Are You Always Thinking About Shape When You Create Images?

[Leo Gianfagna]

Hey everyone,

This question is aimed mostly for Roger but others are welcome to give their thoughts!

Q: I’m wondering how often you think about shape and depth when you light and compose. I assume these would be secondary to whatever the story and feeling of the script is, but do you go out of your way to make subjects look less flat and give shape to your images?

As a young cinematographer, I end up breaking my back trying to get depth and a good contrast ratio on every shot in a scene/film. I’m wondering if you do the same thing, or if it isn’t as important to you.

Thanks for your time!

Leo

Topic

[quijotesco24]

I do think the process of composing is or has to be more visceral than cerebral. It’s a group of personal feelings and ideas from your part, it’s about your taste.
Im coming from the documentary world and before that I was a photojournalist so I’m used to find images anywhere I go and do it fast. But I don’t think in those terms of shape, depth, as those concepts are already inside my vocabulary. So my method would be find the frame and then polish it.
One of the issues I see when having a more reflexive approach is that at the end images don’t look natural, they look forged. Same thing happens when everyone is looking at same still reference images. The amount of same-same images lately, with same lighting is just plain boring to me.

But everyone has to start somewhere so I think the best you could do is to start taking pictures daily, exercise your mind, get used to frame everything everywhere so you start shaping your vision as a cinematographer. Also look at photographs, paintings from all eras. You have to absorb as much as you can. Great part of your job will be to become the most visual literate person on the set and you have to work on that.

[Roger Deakins]

I really agree with those last comments. I don’t consciously think about depth and composition when I am shooting. I too work in an instinctive way and shoot what ‘feels right’. Its the same with technology. If your mind is on the how and the why you are loosing part of your emotional connection to what is in front of you.

[Author]

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