What defines a director of photography?

Roger Deakins, Legendario Director de Fotografia

In these times of audiovisual technological democratization, many young people now consider themselves directors of photography simply for owning a modern camera, some specialized gear, or for knowing how to use color grading software—especially if they've been part of just two or three shoots. This raises a question: Is it technology that makes someone a director of photography, or is it directors of photography who, through non-technological qualities, truly shape themselves into cinematographers?

Talk by Xavi Giménez AEC and Lara Vilanova

Eduardo Rodríguez, Director of Photography and author of this article.

We also echo the words of Ansel Adams, the renowned American photographer who developed the Zone System: "The most important component of a camera is the one behind it."

The qualities we refer to include: a knowledge of and appreciation for the visual arts, the observation of the real world and its relationship with light and three-dimensional spaces, the ability to read scripts and interpret them creatively into images and light atmospheres, the capacity to organize and lead a team with both discipline and empathy, cinematic previsualization, and more.

This article focuses precisely on the concept of previsualization, aiming to explore its importance in the work of a director of photography.

We understand previsualization as the ability and skill to mentally and visually abstract oneself into a given physical space (set, studio, scenery, stage, location) in order to design a creative and functional layout of the camera and lighting setup to be implemented on the shoot day—so that the image the film or audiovisual project needs can be captured without major surprises or setbacks.

Color palette: a starting point for a director of photography

A cinematographer should never be surprised by the results of their images—neither positively nor negatively. A director of photography doesn't guess—they plan. Therefore, it's crucial to be highly observant of the spaces to be worked in:

What kind of actor and camera movements does the director want?

What will be the distance between the lens and the subjects or objects?

Does the space receive natural light, or can it only be lit artificially?

How does the sun behave at the chosen exterior location, or at what time of day does it pass through the window of the interior set?

Will I need many or few lights?

What other accessories will I need to control light and shadow?

How much will I color grade in post-production?

Still from Woody Allen's film Manhattan

We must answer these questions by forming the frame and its corresponding lighting in our minds, imagining the visual atmosphere of the film or audiovisual project. Then, using those previsualized images, we can create the necessary equipment, lighting, and crew lists to bring them to life in each shot.

To conclude, I believe it is essential for every director of photography to develop their sense of previsualization in order to optimize both their own work and that of the entire project. Improvisation should be the exception, not the rule—otherwise, we're merely pretending to be cinematographers. Rigor, discipline, and creativity must be foundational pillars in the practice of this audiovisual profession.

Note 1: We use the terms director of photography and cinematographer as synonyms.

Author: Eduardo Rodríguez, Director of Photography.