Inspiration for camera work

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In any field of work it is important to not get stuck, but this is especially true in a creative surrounding. Camerawork is all about achieving creativity by technical means.

I find it very important for my work to get inspired. This inspiration I get…

• Naturally, from watching other cameramen and -women’s work. The best work often goes unnoticed the first time I see a film. Because it supports the story in such a good way, it never distracs. Only the second watching lets me concentrate on the beauty of the camerwork.
  But sometimes I find myself watching a crap film, or a badly stitched together piece of news reporting. Also — or maybe especially — here I can learn a lot: why does it not work; why does the lighting look unnatural; why did they not bother to clean the lens; why did that edit not work; etc.
• Going to an art museum and seeing the paintings by the old masters gives me a lot of inspiration of just how great an impact dramatic, well placed lighting has.
• Studying great photography. Great, thoughtful press-photography is a great source for thinking about non-obvious solutions. I always find a great unease when human beings under distress are filmed/photographed, and the images from their private, intense grief are sent around the world. I remember the time after the London train bombing. The picture that captured the pain much better was one of the lonely parking spot, where dozens of cars were waiting for their owners. Owners who had been killed. Owners who had families, friends, wifes, children, parents waiting.
• Work of graphic designers. As images become easier to manipulate, we as camermen need to learn more about the possibilities. I find it very educational to learn about Photoshop, and obviously editing programmes such as Final Cut Pro, Motion and Shake. Of late I have also found inspiration from a magazine called Before & After, that gives short tutorials on layout. Not directly related to camerawork, but every so often I learn that exactly the kind of knowledge that has little to do with cameras, helps me to achieve that little extra.