Photography

Capture the Real Deal: How a Still Photographer Documents Authenticity in Film

Haines. Thanks for your question. I time. How do I decide what Stills to shoot? Well, I just treat it. Like I'm a photojournalist in a real happening situation and I go out there and I document it just like any other PJ job. So for me, the environment that I'm shooting in is a real environment. I'm not so Silly to believe it. But I that's how I treat it. So when I'm looking at the actors and I'm looking at the scene then I will like I said I will treat it like that's the real deal. What's happening in front of me is actually happening in the real world and I try and document it like that. I don't shoot a lot of rehearsals because the actors don't give everything. I don't do setups because I find setup suck the life out of an image. Age. I like to get what I call the directors performance, that's when an actor is giving the director, everything they have in their heart and they're laying all their emotion out on the table. And they're never going to give that to the still photographer. They give that to the director. So that's my job to go and grab that. So, yeah, basically, just Whatever, looks good you should and there's no rules. I know that some Studios have a little go to guide of what they want but I don't generally read them, I just go and do my thing. Okay, follow it up, if there's, if I didn't cover anything. Thanks mate. Cheers.

When deciding what stills to shoot, I treat it like a real-life photojournalism job and document it like that. I don't shoot rehearsals or setups because they take the life out of an image; instead, I try to get what I call the director's performance, which is when an actor is giving the director everything they have in their heart. There are no rules; I just go do my thing.

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When deciding what stills to shoot, I approach it like a photojournalist in a real-life situation. I treat the environment as if it's happening in the real world and document it accordingly. I don't shoot a lot of rehearsals because actors don't give their all during those moments. I also avoid setups as they can drain the life out of an image.

Instead, I focus on capturing what I call the director's performance. This is when an actor gives everything they have, pouring their emotions onto the table for the director. It's my job to capture those genuine moments.

There are no strict rules or guidelines for what to shoot. While some studios may have preferences, I generally don't pay much attention to them. I trust my instincts and go with what looks good to me.

In summary, I approach still photography with a photojournalistic mindset, capturing authentic moments and emotions.

The Power of the Establishing Shot: Setting the Stage for the Scene

I Anonymous my name is Jason Boland. God I should have been Anonymous myself. Hey okay. So an establishing shot is usually a wide shot or what we call a wide master and it sets up the whole scene. So instead of like close-ups on me and close up over the shoulder under you, whatever like that it's actually just a wide shot or it can even be a Steadicam movement, but it's generally, you know, wide on a dolly or a crane Can involve a push in and that sort of thing, but it sets up the whole scene so that then you can come in for coverage and and do those close-ups and punch in and all that sort of stuff. So there you go, that's an establishing shot.

An establishing shot is a wide shot or Steadicam movement that sets up the whole scene so that then you can come in for coverage and close-ups.

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An establishing shot, also known as a wide shot or wide master, is a shot that sets up the entire scene. It typically shows the location or environment in a wide perspective. This shot can be captured using a dolly or crane, and may involve a push-in or Steadicam movement. The purpose of an establishing shot is to provide context and establish the setting before moving into closer shots and coverage of the scene.

What it is you want to say with your photographs, and how do you actually get your photographs to do that?

Unleashing the Power of Photography: Making Your Images Tell a Captivating Story

Hey, Cynthia, and that's a really good question. Actually, what is it you want to say about with your photographs and how do you do that? Well, photography is all about storytelling. So, for my example, working in the film industry, I've got to tell story from a single image that wraps up the whole film or TV show. I've also got a get an image that wraps up a whole scene so it's really about making the photography talk and The storytelling of it all. And that's it. That's the tricky part. Actually there's a lot of photographs out there, which are kind of a little bit boring. And then you see one that that grabs you and makes you go. Wow. And then you want to go and see the movie. That is what you want to do. You want to make people go and explore that photography more by going to see the film? And pretty much means exactly the same for for everyone in photography. You know whether it's art and, you know, landscape and things like that for Exhibitions you want people to look at it and go here, I got to go and have a look at more of this and yeah, follow others people's insta and stuff like that. Okay, cheers. Bye.

In photography, it's all about storytelling. You want to make the image talk and capture something that will make people want to explore more by going to see the film or looking at other photos.

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The question is, what do you want to say with your photographs and how do you achieve that? Well, photography is all about storytelling. In my case, working in the film industry, I have to capture an image that encapsulates the entire film or TV show. I also aim to capture images that represent a whole scene. The key is to make the photography speak and convey the essence of the story.

This is where the challenge lies. There are many photographs out there that may be a bit mundane, but then there are those that grab your attention and make you go, Wow! These are the photographs that make people want to explore more by watching the film or delving deeper into the subject matter. The goal is to create an intrigue that leads people to seek out more of the photography's context.

This principle applies to all genres of photography, whether it's art, landscapes, or exhibitions. The aim is to make people look at the photograph and feel compelled to explore further, whether it's by visiting an exhibition or following someone's Instagram account.

So, in essence, the goal is to use photography as a means of storytelling and to create a desire in viewers to engage further with the subject matter.

What’s the most important thing to account for about composition while taking a photograph?

Photographer reveals key to captivating compositions

NSF, thanks again. Oh no, these aren't for me but you're asking such good questions. I thought I'd answer and by the way my name is Jason Boland and I'm a motion picture still photographer. So what's the most important thing to account for about compensation composition? I should say, well, taking a photograph well, composite compensation is really important too. Composition. Well for me, it's all about storytelling and sometimes if I know it's going to be used for insta or something like that, you know, even if it's a big release, I'll try and centrally frame it and then let the studio crop it. If they need to generally, I like to present my image as it's going to be used. I do like a lot of off-center work. I like to like to have it a flow. Whether that's say it's ahead having it on the right and having neg space on the left sometimes that set or seen of that. Nags Pace can take you on the journey through and other times, if I would have it on the left, looking out towards the next space, it's going to ask you where they've been so the two things there next base. At the back asks, you, where they've come from the next base in front makes you a square. I going so and centrally composed is, I guess they go nowhere but they'll be going somewhere but it does a lot of it depends on the background and the light and I just let it drift it, so it comes organically but you know there's nothing wrong with overthinking it and and seeing where it leads. You also under think and see how you go to just pick up the camera and fire away. Hope that helps. That's some great questions Esther thanks.

The most important thing to consider when it comes to composition in photography is storytelling. I like to frame my images in a way that tells a story, either by having the subject off-center and leaving space for the viewer to imagine where they've come from or what will happen next, or by centering the image to give the scene context and direction. It ultimately depends on the background and the light, and I let it drift organically.

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The most important thing to consider about composition while taking a photograph is storytelling. As a motion picture still photographer, I focus on capturing images that convey a narrative. Depending on the intended use, such as for Instagram or a big release, I may choose to centrally frame the subject and allow the studio to crop it if needed. However, I generally prefer off-center compositions that create a flow. For example, placing the subject on the right with negative space on the left can lead the viewer on a visual journey. Conversely, having the subject on the left looking towards the negative space prompts curiosity about where they have been. The background and lighting play a significant role in determining the composition, and I often let it unfold organically. Overthinking or underthinking the composition can both yield interesting results, so it's a matter of experimenting and seeing where it leads. Ultimately, the goal is to capture a compelling image that tells a story.

What does it mean to be “photogenic”?

Unconventional beauty: Discovering the true essence of being photogenic

I bet I another good question. What does it mean to be photogenic? Well, in my case, I'm not know in my case talking about actors and actresses, you can look at someone and they look completely different to what they do when you pull up a camera with a lens, I actually find that symmetrical faces and people don't have A great deal of interest to me. It's more the ones with a few floors and and in a different every way you look at them so to speak. And that's really cool. And it's and the other thing about being photogenic or looking for someone who's photogenic is having the eye to spot it. So that's that's that's probably the trickiest part now. Also to you know there's people have a better left and right side, sometimes I find that or quite Frequently actually a larger person they're writing hand. That side will be usually what is better. I find that tones up a little bit better and smaller people. They usually the opposite hand because they're already chiseled and you want a little bit, a little bit, a chunk sometimes. So yeah, give that a try next time. Cheers.

Being photogenic means having a face that looks different every way you look at it, and having the eye to spot it. It also means that people usually have one side of their face that photographs better than the other.

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Being photogenic refers to someone's appearance in photographs. In my opinion, it's not necessarily about having a symmetrical face or looking perfect. I find that individuals with unique features and flaws can be more interesting to photograph. It's about capturing their essence from different angles and perspectives.

The key to finding someone photogenic is having the eye to spot it. It can be a challenging skill to develop. Additionally, some people may have a preferred side or hand that looks better in photos. For larger individuals, their dominant hand may appear more flattering, while for smaller individuals, the opposite hand may enhance their features.

Ultimately, being photogenic is subjective, and it's about capturing the beauty and uniqueness of each individual. So, next time, give it a try and see what works best for you. Cheers!

How can photography, which only consists of still images, tell stories at all?

Unveiling the Powerful Storytelling Ability of Still Photography

Oh my gosh, how can photography which is only a single frame tell a story at all? Well, single frames, you know, look at paintings and that. All you got to do is walk into any church and look at the roof, hey, it's a single frame. You know, as I say to my friends, when we're joking about photography on especially on film sets, it's like, you know, you've got the behind the scenes video guys there. They're all like, oh yeah, you know, and I love you guys. But we joke about, you know, your kid doesn't have a video on the wall at home, do they? They have a photograph or a poster. So it's a tricky element to do. You know, with me working on a film set, you know, I've got a scene, right? So I have to get a photograph that describes the scene. I have to get a photograph that describes that moment. I have to get a photograph that tells a story of the person that's in it. And in many cases, which are really hard to find, but you have to find it, is you're looking for that one photograph that tells the story of the whole movie. So yeah, it does it because it's been doing it since time began. And photography plays a massive, massive, massive part in storytelling. Look, storyboards are single frames for movies.

Photography can tell stories by capturing a single moment that conveys the story of the entire movie or scene. It has been used to tell stories since time began, and photography plays a huge role in storytelling through things like storyboards.

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How can photography, with just a single frame, tell a story? Well, consider paintings or even the ceilings of churches. They communicate stories through a single frame. When joking with my friends on film sets, we talk about how kids have photographs or posters on their walls, not videos. Photography has its challenges. On a film set, I need to capture scenes, moments, and the essence of the people involved. Sometimes, I search for that one photograph that encapsulates the entire movie's story. Photography has been telling stories since time immemorial and plays a significant role in storytelling. Storyboards for movies are essentially single frames. So yes, photography can indeed tell stories because it has been doing so for ages.

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Jasin Boland is a renowned global motion picture still photographer whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, billboards and movie posters around the world. He has captured the raw emotion of action franchises such as The Matrix, James Bond and Jason Bourne. As a member of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers, Jasin has photographed the first three Matrix films and the last three 007 Bond films. As he reflects on his achievements, he sees many more highlights in his career yet to come. Jasin is an avid supporter of aspiring photographers, believing that the enthusiasm of the craft is the heart of photography. He owes much of his success to the mentors and professionals who nurtured his love of photography and helped to propel his career.