When you’re looking for inspiration, here’s one way to get you back on track.
The quirky subject and restrained colour palette are characteristic of the Wes Anderson style.
Stills and motion picture photographers have traded ideas ever since cinematography was invented. During the ‘classic’ period in the middle of the 20th century, there was a particularly close relationship between the aesthetic styles of both arts.
Back in the mid-20th century, the ‘looks’ created by notable movie producers – think Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini and Jacques Tati to name the most obvious cinematic stylists – influenced genres as diverse as fashion, architectural, journalistic and even landscape photography. And, in turn, photographers like Diane Arbus, Paul Strand, Elliott Erwitt and Richard Avedon inspired the compositions of many cinematographers.
Skip to the 21st century and one of the most distinctive cinematic stylists is Wes Anderson, whose works include The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and the animated features Fantastic Mr Fox (2009) and Isle of Dogs (2018). Each showcases Anderson’s characteristic frame compositions and whimsical colour palettes.
A Wes Anderson style portrait; the subject is in the centre of the frame. The muted colour palette and minimalistic background concentrates the viewer’s eye on the subject, where the main areas of colour are located. The subject is intent upon something, even though he’s not looking directly at the viewer.
So if you’re feeling short of inspiration and want to ‘revitalise’ your visual tools and modes of expression, why not try some of the tactics you’ve seen in the movies (or on TV). You can learn a lot by experimenting and you needn’t stray far from home. All that’s required is to pick a style you’ve seen in another art form and adapt it to subjects that are close at hand.
We’ve chosen Wes Anderson because of his distinctive style (and because we enjoy his movies). But you can look for inspiration in any carefully crafted movie or TV series as long as there’s one or more stylistic elements to follow.
Pot plants on a back fence; another idiosyncratic subject given the Wes Anderson treatment, this time using an almost square format.
Wes Anderson is relatively easy to emulate. So what makes his style so special?
Symmetry within the frame is arguably the most distinctive design parameter in Wes Anderson’s aesthetic. Even though he is forced to use the cinematic widescreen format (19:9 or 1.9:1, depending on how the movie was shot), he manages to create an endless sequence of arresting images by placing the main subject in the centre of the frame and keeping background distractions to a minimum. This can involve use of very simple scenery, balancing the sky and foreground, using repeating patterns in backgrounds (walls and other structures) and eliminating unnecessary distractions.
Symmetrical framing in a landscape shot; this time of an abandoned building in the outback. The muted palette and slight vignetting add a sense of nostalgia to the scene.
Another example of the use of symmetrical framing, with the central subject intent on what he’s doing. Graffiti on the walls provide the only touch of colour in the scene.
Login or Register to access the full article.
Article by Margaret Brown (see Margaret’s photography pocket guides)
Excerpt from Photo Review Issue 89
See Photo Review Membership options
