What Is Camera Art?

Camera art is a division of cinematography.

Camera art is the culmination of a variety of choices made by the director, set designer and cameramen. It is the consideration of all things visual that impact the telling of the story.

The Artists

Camera art is a specific genre of cinematography that combines the artistic endeavors of the cameraman, set designer and the director. Together they plan the shots and take the shots to create the story in film.

Creating the Shot

Each shot and panel of a film, work toward a goal to create the right image, atmosphere and detail needed to tell the tale as the director envisions it. In directing, you must always consider everything--such as angle, magnification, lighting, motion, speed, foreshortening and camera effects are just a few of the ways you can adjust a shot.

Lighting

Cameras take duplicate images of 3-D objects. These images reveal the textures and colors of what they film. Lighting angle and depth can create spatial illusions in the film. Filming in black-and-white versus color is another way the cameraman can help create the story as the director wishes it to be told.

References

• The MIT Press: On the Camera Arts and Consecutive Matters