7.13.2011

Movie Inspirations: Blue Valentine

When I started shooting weddings in 2006, one of the first assignments my photography mentor, Kim Lovell, gave me was to watch the movie, Man on Fire. I've seen it and it was a great movie, I replied to her. No, she said, really watch it. Pay attention to the composition in each scene, where they place the characters in relation to the background, close-ups, colours, and shapes. So I did.

It's amazing how you don't notice things until you really look for them. When I was shopping for my first car way back when and researched a few brands and models. It was only then that I noticed those on the road. Before that all cars looked pretty much the same to me.

Fast forward to 2011. I still find myself noticing things like where the characters are placed in the scene, how much or little background is shown and the use of wider angle shots to bring the viewer into the story. It's not something I'm consciously looking for, but when I do come across a film with scenes that really stand out and appeal to me, I appreciate them for their artistic value.

This brings me to my first inspirations post. I've decided to share some of my favourite scenes from the movie, Blue Valentine directed by Derek Cianfrance with director of photography, Andrij Parekh. Without any weight on the dialogue or significance they may have had in the plot, these scenes stand out to me because the composition and posing in each scene tell a story on its own. Have a look:

Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh
Scenes from Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance, Andrij Parekh

Now look again and notice how the use of colour makes an impact too. Everything from the background colours to what the characters are wearing all tell one cohesive story. Definitely things to think about when planning the next engagement shoot or family portrait session.

Look for more of my inspirations posts in the future. Whether you are a photographer looking for ideas or a bride or mom planning out a portrait session with your photographer - everyone could use a little visual inspiration.

Seen any movies you thought were visually stunning? I would love to hear your thoughts - leave a comment below!

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