American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 44
ASC INSPIRATIONS
Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, whose credits include Fahrenheit 451 (2018),
cites Caravaggio - whose 1608 painting Portrait of a Maltese Knight is
pictured here - as an influence he shares with many cinematographers.
[ASC, AIC]'s work, particularly The Conformist.
What I took away from Caravaggio and the Caravaggisti - other
prominent artists who were influenced by him, such as the French
painter Georges de La Tour - was the chiaroscuro school of lighting,
exemplified by bold, luscious, expressive uses of shadow and light -
lots of darkness, lots of negative fill, perhaps more shadow than light.
Shafts of light and " God rays " also began to appear in my work in
humble homage to ASC masters such as Storaro, Gregg Toland, Conrad
Hall, Robert Richardson, Darius Khondji and Jordan Cronenweth. I explored this strategy on a number of features I shot, including Fracture
and Thor: The Dark World, and went even further with it on my episodes
of Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.
To this day, while traveling, I still search throughout Europe and the
U.S. to seek out those rarer Caravaggio paintings hidden in some unassuming church or museum. The violence and drama of Caravaggio's life
spills onto his canvasses. There is something so expressive and jolting
about his graphic use of shadow and light, and I also relate to his outsider's alienated, nonconformist perspective. Although his work is widely
canonized today, it really shocked the mainstream art circles of his era.
He distinguished himself from his baroque contemporaries by using ordinary, real-life subjects with austere, minimalist backgrounds to depict
subjects as sacred as Jesus.
As my career has progressed, I've gravitated toward softer, gentler,
more natural light and a more " invisible " style of cinematography. I've
moved away from stronger, more obvious key lighting, employing more
ambient sources and, in particular, the kind of toplight strategies pioneered by ASC greats like Gordon Willis and Harris Savides. Painters
of the natural-light school have also spoken to me, including Andrew
Wyeth, J.M.W. Turner, George Bellows and the O.G. master of soft yet
44 / APRIL 2021
p.38-45 ASC Inspirations V6 DONE.indd 44
3/9/21 1:09 PM
American Cinematographer - April 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - April 2021
Contents
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 1
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - Contents
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 3
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 4
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 5
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 6
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 7
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 8
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 9
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 10
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 11
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 12
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 13
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 14
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 15
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 16
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 17
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 18
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 19
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 20
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 21
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 22
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 23
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 24
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 25
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 26
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 27
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 28
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 28a
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 28b
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 29
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 30
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 30a
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 30b
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 31
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 32
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 33
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 34
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 35
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 36
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 37
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 38
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 39
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 40
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 41
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 42
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 43
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 44
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 45
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 46
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 47
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 48
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 49
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 50
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 51
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 52
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 53
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 54
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 55
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 56
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 57
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 58
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 59
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 60
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 61
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 62
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 63
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 64
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 65
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 66
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 67
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 68
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 69
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 70
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 71
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - 72
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - April 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0524
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0424
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0324
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0224
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0124
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1223
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1123
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0923
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0823
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0723
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0623
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0523
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0423
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0323
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0223
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0123
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1222
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1122
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0922
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0822
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0722
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0622
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0522
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0422
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0322
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0222
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0122
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1221
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1121
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0921
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0821
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0721
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0621
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0521
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0421
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0321
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0221
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0121
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0920
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0720
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0520
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0320
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0120
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0919
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0719
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0519
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0319
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0219_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0119_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0918
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0718
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0518
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0115
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com