I lived through being pooh-poohed by fine art galleries, saying, "Digital is going to destroy the meaning behind photos." The motion side, the moment all of the cameras come alive with that motion, it was like a dream come true. It enables people to economically experiment with film.
Russell JamesWhen I'm editing, it's such a tough call, and I get challenged on it all the time. You've got to go with your gut - sometimes when you look at a photograph, you just know it's the shot. Sometimes it's about the connection, or about the simplicity of the composition.
Russell JamesComplicated things for me tend not to be interesting. Simple things, like when it's really direct eye contact, or when you see a really beautiful shape, like when it's clean or well balanced in the frame.
Russell JamesIf you give the same 200 frames to 200 different people, they'll all probably pick a different frame. The key is editing. Be intuitive enough to be shooting at the right moment, and when you're seeing the action happening just as you want it, shoot. And in the edit you have to go with your gut.
Russell JamesComposition is what's similar between being photographer and director. As a photographer, you're sort of doing everything - you're directing the lights and you're framing and you're moving around. The hardest thing to learn as a director is how cameras have to move. You have to have patience, you have to learn how to look through the lens and then you have to learn to combine all of the compartments into one great image.
Russell James