Thanks to the art of still photography on the set, many of the 20th century's most memorable movie images are firmly embedded in our minds. Clark Gable's sly Rhett Butler grin during the jailhouse poker game. The intensity of his longing as he embraces Vivian Leigh. Judy Garland and friends skipping merrily down the Yellow Brick Road. Marilyn Monroe's fluttering skirt as she stands over the street grate. Dustin Hoffman framed by the silhouette of Anne Bancroft's shapely leg.
These images capture each movie's essence and communicate it to the viewing public. If the photos make us want to see the movie or television series, the still photographer has done the job well. Often the success of a production's marketing campaign hinges on the still photographer's ability to get eye-catching images that sell.
How does he or she capture the compelling images? Atlanta-based production veteran and sometime still shooter A.B. Cooper has observed photographers on the set for more than 20 years. "The still photographer has to be attentive and must understand and cover the most important scenes," he notes. "It goes without saying that he has to be professional, to understand his equipment, film, and the various lighting situations on the set. He's also got to have a lot of stamina."
Guy D'Alema, who's based in Atlanta and has shot on sets around the world for more than 10 years, agrees. "You learn to get the essence shot, not shoot every time the camera rolls. Young photographers often think they have to follow the camera down the track all the time."
D'Alema says he begins each day on the set with a precise shot list in his head, having studied the script carefully. "You've got to spend your time on the shots that will have value and not try to get the stuff that won't be used," he explains. "You've got to know the keepers."
Cooper describes two types of still photographers on the set. "The ones that document for the producers shoot every day and cover most of the scenes," he says. "Then there are the specialty shooters that come in to get portraits of the actors, or get one shot that tells the whole story of the movie."
While D'Alema falls into the first category, he also shoots portraits of the actors when they have downtime on the set. He believes shooting them in action and on the set preserves the most energy and ultimately contributes to more compelling photos. His "essence" shots also have been used in ads.
"The gallery guys, or specialty shooters, often take talent off the set and recreate scenes in a studio to get the shots that will be used in the ads," D'Alema says. "Even though they shoot hundreds of pictures, the publications tend to use those that are shot on the set. The quality may not be the best, but in the context of the scene, there's something in the actors' faces that makes a more interesting shot."
Who are those guys?
According to Cooper, still shooters on the set are a "particular animal." He notes, "They have to carry lots of bags of equipment on and off planes. They travel a lot, so it takes them out of the loop for other business. They also have to stand in the elements and put up with a lot. They are definitely NOT the advertising type of photographer."
He got into the business by acting in the Morehouse-Spelman Players productions. One of his fellow actors was Samuel L. Jackson, with whom he still works when he gets the chance. Along with acting, Cooper became a portrait photographer, supplying other actors with head shots. Over the years, he's shot on a few sets; acted in films, such as "School Daze"; and pursued production opportunities. Now, he prefers his senior production responsibilities and assisting producers and writers in researching historical African American subjects.
Bill Lisenby, a local photographer who shoots on advertising sets, also has some experience with film and television productions. "I spend about a fourth of my time shooting on the set, mainly for advertising agencies," he says. "I think it would be nice to work on a movie, it would be a big block of work. But, there's a downside, too. If I shot one job for two months, everyone in town would think I was dead, it would be almost like starting over when I came back."
Nevertheless, Lisenby shot as a "day player" for the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie filmed in Atlanta, "The Perfect Tribute." He also shot sets for the art department on the "Savannah" television series and on the set of the Mick Jagger movie, "Free Jack."
D'Alema got into shooting on the set through the fashion and paparazzi route. He used to shoot celebrity photos of performers at the Limelight nightclub when it was an Atlanta mainstay. His first foray into shooting on the set came in 1984, when the producers of "Slugger's Wife" filmed at the Limelight. Following that, he continued to shoot fashion until he got an unexpected break in 1989. The producers of "Love Potion Number Nine" saw something in his fashion portfolio they liked and hired him. On that set, he had the good fortune to shoot a little-known actress named Sandra Bullock. From then on, he has worked full-time shooting on the set.
Because of the job's demands and the amount of film and television production in this area, there are very few photographers who specialize in shooting on the set. Bonnie Moffet, director of photography for the WB Network says, "In the Southeast, there are about half a dozen really good people that you'd want to work with." The major production centers, such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles have more, but it's still a small, specialized photograph niche.
"There's not a lot of competition in this area, because there's not a lot of steady work here," D'Alema adds..
How do still shooters get work on the set?
Getting work and continuing to work as a still shooter on the set is like the old Catch 22 equation. Production companies are reluctant to hire photographers who don't have experience. So, the trick is to get some initial experience that they like.
"They don't want to take chances," says Lisenby. "If they are shooting yellow kittens, you'd better have yellow kittens in your book."
"They also hire you for your strong points," D'Alema explains. "Mine is more of a fashion style, not documentation, it's a good match for a lot of today's productions that feature young people. If they are looking for stunt coverage or a more gritty style, they'll call someone else."
He adds, "Film crews send your resume to other film crews. They want to work with someone who's working continuously."
Getting assignments is a case of "who you know," therefore it's important to be known by the producers. Even though still shooters work in the camera department category on the set, they are not responsible to the director of photography. They are hired by and responsible to the producers. Therefore, they are not really part of the photography team.
Film vs. TV vs. Commercials
Each type of set has distinct differences for the still shooter. On a feature film or TV production, the still photographer shoots while the camera is rolling with the aid of a blimp that silences his camera equipment. He's expected to shoot under the lights that are set for filming, which often means pushing the still film to accommodate low lighting conditions. In both types of productions, the photographer has to be extremely fast in getting his shots. He's got to move in, get what he needs, and get out of everyone's way as quickly as possible.
In contrast, the photographer on the commercial set has more time to get what he needs. Lisenby says, "The art director has all of the ad layouts and wants a specific shot and style of shooting. Typically, I use a larger format camera and take more time. These days, filming commercials at an ultra-wide angle with a steady cam is very trendy. It's so close to the subject that it's almost impossible to shoot stills during the filming."
The pace of each type of production also varies considerably. A 30-second commercial may take eight to ten hours to film, as opposed to a TV production that films six script pages in a day. Feature films average about two script pages a day.
"The TV guys are like combat photographers," says D'Alema. "In a TV production, you might have 28 to 30, or even 40 film camera set-ups during a day. If you blink, you've lost your shot. You have to live on the set so you don't miss anything."
For him, TV productions provide the better career track, based on the volume of his photos that are published. "With a feature film, you may have the opportunity to shoot two a year, because the shoot will last several months. Then, you might get your stills published in a few publications. However, in TV, in one year, you might be on six to 10 shows. You have the opportunity to get more photos published and therefore, make yourself more valuable. In my opinion, the shorter, more highly visible TV projects are more career building."
The question of money
Definite differences in pay also exist, depending on the type of production. In general, television productions pay a better day rate and the still shooter has more room to negotiate, based on experience and expertise. Networks may pay $600 to $700 for a 10-hour day, including equipment rental. Film production companies, on the other hand, base the still shooter's fees on the camera operators' union contract, which calls for a base of $33 per hour for the first eight hours; time-and-a-half for the ninth and tenth hours and doubletime for more than 10 hours. An experienced still shooter can negotiate upward from this base rate, but the daily average is roughly $400 to $550. Both types of productions require the still shooter to give up rights to the film.
In contrast, still shooters on commercial sets price their work according to final usage of the photos. "The pay is all negotiable and it's all over the place, depending on how the images will be used," notes Lisenby. In most cases, the still shooter retains the rights to his photos.
Perks and pains
The still photographer's job sounds glamorous and exciting, and often it is. But, there are some definite drawbacks to this highly specialized profession.
"Sure we're highly paid," says D'Alema, "but we generally don't work 52 weeks of the year. We may not work for two or three months."
Along with that, Cooper notes that "even though the money is good, if you're an advertising photographer, you're going to lose money shooting on the set. That's why a lot of advertising guys are not interested."
The attitude on the set toward still photographers is often hard to take. "It's like you are the red-headed stepchild," says Lisenby. "You're the last guy on the totem pole, and they look at you as more of a nuisance than an asset. There are so many production people involved and their schedule is so tight, stills are often an afterthought."
Then there is the nature of the work itself. "We put in 12 to 16 hour days and we're on the road most of our lives, away for months at a time, including holidays," D'Alema continues. "We forfeit our regular lifestyle while we're in the business, our personal lives are on hold. The crew becomes our family."
So, why do photographers want to shoot on the set? For D'Alema, it's a question of memories. "When I'm 90, I want to look back on those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities," he says. "The value of what the photographer does is in memories, those photos will live in someone's family, or as a part of history. I have no idea where my photos will end up, but they may affect many people now, or in the future."
Breaking into the business
For those who aspire to become still shooters on the set, Cooper, D'Alema, and Lisenby agree that set experience is the first requirement after mastering photography skills.
"The advice I give people who ask me is to get involved with the unit photographer on a few shows," says D'Alema. "To do this, you need to volunteer to intern or assist. You won't make any money, but you'll learn the etiquette of the set, how things happen, when you can and can't step in and when to approach the talent."
Moffet concurs wholeheartedly and adds, "An extra pair of hands is always needed on a production, it's an opportunity for you to become invaluable. When you become invaluable, they want to keep you around, and they will find a way to get you on the team permanently."
"Often the gallery guys hire assistants to help them unload equipment, set-up lighting and watch the equipment during downtime," D'Alema continues. "On ‘Shake, Rattle, and Roll,' I used a guy as an assistant. Then, I referred him to a gallery guy. Now, he's on the CBS list as an assistant, and he can begin to inch himself into work."
What will change?
Certainly, technology will have an effect on still photographers in the future. Digital photography may begin to make inroads, but D'Alema doesn't believe the time is near. "Still photographers have to take the set lighting, and you can't have blur, everything must be crisp and sharp," he explains. "Digital cameras still need a lot of light. If I have a nice, long life, it may happen in my lifetime. But, it's like the difference between film and video, there is nothing like the feel of real film."
The cliquish attitude of the production companies is not likely to change. Still shooters must continue to rely on referrals for business, and those referrals will be based on experience and the ability to work on a set without causing trouble. "Paying dues" in the sense of building experience will continue to be necessary for anyone who wants to shoot stills on the set.