Cinematic Photography

[Andrew Brinkhaus]

As a cinematographer, practicing ones skill usually comes from shooting films, music videos, commercials, etc. In those downtime's between shows though, I like to continue lighting for photography, the same as I would for moving images. It keeps me fresh and allows me to work out concepts and ideas without having to attempt something on a production.

If you can make a photograph look beautiful, your tools and techniques can be easily transferred to other mediums, like film and HD. Shooting on a DSLR offers most of the DR of film and high end HD systems like the F23 and Genesis, so you aren't sacrificing much in the image.

My goal is to update this weekly, and to produce photographs of a cinematic nature, in practicing lighting for motion picture.

...More to come.

 

[Mino]

Great Idea Andrew, I'll be watching this thread, I like the second pic as it has less distraction by your DOF marker so to speak. Looking forward to more!!

 

[Adam Gonzalez]

Well...this is an awesome thread to start and I hope many will contribute. I am going to have to do a lot of work. I am going to have to do a lot with natural light, I don't have access to hot lights anymore not being close to Full Sail poo poo.

 

[Adam J McKay]

I am liking this idea. You can count me in for posting from time to time.

 

[Andrew Brinkhaus]

Sure thing guys.

Might have a few more up tomorrow.

 

[tmnt]

I really like your stuff Andrew, particularly how much attention you give to lighting just right.

 

[Andrew Brinkhaus]

Thanks, I really appreciate that.

I am thinking of also including an overhead diagram with the lighting setups for each photo. Thoughts on this?

 

[tmnt]

Yes that would be helpful for us to understand how the result was achieved. If you could include type of light, wattage, softbox, gelled etc might be helpful to.

 

[Andrew Brinkhaus]

Sure thing.

 

[The Photographer]

Good stuff.

 

[dougspice]

Huh, this would make a cool contest. For instance, here's a page of a script. Now go shoot me a wide, two singles in medium, and OTS closeups. It'd be good exercise if nothing else, and yeah it takes work but not an enormous amount of work...

 

[SilverWolf]

I actually like this idea since I'm a photog also

 

[Adam J McKay]

Here is a random shot I took, all I really did was letterbox it.

Hurray

 

[Adam Gonzalez]

Nice!

 

[Adam J McKay]

Here is another shot I took coming off a night shift. Again all I did was change the aspect ratio. I want to experiment more with lighting.

 

[ilauzirika]

Here is another shot I took coming off a night shift. Again all I did was change the aspect ratio. I want to experiment more with lighting.

great photo, just clean that dust off and........

I love the idea of taking cinematic photographs cause I always said that photogaphy is the best (and cheaper) way for newcomers to learn basic framing, compositing, lighting......

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

Andrew, great thinking! I do this on occasion, usually during preproduction before my lighting tests. Pre lighting test... tests.

Anyway I think you should establish some rules these photographers might not think of like we do.

Can you tell me if these guild lines of 'cinematic photography' should apply?

1) Continuous lighting only. Unless it's part of a lighting gag, leave those flash bulbs in the bag.
2) You should shoot shutter speeds around 1/50th of a second. Increasing shutter is acceptable if it would work for a moving version of the photo. Shooting on a tripod at very long exposures is not a film thing.
3) Crazy ISO's should be avoided. Film is likely to be 500 iso/asa at most.
4) Photo Touch ups: Only touch ups that would work with a moving version. Fixing overall contrast, brightness, etc is acceptable. Going in and photoshoping someones face or another small portion of the screen would most likely not be possible in cinematic purposes. (It is technically possible with lots of money and really talented roto vsfx people)

Points 2 and 3 can be negated in terms that people may not have access to bright enough continous lighting fixtures and still want to practice ratios and etc on lower levels.

I'm simply bringing up limitations you and I face everyday, which the photographer may have the luxury on a normal basis. (Plus we dont have the luxury of bracketing!)

Great stuff. I need to get a DSLR. Right now I'm still shooting on an SLR 35mm film camera. It's getting expensive!!!

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

Huh, this would make a cool contest. For instance, here's a page of a script. Now go shoot me a wide, two singles in medium, and OTS closeups. It'd be good exercise if nothing else, and yeah it takes work but not an enormous amount of work...

I like your thinking!

 

[frisco]

frisco

 

[Andrew Brinkhaus]

Ryan, those limitations are exactly what I go by. I replicate as closely as I can a cinematic environment from the lighting, down to the camera settings. Generally I shoot at 500 ISO, 1/50th shutter, and the corresponding stop. Sometimes I'll throw in an ND if I want to open up a little.