Cinematographer Natalie Kingston discusses achieving a dense, immersive quality in images, lighting techniques, color grading, collaborating with costume and production designers. She reflects on lighting rooted in emotional truth and blending colors for depth and emotional resonance.
Natalie Kingston emphasizes the importance of intentional lighting, understanding the emotional core of a scene, and collaborating with other departments.
Tungsten lighting provides a unique softness and color fidelity that makes it a go-to choice for achieving a specific aesthetic and emotional impact.
Lighting can be motivated by emotional truth, allowing for more imaginative and surreal choices that create a powerful visual language.
Deep dives
Natalie Kingston's recognition as a rising star in cinematography
Natalie Kingston reflects on the honor of being recognized as a rising star by the ASC. She shares her initial reaction to the news and discusses the progress and need for continued work in terms of gender representation in the industry.
Starting a career in cinematography at a later stage
Natalie Kingston discusses her journey of starting a career in cinematography at a later age. She explains the challenges and advantages of starting later and how her diverse experiences in different roles within the film industry have influenced her work as a cinematographer.
Natalie Kingston's approach to lighting and creating a unique visual language
Natalie Kingston elaborates on her approach to lighting and creating a distinct visual language for each project. She emphasizes the importance of being intentional and understanding the emotional core of a scene, as well as her focus on depth, color, and collaboration with other departments.
Importance of Tungsten Lighting
Tungsten lighting provides a softness and quality that cannot be replicated by LED sources. Despite the popularity of LED, tungsten fixtures are still favored for their unique characteristics. The warmth and color fidelity of tungsten lights, particularly the nine lights down the tweenies, make them a go-to choice for achieving a specific aesthetic and emotional impact in a scene.
Lighting as Emotional Storytelling
Lighting is not confined to natural or traceable sources; it can be motivated by emotional truth. Liberating lighting from the constraints of reality opens up new possibilities for creative expression. By using light to convey emotion and tell a story, the audience becomes engaged and immersed in the narrative, allowing for more surreal and imaginative lighting choices. The psychological impact of color and the interplay between light and shadow can create a powerful visual language that resonates with viewers.
In this episode, cinematographer Natalie Kingston discusses her approach to achieving a dense, immersive quality in her images. She discusses lighting techniques, color grading, and the crucial role of collaborating closely with costume and production designers, underlining her meticulous attention to detail in creating visually striking work. Natalie reflects on the concept that lighting need not always be motivated by tangible sources but can be deeply rooted in emotional truth. She further explains how blending colors and introducing complex tones enriches her work with depth and emotional resonance, offering a unique insight into her artistic process.
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