Have you ever wondered why certain photos look so dynamic while others not so much? The answer lies in the same principles filmmakers use: cinematography.
As we learned with mise-en-scene, as viewers, we divert our focus to what is visually present in the film. However, many decisions and procedures are taken in order to create these visuals that appeal to the audience.
Scaling cinematography down to our daily lives, Chapter 5 emphasizes that “even if you’re casually shooting a bit of video, you’re making decisions about cinematography.” For instance, let’s go over some of the major elements of cinematography and apply them to how we regularly take photos/videos.
Tonality, which is how light interacts with the visual image, is composed of 3 major parts: contrast, exposure, and change of colors. When taking a photo, one of the most important things we consider is how dark/light the area being photographed is. Similarly, filmmakers manage the contrast of every scene in a film in order to portray certain feelings/emotions, or simply to emphasize certain factors of the frame. Another important factor, exposure, is used by filmmakers to create specific effects within scenes; whether they use overexposure for certain highlights, or underexposure for a darker, ominous effect, the use of exposure entirely changes the visuals of the film. In order for us to take a picture of the moon, for example, we oftentimes have to significantly lower our exposure, which allows for a more clear view.
However, after we take certain photos, we often ask ourselves “Did the picture come out too dark?” or “Why are the colors not vibrant?” This leads to another element of tonality, which is to edit/change the actual tonality of the image after filming it. This leads to the use of filters, or changes in other elements of the image.
The speed of motion of a film refers to how filmmakers manage the speed in which the audience perceives time. There are two categories – slow motion and fast motion, each with their unique characteristics and goals. For example, say you take a video of the clouds at the beach. If you plan on taking a long-term video, you might consider making it a fast motion, which allows you to see a longer video within a shorter time (Fast moving clouds timelapse (23 mins in 2 mins)). On the other hand, say you take a video of waves instead; if you want to focus more on how the waves change within a shorter period of time, you might consider doing a slow motion (Slow Motion Ocean Waves). This will allow you to better understand what occurs during the duration of the video.
Moreover, the perspective and framing of a video often go hand-in-hand. In summary, the perspective of an image/video refers to how the audience views exactly what is behind the camera. Framing decides how much of this view is actually presented to the audience, including what is not presented. When you take a family picture, you inherently change the perspective of the image, typically using a wider lens that allows for everyone to be present. Meanwhile, when taking a professional headshot, you use a close-up portrait to only show the person’s facial appearance. However, when taking these photos, you also have to consider the framing of the image, considering whether or not you want to include a background scenery, etc.
From framing a family photo to capturing the sunset in a time-lapse, we all use the principles of cinematography in our daily lives, often without realizing it. Each decision, from how much light to include or how the background adds to the image, shapes the story the photo/video is telling. The use of filmmaking is not just simply reserved for cinemas; it’s in every photo and video we take. As we explore these tools in everyday moments, we engage with the same techniques that shape cinematic masterpieces, one shot at a time.