According to Michael Crommett, the director of photography for Nat Geo’s Photographer series, cinematographers find photographers to be a subject matter that is easy to make visually interesting.
Being the director of photography for the Dan Winters episode and a co-director of photography for several other episodes, Crommett gained a newfound respect for photographers through the process of making the series. He sees them as vital individuals who go to the necessary places and capture important subject matter.
In terms of equipment, Crommett primarily used a Sony FX6 camera for the series. He explains that the compact size of the camera was beneficial in various ways.
This compactness allowed him to easily jump in and out of vehicles during storm chasing in the Midwest for the Krystle Wright episode. The smaller size of the camera also provided him with more flexibility in capturing interesting compositions.
One of the key features of the Sony FX6 that stood out for Crommett was the variable ND (neutral density) filter. This feature completely revolutionized his shooting style. With the variable ND, he can choose an f-stop and maintain that setting regardless of the lighting conditions.
Additionally, changing the exposure is a linear adjustment, making it easier to make exposure corrections in post-production without affecting other aspects such as depth of field and contrast.
The Photographer series was created and produced by Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi’s production company, Little Monster Films. The process of making the docu-series took around three years. Now, the Photographer series is available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
According to Michael Crommett, photographers are a subject matter that naturally lends itself to visually appealing cinematography. Through his experience working on the Photographer series, he developed a deeper appreciation for photographers and their role in capturing significant and compelling images.
The choice of equipment, specifically the Sony FX6 camera, provided him with the necessary versatility and flexibility to capture unique compositions. Overall, the Photographer series highlights the vital work of photographers and is now available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.