Your cart is currently empty!
Film Noir Compositions in Photography
What are my favorite cinema films for inspiration and motivation in photography?
Film noir.
This style of composition when applied to photography — very enigmatic, interesting, mysterious and beautiful!
Composing it
Out of these three photos I shot, the ability to obscure more of the scene as better. For example shot 2 there’s too much of his mouth. The last shot has too much bright clothing. The lesson:
When in doubt, frame closer, and obscure more of the frame.
How to do it
Single light source — preferably harsh. Just a single floor lamp (adjustable neck) works well.
Also, ideally you can get a strong and harsh shadow.
Why we like the noir
When thinking about aesthetics — a darker, more cruel aesthetic as more appealing and beautiful to us. As Nietzsche might have said — a tragic Greek, Dionysian aesthetic.
The darker, the better.
My DARK SKIES OVER TOKYO as probably my best work thus far, for the dark mood and aesthetics.
PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Dear friend,
If you’re new to photography, start here:
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography
- Free Photography Bootcamp
- 100 Photography Tips for Beginners
Photography is Everything!
- RAW PHOTOS.
- The Photographer as Story Teller
- Photograph Your Own History
- THE INTRINSIC JOY OF PHOTOGRAPHING
- My Desire to Become the Uber-Photographer
- How to Become a More Creative Photographer
- IMPACTFUL PHOTOGRAPHY
- My Higher Mission
- Photograph Human Affairs
- Why is Photography So Pleasurable?
- How to Shoot More Photos
- Why Do You Shoot Photos?
- Photo Zen Sublime
- Photo Wisdom
- How to Make a Digital Portfolio
- How to Master Photography
- Digital Photography 101
- My Photos
- Natural Photography
- Fit Your Photography Style to Your Personality Style, Not the Other Way Around
- 13 New Photography Assignment Ideas for You
- Photography Ideas
- Camera is God
- Put Your Hand In It!
- Even a Single Hair Casts Its Own Shadow
- PHOTOS RULE EVERYTHING AROUND ME
- Shoot More, Think Less.
- Why JPEG is Superior to RAW
- How to Have Inspiration and Motivation to Make New Photos
- Shoot the Sky
- The Art of Choosing Your Best Photos: How to Cull and Edit Down Your Portfolio
- The Art of Photography
- Never Stop Photographing
- Visual Kinesthesia
- Photography is Writing with Light
- In Praise of Shooting Intelligent Auto JPEG
- How I Mastered Photography
- PHOTOGRAPHY GAME
- Photography as Discovering Beauty in Unlikely Places
- What is the Secret of Making Great Photographs?
- Why Do You Do Photography?
- You’re an Artist.
- How to Edit Your Photos
Photography Tips
- PHOTOGRAPH FOR FUN!
- 15 Tips How to Make More Interesting Photos
- 10 Tips How to Shoot More Photos Everyday
- 7 Tips How to Shoot Surreal Photos
- 10 Tips How to Fill the Frame in Photography
- Look Up! 16 Photography Composition Perspective Tips
- 10 Simple Black and White Photography Tips
- 10 Simple Black and White Photography Tips
- 5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips
- 5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips
Photography Articles
- How to Elevate Your Photography to the Next Level
- You’re (Already) a Photographer!
- 7 Tips How to Shoot More Photos
- Everything is Permitted in Photography!
- 20 Dark Tips How to Shoot Shadow Photos
- How to Give a Constructive Critique in Photography
- 15 Tips How to Shoot Better Selfies
- Photography is All a Matter of Perspective
- Photography Warmup Assignments
- 5 Simple Tips How to Take Better Pictures
- 10 Tips How to Shoot Better Architecture Photography
- 7 Reasons Why I Love Digital Medium-Format Photography
- My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
- My Experience Shooting my Friend Wedding on Digital Medium Format
Photography Techniques
- Photo Technique: Look Up
- Street Photography Technique: Overlap
- The Fishing Technique in Street Photography
- The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
Everyday Photography
- How to Shoot Better Night Photography
- How to Shoot Better Macro Photography
- Everyday Photography
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of Everyday Life
- 15 Tips How to Shoot Better Selfies
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of Everyday Life
Color Photography 101
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
- Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
- Color Theory For Photographers
Photography Philosophy
Photography Inspiration
- How to Become a Self-Confident Photographer
- The Spirit of Becoming a Photographer
- How to Make Better Pictures
- 10 Tips How to Take Better Photos of People
- How to Avoid Boredom in Photography
- How to Master Photography
- A Photographer’s Guide to Seeing
- PRETENTIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY
- Photography Energy Management
- How to Unlock Your Potential in Photography
- There Are No Good or Bad Photos
- The 5 Minute Photographer
- A-Z: PHOTOGRAPHY DICTIONARY by ERIC KIM
- Why I Want to Be a Photography Newbie Forever
- PHOTOGRAPHY FLUX.
- 10 Creative Photography Assignments to Re-Inspire You
- 50 Photography Tips by ERIC KIM
The Fundamentals of Photography
- Make Simple Pictures
- The Art of Reading a Picture
- How to Choose Your Best Photos
- GET CLOSER.
- Keep or Ditch?
- What Makes a Good Photo?
- Why Photography?
- Everyone is a Photographer
- How to take better pictures
- How to take better selfies
- How to Paint With Light
- Why Bokeh is Overrated
Photography Equipment »
- What is the Perfect Camera For You?
- What to Consider When Buying a Camera
- More Megapixels, More Problems
How to Take Better Photos »
- How to Take Better Photos
- How to Capture Emotion in Your Photos
- How to Create a “Curiosity Gap” in Your Photos
Composition Lessons »
- Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
- Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
- Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals
Photography Assignments »
- 40 Practical Photography Assignments
- 15 Street Photography Assignments
- 25 Photography New Year’s Resolutions
Contact Sheets »
- Street Photography Contact Sheets
- Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
- Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”
Editing (Image Selection) »
Creativity »
Motivation »
- Each Photo You Take is an “Attempt”
- How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
- Why Do You Need “Inspiration” to Shoot?
Post-Processing
- How to Edit Your Photos
- Grain is Beautiful
- Are Filters “Cheating” in Photography?
- Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
How to Create a Body of Work
Technical Photography Settings
Learn From the Masters of Photography
“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
- Why Study the Masters of Photography?
- Great Female Master Photographers
- Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
- Download All Articles >
The Masters of Photography
Classics never die:
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alec Soth
- Alex Webb
- Alexey Brodovitch
- Anders Petersen
- Andre Kertesz
- Ansel Adams
- Araki
- Blake Andrews
- Bruce Davidson
- Bruce Gilden
- Constantine Manos
- Daido Moriyama
- Dan Winters
- David Alan Harvey
- David Hurn
- Diane Arbus
- Dorothea Lange
- Elliott Erwitt
- Eugene Atget
- Eugene Smith
- Fan Ho
- Garry Winogrand
- Gordon Parks
- Helen Levitt
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Irving Penn
- Jacob Aue Sobol
- Jeff Mermelstein
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Joel Sternfeld
- Josef Koudelka / Part 2
- Josh White
- Lee Friedlander
- Lisette Model
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum Photographers
- Mark Cohen
- Martin Parr
- Martine Franck
- Mary Ellen Mark
- Rene Burri
- Richard Avedon
- Richard Kalvar
- Robert Capa
- Robert Frank
- Saul Leiter
- Sergio Larrain
- Sebastião Salgado
- Shomei Tomatsu
- Stephen Shore
- The History of Street Photography
- Todd Hido
- Tony Ray-Jones
- Trent Parke
- Vivian Maier
- Walker Evans
- Weegee
- William Eggleston
- William Klein
- Zoe Strauss