Stills, DreamWorks Animation, etc

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi Roger,

I wasn't sure else to post. I loved your talk that you gave to our lighting department at DreamWorks Animation two weeks ago. I really loved to hear about some of the inspirations during your early beginnings in your career (Fat City, the Wild Bunch, etc). I asked you about the most interesting response to some of your less than orthodox means of lighting scenes. You responded with the story of Catherine Zeta Jones while you were working on Intolerable Cruelty. I also asked your favorite magnum/VII photographers.

You spoke about your initial start as a still photographer during college and your shift to cinematography. For me this is interesting as I started off in Visual Effects during school; and shortly began to delve into still photography. I became quite entrenched (dare say obsessed) with the still image/lighting/telling a story, etc. I have become quite torn between the visual effects world and that of photography.

I was wondering if you had ever felt the same way, or was it more of a "no looking back" stance for you? Do you ever feel the pull of your hearts' strings to do any adaptations of your still cinematography/lighting work to fine art photography? Not merely a transfer of your style, but a new exploration/experimentation of stills photography?


Thanks so much for your time, Roger.

p.s. I know you are very busy lately between helping advise at dreamworks and working on your own projects, but if you ever have the chance, I would be honored if you could take a look at my portfolio of photography work.


Cheers,

Jonathan Moore
www.fletchart.com/photography/

[Roger]

You have a good eye.
I often day dream that I had taken a different path and become a true photographer but I never have liked the idea of 'art', whether it be in cinema or stills. I admire the work of someone like Salgado or James Nachtwey as much, if not more, than that of the great cinematographers and film directors. On the other hand I do love film and I love helping to tell stories - if they are worth telling. The world of photojournalism and documentary film making has changed from what it was when I was a part of it. I would be naive to think I would still be suited to it. Right now I am happy doing some street photography when I get the time and spending some hours in my darkroom or in Photoshop.