Inspiration for Photographers...Where From?

How about the obvious.....

I have been thinking for a while about sources of creativity for my own photography and thought it might make an interesting subject to explore in a series of articles based on using well known and easily accessible material for photographic inspiration.


You don't have to be a genius to suss that your own photography can benefit from taking cues and ideas from other art sources. Many fashion photographers for example make a living out of trawling old movies, magazines and music for inspiration for their own creative work. What characterizes the best examples of this however, is that they only take some of the key aspects from the original material and then blend it with some other concept or modernize it in some way. In this way the viewers recognize some of the visual cues and they create a significance or relationship in their minds that can act as a platform for the photographer to further develop his own ideas.


My objective with these posts is not to be academic about whats going on, but simply to stimulate creative thinking and derive inspiration from the ideas and mechanisms that are used. This should enable the  design and outline of some practical photographic applications and projects that explore these creative aspects through your own work.

 


The Ipcress File

The Ipcress file was a 1965 movie by Sydney J. Furie that perfectly fused many of the cold war themes of the era; the British Class system and rise of the working mans power, the British/American relationship and mistrust at the time, London of the 'swinging sixties' and most importantly for this article, the use of visual and sonic imagery and noise to create dissorientation. There was a popular theme at the time that people could be brainwashed by the Russians and returned as spies (in fact its still a popular theme, see Homeland. Only its no longer the Russians we have to watch out for !!!) and this provided a vehicle for quite a few popular movies of the 60's. What I want to look at here though is the extraordinary cinematography of Otto Heller who was a Czech ex war photographer who worked extensively in the British cinema at that time. Heller and Furie together skillfully created a stark, odd angled and beautifully contrasty look for the movie that imbalances, shades and partially hides the truth at all times. 


This approach was of course in direct contrast to the other representation of spies at the time, the James Bond movies. These were very glamorous and early promoters of special effects (albeit primitive at the time) and the plots and heroes could not have been more different. Caine's corporal Palmer v's Connery's Commander Bond and so on. These differences are very clear in the movies and where the Bond series sought to amaze an titillate (with some dire humor thrown in) The Ipcress File was cold, hard and gritty. Unfortunately this was lost completely in the subsequent Harry Palmer movies so I would advise focusing on this one alone.

So how does all of this relate to photographical inspiration? Well have a look at this magnificent Michael Caine portrait which was shot by one of my favorite photographers, David Bailey. This perfectly captures the essence of the Michael Caine/Harry Palmer look.


No one but no one captured the look and feel of the 60's like Bailey and here is an excerpt from his magical little book Look that describes the Shot:


'Michael Caine, 1965. Bailey took this portrait two months after the London premiere of the Ipcress File, the film that would immortalize Caine as cockney spy, Harry Palmer. Bailey asked Caine to assume the Palmer persona - sharp suit, horn-rimmed glasses, trademark Gauloise, ego pushing against the confines of the frame - and created one of the most iconic photographs of the 1960's. The image has been endlessly restaged: even by Bailey, with Jude Law standing in for Caine, in the same style of suit and tie, holding a cigarette between his lips in the same way. When it comes to using pose, look and props to create a persona, Bailey has the eye of a master casting director.'


There is in my mind no doubting Bailey's genius however there is no acknowledgment that much of this look and style were crafted by Caine, Heller and Furie. Bailey has somehow taken the absolute essence of it and distilled it all down into one magnificent frame.


The Techniques

So what were the key cinematic techniques that were used in the movie that could be translated so powerfully into iconic photographs. Let's look at a few of these in turn, starting with the lighting.


The lighting is, as was often the case in British cinema at that time, very contrasty, yet the color is there as well. This is a little odd and gets close to the kind of modern portrait and fashion look created by increasing contrast and detail while bringing down saturation. If you want to get this look there are a number of pre-sets for Lightroom and photoshop that get close and you can view some lessons on this in kelbytraining. You can even get near this look on the Nik software Snapseed App by messing around in the drama tones but Lightroom works best for me or go for a B&W look as Bailey did (reminder, we are not about exactly replicating the look we are seeking to use the key aspects for inspiration) Bailey clearly had a full studio at his disposal but a similar look could be created from strong directional natural light or single light source to the side. You can see how Heller used strong shadows and frequently caught reflections in Caine's glasses to give him a menace. 

If you have the movie look at how many scenes have Caine lit with strong contrasty light, regularly with a bright burning light behind him giving some indication of the blinding pain ahead and the intensive focus that the movie has on confusion. Look at how edgy and dangerous the above image is and the impact that this apparently simple lighting mechanism has created.

The technique is repeated again and again without ever losing its power. The ever present white lighting glare that burns through Caine's mind, threatening to rob his sanity, confusing and debilitating. 


Here Caine can't even enter a room without the brain searing light. Heller has also used the delicious dark shadows behind Caine to strong effect.


Framing & Composition


Conventional photographic thinking would tell you that you should shoot from low to high to give a subject a look of power and authority. Not in the Ipcress File though. Furie and Heller shoot frequently from disturbingly low angles and sometimes at a tilt and this effect, coupled with the contrasty lighting, does not give power, instead it imbalances and disorientates. This creates exactly the dynamic they are striving for with confusion around who to trust? and things not being what they seem.

This effect is used consistently throughout the movie and works very powerfully with the off centre framing.


The other interesting compositional mechanism employed is to frame so that there is always something hidden in a persons face or expression. This is after all a spy thriller and secrets and intrigue abound. 

How's this for a one eyed glance? This type of framing is also coupled with tight close ups with the subject in the background and its quite common in the movie to see shots over shoulders or people framed by media devices such as cameras and newspapers.

You can see that very nicely here in the love interest shot with the sultry Sue Lloyd who sadly passed away recently.

Here's another good example with Caine framed over a shoulder. This technique somehow does much more than isolate the subject, it creates an intimacy and dialogue that frames your attention tightly into the moment, there is no sideways escape in either of these shots, you have to focus your mind precisely where the cinematographer and director want you.


How to Use These Insights


My own way of looking at this is that I have learned a huge amount from observing the styles used here. The lighting, angles and framing are all techniques that are combined beautifully to create a very distinct look and feel, however, they can also be used in isolation for creative effect as well.  They are all very powerful in their own way and can be easily used to emphasize a subject in a unique way or to frame so that interest cannot wander. To my mind It's only when you see stills from the movie that you begin to fully appreciate the craft involved in evoking the required emotional response and I now find myself almost pressing a mental pause button when I lock into an image in this way.

Of course movies are not as restrictive a media as still photography and for that reason its not every movie that lends itself to this kind of analysis. Many cinema experiences are based around the dialogue, music, visual and sonic effects. This is why I think the Ipcress File is such a photographic treat for, despite its decent script and John Barry soundtrack, its so heavily dependent on the visual mechanics for its out and out success. 

Whatever happens don't allow this article to stop you from enjoying the splendid and highly enjoyable movie that this is when taken as a whole, and revel in the delightful performance of the archetypal British military man Nigel Green. This is acting of the very highest quality and for my money unmatched in todays bloated, effects laden extravaganzas. Watch the movie once to enjoy the plot and get a feel for it and then return with the remote control handy to pause on the decisive images. Above all try to absorb the techniques highlighted in this article and you will quickly find that you see possibilities to use them in your own shooting.

Here's a final inspirational shot from the movie to finish with, just look at the lighting, depth of field and use of secondary subjects. All so simple but highly effective, just like the movie.


Cheers,


Colin