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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.
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