Cinematographers far and wide have come to know the name “Local 600” – but what is IATSE Local 600? What does it mean? Why does it sound like a spy syndicate? Well, we’re going to answer those questions (at least most of them anyways) by exploring the history of Local 600. We’re also going to examine how specialty technicians can join Local 600. By the end, you’ll know all the nuts and bolts regarding Local 600.Continue reading IATSE Local 600 — How to Join the Cinematographer’s Guild
One of the key differences between professional images and amatuer images is detail. Detail, or lack thereof, is the difference between a cinematic shot and a video-looking shot. Capturing more detail requires a solid understanding of dynamic range. What is dynamic range in photography?Dynamic range in photography and cinematography is a fundamental technical principle that ultimately allows you to bring your creative vision to life. Without an understanding of this range, you run the risk of creating images that fall flat, are blown out, or get crushed. Continue reading What is Dynamic Range in Photography — Exposure Essentials
Whether you are a cinematographer or photographer, you are very likely to come across a project that will require the use of hard light. High contrast photography, Chiaroscuro lighting, and dramatic images in general are all created with some type of hard light. What is hard light and how does it differ from soft light? We’ll answer these questions and give you some tips to create and shape hard light so that you can use it to create the images you see in your mind. Continue reading What is Hard Light — Examples and Techniques in Film & Photo
Roger Deakins movies include Fargo, Skyfall, Sicario, No Country for Old Men, and recently he won the Academy Award in Cinematography for Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. But these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the best Roger Deakins movies. We watched every one of them to see which films we think qualify as the best of the best in cinematography. Continue reading Roger Deakins Movies — His 16 Best Ranked for Filmmakers
What is tenebrism? Tenebrism is a lighting style that’s often confused with chiaroscuro – but what are the differences between them? And what makes the style unique? We’re going to explore tenebrism by looking at paintings from the Renaissance period. By the end, you’ll know where this style originated, what it can bring to your imagery, and how it’s been used by visual artists for half a millennium in fine art, photography, and film. Let's get to it.Continue reading What is Tenebrism — The Art of Light and Shadow Explained
If you remember only one thing from Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, it’s probably the visuals. The sandstorm-struck Las Vegas, the neon advertisements, the hypnotic interior of Wallace’s office, the smog-blanketed Los Angeles. Blade Runner 2049 is filled with stunning images that leave impressions that last long after the film is over. It should be no surprise, then, that the film was shot by one of the most acclaimed cinematographers of all time, Roger Deakins. Together with Villeneuve and a massive team of top-notch professionals, Deakins created a striking visual style that leaves you breathless. Let’s take a look at…
The iPhone has been a game changer in the realm of cell phone photography and cinematography. Big names like Steven Soderbergh and Sean Baker famously use iPhones to shoot entire feature films. iPhone has geared entire campaigns toward photographers and filmmakers showing off all the camera capabilities packed into the iPhone. So which iPhone boasts the best camera? We were curious too. So we did our research and created a list to find the best iPhone camera available. Continue reading Best iPhone Camera — Top Picks with Specs, Reviews & Prices
Conceptual art has been criticized and adored by critics and art consumers alike. While some of the criticism capitalizes on lack of technique and aesthetic, much of the criticism stems from the confusion of the term “conceptual.” After all, what characterizes a work of art as conceptual? Adding photography to this debate only increases this confusion. So, what is conceptual photography? This type of photography at least can be narrowed down to a medium, yet it is still difficult to concretely define. So in this article, we aim to demystify the idea of conceptual photography by looking at its history…
A color checker is an incredibly useful tool photographers can use to calibrate true colors. But what is a color checker? We’re going to answer that question by looking at color checker examples, then we’ll show you how to use a color checker in a few simple steps. By the end, you’ll know how to utilize true color better than ever before.Continue reading What is a Color Checker Tool and How Do They Work?
What is fine art photography? How is it made and how is it different from other forms of photography? And, perhaps a larger question that has stirred debate for decades, can photography even be considered a fine art? We will be answering all of these questions and examining some of the best fine art photography examples the world has to offer. Before we get into what distinguishes this form of photography from the other various types, let’s define fine art photography.Continue reading What is Fine Art Photography — Types of Photography Explained
