What is white balance? White balance is a vital camera setting to properly calibrate in order to achieve your desired image. If you have ever taken a photograph or video and found the result to look unnatural blue or yellow, then improper white balance is to blame. We’ll break down what white balance is, how… Continue reading What is White Balance — How it Works and Why It Matters
What is day for night? And, perhaps more importantly, is it a good idea? There is plenty of debate over the effectiveness of day for night and, even though the technique is used in plenty of feature-films, many filmmakers wouldn’t touch day for night with a ten-foot pole. In this post we will be defining… Continue reading How to Shoot Day for Night — Tips & Techniques Explained
Have you ever seen a photograph or a shot in a film and found your eyes wandering across the frame only to land at something significant? Odds are, leading lines were used to direct your attention. Photographers and cinematographers alike use various types of lines to lead the viewer’s eyes and tell a story through… Continue reading What Are Leading Lines — Composition in Photography & Film
In the era of the digital camera, there are numerous settings and adjustments that can be made on a camera. Keeping these details organized and recorded is important for many reasons. Camera reports have changed substantially over the last few years so it’s time to get an updated version. In this article, we’ll give you… Continue reading Camera Report Template — Free Downloads and Guide
At one point or another, we have all asked the question: when was photography invented? We know it was sometime in the distant past, just not exactly when. That’s because photography has a long history, dating all the way back to the 5th century BCE. We’re going to look at the history of photography to… Continue reading When Was Photography Invented — A Quick History Lesson
What is rolling shutter and why does it happen? If you have ever filmed something on your phone and found that the resulting footage looked completely different than what you recorded, then rolling shutter may be the culprit. Whether this type of shutter plagues your footage or you just find the effect interesting and what… Continue reading What is Rolling Shutter — Camera Shutter Effect Explained
There is a case to be made about the allure of honesty and art. Perhaps this is the biggest argument for the growing popularity of street photography. On one side of the photography coin you have controlled, polished, studio photography that is artistic and moving in its own right. On the other side of that… Continue reading What is Street Photography — Definition, Examples & Styles
One of the best ways to draw out creativity from an artist is to limit them. Perhaps this is why some of the best photographers like Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, and Platon are known for shooting in black and white. A lack of color creates an emphasis on other visual elements that make black and white… Continue reading Black and White Photography Tips and Techniques Explained
What is a StoryboardHow to StoryboardStoryboard ExamplesStoryboard SoftwareStoryboard TemplatesCreate Storyboard → During a photoshoot, there are many variables and details to keep track of shot to shot. Lighting, camera framing, wardrobe, and poses can all change from one shot to the next. One of the best tools to ensure that every shot contains the details… Continue reading How to Storyboard Photography — Ideas, Examples & Templates
Filmmaking, in many ways, is an unpredictable venture. Productions change and evolve as they face problems and barriers. Utilizing film crew contracts is a way to protect yourself as a crew member or as a production company from any repercussions of the ever changing film production process. In this article, we’ll be taking a look specifically… Continue reading Videography Contract Template — Free Download
Have you ever seen a shot of an iconic landscape that has taken your breath away? Nature has a unique ability to do that to us. Its scale and beauty can be something beyond the comprehension of man. So how does a photographer capture this essence with a camera? While it may appear to be… Continue reading Landscape Photography Tips — Gear, Settings, & Composition
It was not too long ago that the idea of shooting entire feature length films with a phone camera seemed absurd. But respected filmmakers like Sean Baker and Steven Soderbergh have trailblazer the use of iPhones in the filmmaking industry. Baker’s Tangerine and Soderbergh’s Unsane and more recent High Flying Bird have proved fancy cameras… Continue reading iPhone Cinematography — How to Get Cinematic iPhone Video
Many aspiring cinematographers ask the question “what are the best schools for cinematography?” So what are the best cinematography schools? Like all of our articles on the “best schools for film education,” the answer is subjective. For some people, the best cinematography schools may be online; for others they may be at private institutions. If… Continue reading Best Cinematography Schools — 8 Best Film Schools for DPs
Low-key lighting can be found in some of the earliest and most influential films in cinema. Early filmmakers utilized low-key lighting in black and white cinematography to tell compelling stories that pushed the art form. Even as film developed and color was introduced to motion pictures, low-key lighting evolved and has influenced the works of… Continue reading What is Low Key Lighting — Definition, Examples in Photo & Film
What defines a cinematic shot? For many of us, it is the result of masterful cinematography that creates depth, tone, and tells a story through lighting and camera work. One lighting technique that can help achieve all of these things is volumetric lighting. What is volumetric lighting in filmmaking? Odds are, you have seen this… Continue reading What is Volumetric Lighting — Definition and Examples
Director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel has had an illustrious career — working on such films as The Usual Suspects, Cherry, Da 5 Bloods, and many more — but perhaps his most iconic work can be found in Drive. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive is a mood piece, and its dreamy visuals stick in… Continue reading Newton Thomas Sigel — Drive Cinematography & Style Breakdown
Getting started in the world of cinematography can be a daunting task. But in this day and age, there are various online tools and resources that can make the task of finding a cinematography job a little less intimidating. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best sites and resources to find your… Continue reading Cinematography Jobs — How to Find Your Next Gig Online
As an inherently visual medium, cinema massively depends on the craft of cinematography. And behind brilliant cinematography is a brilliant cinematographer. As a role that is quite literally behind the camera, the cinematographer’s role is often misunderstood. What is a cinematographer and what do they do? In this article, we’ll provide some clarity on what… Continue reading What is a Cinematographer — And How to Become One
Tripods in filmmaking used to be a necessity due to the weight of older cameras. As cameras have become lighter and lighter, many new age filmmakers jump to the handheld shot immediately. And while there is a time and a place for the handheld shot, many critics have pointed out its overuse in cinema today.… Continue reading What is a Tripod — Definition, Types and Functions Explained
One of the most iconic lights in Hollywood is undoubtedly the Klieg light. Whether it be on-set or on the red carpet, the Klieg light has become somewhat of a symbol of cinema. It’s use over time, however, has diminished. Today, the light is practically obsolete. Yet the term is still used today in a… Continue reading What is a Klieg Light — Definition and How They’re Used
