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Photography and cinema are linked, they both capture light to create images. That is why, originally cinema was considered a “motion picture”, as in a photograph in movement. Photography means “painting or drawing with light”, it doesn’t matter if such painting is still or moving. In theory, a recording equates to many pictures or frames taken per second, providing the illusion of movement. So photography is when one captures one image or 35 frames per second. Productions capture the actors on film (a thin flexible strip of plastic or other material coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure in a camera, used to produce photographs or motion pictures) or digital media.
The first photographic camera ever was created in 1816 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. The first motion picture is “The Horse in Motion”, shot in 1878 by Eadweard Muybridge, who took 11 frames of a horse in motion using 12 glass-plate cameras. The first movie was only 2.11 seconds long and it is “Roundhay Garden Scene”, which was filmed in 1888 by French inventor Louis Le Prince. The short, silent film shows Le Prince’s family members walking through a garden.
Cinema began being considered a Fine Art and the Seventh Fine Art around 1910. Commercial screenings of the French Lumière brothers’ films in Paris in 1895 are considered the start of project motion pictures, and only a few people, including them, considered Cinema as an art form before World War I. Cinematography is derived from Greek, meaning “writing with movement”, once considered a fine art for its aesthetic and intellectual purposes, Cinematography essentially became the art of creating images projected onto a screen. Nowadays, it can be made physically with film stock or digitally. Technically, it is the art of recording light either electronically or chemically.
While the director is the one responsible for portraying his vision of a story and guiding everyone to achieve such vision, he may make decisions regarding the camera, but the cinematographer makes them happen. Cinematographers or Directors of Photography (DP’s) are essential collaborators in filmmaking. They provide exposure, they dominate the art of manipulating the camera through settings, angles, frames, placement, and different positions to achieve the desired look of an image. Lighting technicians and camera operators also play a key role with the cinematographer to work together as a team and create the art of cinematography. For example, the Dolly Zoom is when a camera is moved forward or backward as the zoom is moved in the opposite direction to achieve an out-of-body sensation on screen. My favorite example of the Dolly Zoom is the elevator scenes in “Severance” (2022-).
In other words, cinematographers are responsible for the look and feel of a film. Among the most famous ones, include Emmanuel Lubezki (Roma, The Revenant, Birdman), Rodrigo Prieto (The Wolf of Wallstreet, Killers of the Flower Moon, Babel, Barbie), Janusz Kamiński (Shindler’s List, The Fabelmans, Lincoln), Santosh Sivan (Urumi, Asoka, Mumbaikar), Natasha Braier (The Neon Demon, La Teta Asustada, Gloria Bell), Kira Kelly (Rez Ball, 13th, Skin in the Game).
From the beginnings of silent films to the contemporary digital age, photography has been key in developing cinematic techniques, influencing from composition, and lighting to mood, narration, and subtext.
How does it influence it?
The invention of motion picture cameras was an extension of still photography, this used the same principles of capturing light through a lens into a photosensitive object, which would record it. These early experiments paved the way for the film industry we know today, which led to improved gear with higher quality, less weight, easier to manipulate, and compatible with sound recording equipment. In silent films, photography was crucial for narration styles as well as different ways in which the movie told an unspoken dialogue. For example, D.W. Griffith used close-ups in varied shot compositions to convey emotion and the intentions of a character, relying on photographic principles. The cautious camera placement or close-ups played a defining role for future storytelling, not just in film but in television too. For example, sitcoms and mockumentaries, like “The Office” (2005-2013), rely heavily on camera placement, camera movements or zoom for characters to express what they would otherwise keep to themselves, in a way this narration style helps “expose” the character’s inner monologue.
Cinematography is a language. Proper lighting can create a specific atmosphere, emphasize certain scene aspects, and guide the audience’s emotions or draw their attention to a specific spot or character. Techniques based on the rule of thirds, lines, and symmetry provide a balanced perception of the story or engage the viewers in specific compositions. While lines can draw the viewer’s attention to a focal point, adding depth and narrative flow, they can also convey stability or tension. For example, Wes Anderson uses lines and compulsive symmetry to convey balance and assertiveness to his characters, while other directors, like Bong Joon-ho, use lines to show when a character is overstepping a boundary.
Camera techniques like Panning, Tilting, and Tracking are also based on photography. Exploring different angles and perspectives can also build up to conveying different sorts of messages. For example, triangles and low-angle shots express power dynamics, often putting the character at the highest point of the triangle as the leader or most powerful one.
Photography can also influence the art in films by shaping their visual identity in a similar as visual arts, in the same way, paintings use color to express tones and feelings, film does the same. For example, blue, especially as a cold color, sets the sad “under the weather” feeling in “Blue Valentine” (2010). The film shows us the grief and underwhelming losing a partner can be.
Red is usually known as a passionate and romantic color. In “Conclave” (2024), it is used passionately to enhance the dramatic experience of the Cardinal’s race, yet it is also used to symbolize the deeply rooted traditions surrounding the Catholic Church. The scene where the cardinals walk in the rain while holding white umbrellas over their red robes provides a strong visual contrast highlighting the strict formality and drama of the Church’s internal workings. Red also symbolizes blood and the willingness of churchmen to die for their faith, I believe the reason why the cardinals wearing red are often put in light backgrounds such as yellow, white, or gold to contrast and stand out. Purple in the Old Testament symbolizes royalty, wealth, authority, heaven, revelation, and majesty. It was also the color of the revealed God. Overall, the colors in “Conclave” perfectly capture the blend between ritual and control, providing the atmosphere of the strict commitment from the Cardinals toward their religion. We can also see how the frame organizes most of the Cardinals in groups in exception for Cardinal Benitez, who is seated by himself and the image turns the focal point to him, making the audience interested in finding out more about this specific character and how his arc wil develop.
In The Fall (2006), the movie’s adventuristic nature bleeds over the color and symmetry of the frames. By making the colors overlap with each other, Tarsem Singh, creates transitions that follow right after each other. Color is used to increase interest, not just in the viewer, but to portray Alexandria’s curiosity. The use of all primary colors depicts a vivid world to show how the story, although fictional and narrated by a recovering man in bed, feels real. It makes the characters in the story stand out and shows the difference between the fictional story and reality.
Digital cinematography has revolutionized post-production work, allowing contemporary filmmakers to explore different depths of visual storytelling. For example, through the development and improvement of CGI, VFX, and AI. Digital photography has transformed the film industry, it has empowered filmmakers with creative freedom we hadn’t seen before, it pushes the boundaries of visual expression, and it has become more democratic and accessible to the general public than it was in its origins, and even, fifty years ago. This can be seen through movies like “Dune” (1984) by David Lynch and “Dune” (2021) by Denis Villeneuve, who used computer software to develop the blue eyes of the Freemen in the story. However, between those two adaptations of the book, the improvements and technological tools used are
The creation of visual effects in Dune has evolved through different adaptations, blending both scientific and artistic fundamentals. For “Dune: Part Two” (2024), cinematographer Greig Fraser and director Denis Villeneuve used a complex combination of lenses, cameras, and equipment to craft the black-and-white Harkonnen environment. They used a 3D camera rig with one color camera and one infrared camera, along with carefully selected lighting that emitted different wavelengths, allowing them to manipulate infrared light separately. This meticulous approach to visual storytelling echoes past innovations in the franchise, particularly in the depiction of the iconic blue Fremen’s eyes. David Lynch’s “Dune” relied on Adobe After Effects to manually adjust eye color frame by frame, while another method involved fluorescent-coated, blue-tinted contact lenses, custom-fitted to actors and monitored on set by a contact lens technician. In contrast, WDune: Part TwoW utilized machine learning, training a model on hundreds of blue-eye images from the first film. This AI-driven approach streamlined the process by detecting human eyes, generating mattes for different parts, and applying the signature blue tint, demonstrating how technology continues to refine and revolutionize cinematic visuals. Another example of outstanding visuals and the use of computer software is in “Flow” (2024), which perfectly and meticulously animates each small and flexible movement the cat has. Interestingly, the director observed and took inspiration from his black cat and Golden Retriever to animate the characters and portray them as authentic as his own pets.
In conclusion, photography is the foundation of cinema, shaping its visual language, storytelling, and artistic expression. From its origins in still photography to the evolution of cinematography as an art form, photography has influenced every aspect of filmmaking, from composition and lighting to mood and narrative subtext. Cinematographers play a crucial role in bringing a director’s vision to life, using camera techniques, framing, and lighting to evoke emotions and guide the audience’s perception. With the rise of digital cinematography, post-production techniques such as CGI, VFX, and AI have further expanded the possibilities of visual storytelling. As technology continues to advance, photography remains at the heart of cinema, proving that the art of capturing light and motion is as essential today as it was in the earliest days of filmmaking. In other words, photography is to film what scenography is to theater.
Rojas, Carolina. (2024). Flick POV. The reason why audiences are hyping Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. Flick POV. https://flickpov.com/the-reason-why-audiences-are-hyping-denis-villeneuves-dune/
Oluchi. (2024). Prazzle Inc. The role of photography in the film industry. Prazzle Inc. https://www.prazzleinc.com/editorial/the-role-of-photography-in-the-film-industry
Sawneybean, C. (2001). Dune: Eyes. https://cecilia.sawneybean.com/dune/eyes.html
StudioBinder. (2024). What is cinematography? StudioBinder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-cinematography/
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