provoking post, Irene!

    K.

  5. what a great post and an interesting topic! with all the video popping up around the internet, i have often wondered if i could ever parlay my love of capturing still images to moving pictures. so far, the spark hasn’t started but who knows what the future holds.
    what comes to mind for me is How to Make an Amercian Quilt. the colors and imagery of that movie still stay with me. now you’ve got me thinking here. thanks Irene. PS. I had no idea you went to film school-WOW!

  6. I just watched a Thai movie called "Happy Birthday" – an incredibly sad but beautiful movie – and the cinematography was amazing. The main character was a photographer so needless to say visual imagery was a huge part of the film. It definitely made me think about light and composition.

    Ditto on Amelie, and My Blueberry Nights and I also loved In the Mood for Love. Hero and House of Flying Daggers are favorites too – amazing color!

  7. I’ve been hooked on "the notebook" now for a couple of years.
    I also love "catch and release" and recently we saw "the visitor" which was so interesting.
    Vicki, Christina, Barcelona is a feast for the eyes, too, and one of the best I’ve watched so far this year.

  8. how interesting! and how interesting that you should post this right after i watched the movie, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. the entire time that i watched that, i thought about this very topic. it was such a beautiful and stunning film—gorgeous colors and angles and softness. i just kept thinking about photography through the whole movie and how this film would translate into the photography world. it was such a moving film, mostly because of the story, but also because of the amazing vision of that director {his name slips my mind right now}. his message came through visually like no other movie i have ever seen. it was amazing. i could only hope that my photography is that way some day.

    it is definitely a must see movie—i think especially for you, now that i have read what you wrote here.

  9. i never thought about movies influencing my photography but i certainly am aware of the way in which a film is shot and how the cinematography impacts certain films so strongly. I’m curious has anyone seen "Mister Lonely"? (a very bizarre film) My daughter and I watched it together and are convinced there is some sort of symbolism in the way the director used color.
    "Amelie" is a favorite of ours as well as "The Fall" which has incredible cinematography. I like watching movies with my daughter because she is aware of all of this and we like to discuss it together.
    great post.

  10. Hi Irene!
    When I read this post, I felt like you were speaking directly to us! Great Expectations is such a gorgeous film. All that green!
    I have been thinking about your question all day… it’s such an excellent question! I think that Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette is the best example of what I would like to be able to do with my photography. I love how the scenes seems so static… like still shots, actually. I love the muted lushness of the colours… especially her pinks. The film feels like dessert.
    Here are two examples:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/26884240@N06/3557569952/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/26884240@N06/3560282052/

  11. I have been thinking about this recently, I am seeking something in each movie I see particularly…… I love the light and simplicity yet strength of scenes in something’s gotta give. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly throughout was thought provoking in subject but also the lighting and a grittyness that felt I was seeing and Amelie, yes throughout.
    Thank you for your post

  12. More on Sofia Coppola…

    I wasn’t fond of ‘Lost In Translation’ (Bill Murray… wrong!) but I remember being struck by the cinematography. There was something delicately beautiful in the colour. Turquoise and pink and soft.

    And ‘Australia’. It was Luhrmann staging every frame for perfect photographic composition that gave the film that surreal, theatrical quality. It was like flicking through a bunch of postcards for three hours, but better 🙂

    http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1020957952/tt0455824

  14. LIke BETH (above comment) I especially enjoyed Vicki, Christina, Barcelona — While the story line wore thin in spots I felt that numerous times throughout the movie i couldve stopped and taken that still shot and had a great photograph. The cinimatography was brilliant!

    Great post and way to get us all thinking.

    Thanks!
    TTFN — Claudia

  15. I love Baz Lurman’s movies for that reason, especially Romeo + Juliet. Each frame of that film would probably be a great photograph!

  17. Gosh, I am so grateful to you for this thoughtful post. At least it’s got me really thinking — in an important and creative way. I admit that I don’t or haven’t been influenced by movies for my photography but it’s an excellent concept and one that i am truly going to be far more cognizant of from now on. Thank you so much for this very worthy inspiration!

  18. Oh Great Expectations….I love the photography. I love how everything..I mean everything in that movie is green. I loved that movie so much, in fact, that my two youngest children are Finnegan and Estella. Not kidding.

  19. I love Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. I love the vibrancy of it all. The dreaminess, the details, contrast. I love it all.

  20. Almost every movie I watch, I’m looking for interesting camera angles. I also like vibrant colors – Big Fish was one that I saw recently and really enjoyed from a photographer’s perspective.