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In creating Still Frames, “La Bottega delle Immagini del Cinema” has set itself a fundamental goal: explain who the still photographer is and what his work consists of. One only has to look closely at the images the exhibition is comprised of to understand that still photography is a complex profession, which needs not only creativity and imagination, but also eclecticism, vitality and above all intuition. The fundamental skill that a good still photographer needs to possess (if he wants to distinguish himself from the many improvised “clickers” that increasingly crowd the sets of movies and fictions) is his ability to notice what others miss, to seize that moment which, captured in one frame, can transmit the spirit of an entire film.
The fundamental virtue is to not give too much importance to the technical aspects, which are however important. To obtain “live” images one must never permit a particular technical solution to prevail over spontaneity and intuition. A particularly emotional moment cannot be broken by an excessive and invasive intrusion by a camera. The secret to taking a good photograph, is welding, into a single moment, the emotions between the observer and the observed.
The still photographer’s importance on set boils down to this: it is the historical memory of the film as it is its soul, secret and silent, which insinuates itself amongst the actors, the crew and the director, understanding and seizing that particular and unique moment, which could become the film’s poster. Indeed it is sometimes the striking photos which make the film’s fortune. Still photography thus reveals itself as a polyvalent artistic product: on one side it satisfies the demands of cinema lovers, freezing the flow of the images and providing precious details on the work of a film, on the other it promotes the visibility of the natural and cultural heritage of a location, contributing to the promotion of its tourism.
In the last few years the role of the still photographer on set is no longer seen as being fundamental, rather it has become obtrusive to all. The poorly understood and minimized work of the still photographer has been reduced to an illustrative performance of mere routine. There are several reasons for this decline, but the principal one is due to financial constrictions: these days there is an attempt to get away with paying the still photographer the minimum wage! But still photographers are professionals who hope to again become appreciated as deserved, and to be able to work with dignity. To turn this desire into reality, it is fundamental to give the public greater visibility of these inimitable images, even through dedicated exhibitions.