Photo stills on Movie Sets

One of my favourite things is shooting on set or live show. There is so much that is already done for you and, as a photographer, all you need to capture is the moment. No need to worry about lights, costume, hair, makeup, backgrounds and staging. It’s all there and out of your control anyway as the requirements of the DP usually override any needs the photographer have.

For this shoot on the set of a Quartetto Gelato Music & Magic video, I was using an older Nikon and, because of the low light limitations, needed to use the grain as an aesthetic not an obstacle. The dry ice smoke added to the grain effect which, again, was to my advantage. The costumes, well, they were over the top as was the makeup which made shooting interesting photos a gift.

The other advantage is the lack of needing to prompt people to do something interesting facially or with gestures. This is all built in. You do, however, need to be ready to capture that perfect moment but, the beauty is that, it is usually repeated so there will be another opportunity if you miss it the first time.

The only disadvantage is being quiet, both with your movements and with the camera. Being silent on set is your number one priority. I was fortunate on this set as the music track was being striped in afterwards but in most cases the job requires an external silencer box or a Range Finder camera with a silent shutter.

You can see my photos from the set of the Music & Magic video in my portfolio site, www.flibside.com, or by clicking here.