Cinematic Wedding Photography

What is a cinematic wedding photographer?

My wedding photography often gets described as cinematic. What does that even mean? Surely it should be a phrase that refers to videography rather than photography? Can a certain style be cinematic, or is it in the eye of the beholder? If I watch European Art House movies and you watch Marvel movies – does it mean something completely different visually?

So it’s quite a loaded phrase and it brings up loads of questions.

I think that maybe it comes from photography that’s inspired by cinematography and not by looking round at other wedding photographers (because that quickly becomes an echo chamber). I thought I’d do some research – but a quick search for the terms brings back lots of articles on 35mm Film Photography, which is a totally different thing that we’ve covered elsewhere. A look at the definition which just says ‘photographs that look like movie stills’. In my book that could be anything. (Ever seen a film from the Dogme 95 movement? Nearly everything ‘cinematic’ went out the window.)

Which tells me that an article on the relationship between Wedding Photography and Cinematography is long overdue. So I’m going to do a deep dive looking at some of my favourite photographers, cinematographers. And how the two mediums influence each other. I’m in a unique place to do this, being a drop out film student in an earlier life, and almost going on to study it at university before plumping for Creative Writing instead.

The Influence of Cinematography

So if we define Cinematic Wedding Photography as simply wedding photography influenced by cinema… maybe it’s worth looking at some famous cinematographers and seeing what they bring to the table.

These are some cinematographers that have always made me sit up, pay attention and go ‘Hell yeah’ (I could also write an article on the ones that make me go ‘Hell, no’)

Roger Deakins

Roger Deakins has worked on too many great films to mention – including The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo , O Brother, Where Art Thou?, A Beautiful Mind, Skyfall, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049 and 1917.

What I love about Roger Deakins is that he tries to get out of the way. In the hands of Deakins, cinematography is all about how to tell the story, rather than an exercise in style. And whilst they contain beautiful shots, he wouldn’t want his work seen as flashy.

Roger Deakins is also a wonderful photographer in his own right. See the video presentation of his photobook “Byways” below.

Wes Anderson /  Robert Yeoman

If Roger Deakins’ work is an exercise in substance over style – Wes Anderson and Robert Yeoman’s work leans so heavily into style that it’s as prevalent as a Scottish accent on a Proclaimers record. If you were to say you were unfamiliar with the style I really wouldn’t believe you. It’s spawned hundreds of parodies (see the Star Wars parody below) and even an “Accidentally Wes Anderson” exhibition

The pair lean into head-on camera angles, tableau shots, symmetrical framing and harmonious colour palettes – to the extent that the style (as seen in The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Royal Tenanbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, The Fantastic Mr Fox) has become synonymous with Wes Anderson’s name.

(Of course you’ve probably never heard of Robert Yeoman)

Emmanuel Lubezki

Emmanuel Lubezki is also someone you’ve probably never heard of – but he’s the only cinematographer to win back-to-back Oscars for cinematography three years in a row. His most famous work is usually for the director Alfonso Cauron, and includes Children of Men, Gravity, The Revenant, and Birdman

The reason I find Emmanuel’s work as Director of Photography so inspiring is how immersive it is. Look at the bear attack in The Revenant or the action scenes in Children of Men his use of wide angle lenses and tracking shots make you feel like you’re right in the centre of the action.

Matthew Libatique

Darren Aranofski’s go to Director of Photography – although he’s also done seminal work for  Spike Lee, Jon Favreau, and Joel Schumacher. I must have sat in The Prince Charles cinema on Leicester Square watching Pi on several occasions – the Black & White Grainy feel of the movie inspiring my photography so much – (even if I wasn’t to pick up a camera for another decade or so).

But the real magic for my money is Black Swan – for which he won an Oscar.

Reed Morano

Reed Morano is a female cinematographer who is probably best known for her work on The Handsmaid’s Tale – although she has also worked on I Think We’re Alone Now, Meadowland, Autumn Blood and The Skeleton Twins

I think she’s one of the few cinematographers whose work you’d be able to spot just by seeing it. And although it can often rely on what you’d previously thought were synonymous with Wes Anderson (central framing, symmetry) – she imbues them with a totally different feel.

Are cinematographers inspired by photography?

You see it going the other way all the time. I think all the visual arts inspire each other. I can always see the inspiration of Street Photographer Saul Leiter when I watch Todd Haynes’ Carol

Spike Jonze’s Her is inspired by Todd Hido’s photo, Untitled #2653  – As the camera pans up at the supermarket in White Noise, it matches Andreas Gursky’s 99 Cent and most famously, Spielberg consulted the work of Robert Capa when making Saving Private Ryan.

In short, yes… it’s everywhere.

And are some photographers also filmmakers?

This makes me think of those photographers with a singular vision. Like Larry Clark – who moved from street photography to filming Kids. You can see his voice in the work. Similarly with Anton Corbijn – who moved from music photography into artist biopics.

Despite not being a photographer – I think Sophia Coppola has added a lot to the ethos of film photography over the last 20 years – being one of the first high profile artists to embrace point and shoot cameras. Wim Wenders has also moved more towards photography as time has gone on.

And most famously, Stanley Kubrick worked as a photographer before being one of the world’s most prominent film directors.

We also need to talk about Gregory Crewdson and Cindy Sherman

Yes – we should also mention for Gregory Crewdson, who creates elaborate photos that look like scenes from movies. And Cindy Sherman, who places herself in self portraits inspired by B-movies. Maybe these are the epitome of cinematic photography? But something we don’t see in the wedding photography industry – because it doesn’t really lend itself to this style.

Gregory Crewson’s Cinematic Imagery

You still haven’t answered the question – what is cinematic wedding photography?

I still haven’t a clue. I’m looking at these broad inspirations and it’s hard to define a through-line or aesthetic or any theme.

All I can say is that photography and cinema are so intertwined. It moves back and forth with photographers inspired by movies inspired by photography. There will be plenty of wedding photographers feeding off a constant diet of movie and photography inspiration. (There will also be those who just follow what other wedding photographers are doing.)

So can photography be documentary and cinematic? Yes. Can it be editorial and cinematic. Yes. Can it be traditional and cinematic? Also yes. I think it’s hard not to let these inspirations feed into our work, whether it’s intentional or not. I do think photographers who consume a broader range of media (whether that’s film, photography, poetry) are ultimately going to produce better work… and maybe the wedding photographers we classify as ‘cinematic’ just have a better artistic diet?

As always – open to new thoughts and inspirations. Do you have a favourite cinematographer?

How to get that cinematic look to your photography.

Get in close.

Robert Capa once said that ‘if your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough’. Obviously when working with actors, they let you get wherever you need to be to take the shot. They’re used to having cameras around. I’ve found that normal people can also get used to having cameras around, after a while they start to accept your presence and start acting naturally again. If you look at a directors like Barry Sonnenfeld or Wes Anderson  you’ll find it’s actually key to his style to get in close and face on and give that direct access to the viewer. 

The magic 40mm

Cinematographers will use a wide range of lenses to get the look and feel that they want – but one focal length is very popular, and that’s the 40mm. A 40mm lens gives a very natural field of view, close to the human eye and is loved for its versatility. You can see my review of the Voigtlander 40mm that I got to use on Nikon here. 

Anamorphic lenses

Cinematographers use anamorphic lenses for their signature widescreen look (2.39:1) without cropping, unique depth of field, oval bokeh, and cinematic lens flares. They also preserve more image detail, create natural subject proportions, and add an artistic, immersive feel to films.

Post processing

Photographers often use cinema to influence their post processing of photographs. I know Paul at Gingerbeard Weddings, for example.  has a look that’s very inspired by the look of Christopher Nolan films.