My Style

If I were to describe my style in a few short adjectives, I'd describe it as simple, colorful, and intimate. The image above, a photograph by Jaroslav Monchak, is a great example of all three.

When I say "simple," I don't mean without depth. I firmly believe that depth can be found in simplicity, and that nothing should appear on-screen unless it has a purpose. In the above photo, the focus is obviously meant to be primarily on the female, and secondarily on her environment. She is beautifully lit from the front, adding a warm light to her hair and lap, leading the eye directly to her porcelain skin and fiery red hair. She is also wonderfully composed, sitting in the right third with her head occupying the intersection of the top and right third. There is a shallow depth of field, keeping the background soft and mysterious, almost looking like an endless ocean.

As far as color goes, I usually am drawn to a more muted color palette, with cool darks/midtones and warn highlights, which is very present in this image. Although her hair is fairly saturated, it complements the dulled tones of the background and her skin perfectly. I would definitely say that my color preference is quite similar to Wes Anderson's. The below picture is from his most recent film, Moonrise Kingdom.

Now, onto intimacy. No, I don't necessarily mean "romantic" imagery in the general sense. I mean images that invoke something in the viewer. Just like the objects on screen needing to have a purpose, the entire mise-en-scene needs to have a purpose as well. Are you trying to portray sadness? Hope? This should be answered not only by the dialogue in the scene, but my the visual aesthetics as well. This photo by Jacob Sutton is a great example of capturing amazing emotion.

As a final example, take a look at the teaser trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's newest film, The Master (yes, it was in my previous post, but it's just way too good). It encompassed everything I've mentioned above and more. Every single shot tells a story of its own. Each frame's lighting, composition, form, movement, and tone evoke an overarching emotion of mystery, beauty, and slight unease. Not to mention the writing and directing being absolute perfection. This is exactly my style, summed up in the best 1 minute and 40 seconds of my year so far. Enjoy.