Untold Stories; Cinematic Photography

Elodie Yung in ‘Narcopolis’ directed by Justin Trefgarne; Photography by me, Kat Hannon

There is something about film that is just magical. Something about the set, the characters, the costume, the video work just seems to transport us to another world of curiosity and wonder. Photography and film are very similar in terms of the artistic process; they both involve telling a story through visual imagery through the use of props, fashion, lighting, set design and, most importantly, people. The rise of the moving image has become especially prominent within the past decade, so it only makes sense to use it to your advantage as a photographer.

While every photographer has their niche, there is always a cinematic aspect to every image. Whether you are looking at a beauty advert or a fashion editorial campaign, you will always notice that there is a clear narrative. However, photographers who pride themselves on their cinematic photography work are often found in the fine art industry, striving to create visuals that stun, shock and astonish you. There is a clear distinction between cinematic photography and film stills photography; although both have the power to invoke emotion, they mean very different things to a photographer.

On Set

‘Familiar’, directed by David Ellison; Stills Photography by Kat Hannon

Film stills photography refers to photographers who work on movie sets to capture images for promotional purposes and behind the scenes specials. This process includes working with directors, producers and actors whilst they’re filming and to take photos that truly reflect the nature of the film. The main reason for this type of work is to market the movie prior to its release; the idea is to give the audience a flavour of the plot, the acting talent and the film genre. As well as working on set, photographers will also work in studios, at the actors’ homes, and at the movie premiere.

The work on set will aim to retell the story through images, as well as showing the process of how the film was actually made. The at-home shoots will focus more on the actors’ lives; the goal here is to allow the viewer to see the performer in their natural state, without the costume, the makeup, and the character they are portraying. These images invite the audience to connect with the actors as characters, and as themselves. The beauty of this photography work is that it strikes the perfect balance between depicting reality and capturing fiction.

Next time you are awaiting the release of a movie, look out for the social media posts, the film posters and the press releases; Why would we go and see a movie without being given a taste of the story that is yet to come? As you start to notice these images, you will start to realise that film still photography is art form in itself.

Movie Magic; Cinematic Photography

Molly Gainsford in ‘Narcopolis’, directed by Justin Trefgarne; Stills Photography by Kat Hannon

Cinematic images are photographs that look as though they have been taken from a movie; this style of photography has an entirely different purpose to film stills photography. Cinematic images are not made on a movie set, but they are created by the photographer them self. This type of image-making is more associated with the visual arts world; it doesn’t require going to a film set or working with producers, but requires creating a film set for their own photography project. Objectively, cinematic photography is more popular in the arts realm, whereas film stills photography is more popular in the PR and marketing industry.

When making these images, every photo acts as a film frame; it is almost more difficult to convey a story through images, than it is in film. In a movie, there are hundreds of thousands of frames that make up a single story, whereas, in photography, you only have a single frame to tell a tale. The process of creating a character in one visual is extremely challenging, but it allows the photographer to realise the importance of moments. Each cinematic photograph is supposed to give us a glimpse into another life; given that the image is still, the photographer needs to make it seem like they have captured a moment in time, rather than orchestrating the scene for the sole purpose of their art project.

Hugo Nicolau in ‘Familiar’, directed by David Ellison; Stills Photography by me, Kat Hannon

What is interesting about film and cinematic photography is that they both give the illusion that every frame or photo is effortless; they want to give the viewer that touch of authenticity and naturalism that makes it look like the photo is, in fact, of a real scene, place or person. Of course, this is rather ironic considering how every actor, prop and costume is carefully curated and staged. Welcome to the art of creating the posed, yet unposed image.

Any genre of photography can be made cinematic, whether it’s landscape, portrait, fashion, beauty, street or lifestyle. It is the style of photography that makes it cinematic. This usually involves atmospheric lighting, a wide aspect ratio, a vignette filter and a focus on a subject. Changing the lighting and contrast of an image can help to give it that dreamy, otherworldly quality, making it feel real and surreal all at the same time. There are lots of ways that a photographer can make an image look cinematic, but the most important thing is to tell a story.

The Power Of Storytelling

Everyone loves a good story. Since childhood, we have always loved to hear tales of friendship, romance, horror, crime, fantasy and more. Stories are powerful because they have filtered into every modern medium. Although it may have started as an oral tradition, they have now been transformed into books, theatre productions, films, tv shows, advertising, and images. As humans, we love to hear about faces and places that we have never seen or been before; the excitement of fiction and novelty fills us with curiosity, making us feel unstoppable.

Visual storytelling is truly one of the most beautiful artforms because it allows us to escape from everyday life and visit a new world of possibilities.

If you are looking for a stills photographer to creatively direct a project or film shoot you are planning, please feel free to get in touch with me at contact@kathannon.com or fill out the contact form on my website.