Bi-weekly blog post #4 Rodger Deakins

When most people hear the name Roger Deakins, they immediately think of his legendary cinematography in films like Blade Runner 2049, or No Country for Old Men. Millions have seen his complex moving lighting setups across grandiose sets and carefully measured shots on the big screen. But few people recognize Deakins for his still work. 

Deakins has spent decades quietly documenting the world through still images. His photography is deeply rooted in documentary tradition. No staged subjects, no studio lighting, no over-editing. The camera, and the world in front of him. Deakins’s photography spans years of travel and observation, much of it done in parallel with his film work. In this way, his photos reflect his films with themes of reflection, solitude, isolation, and silence, especially his landscapes. However, while his film work requires collaboration and precision, his still photography is entirely personal. Deakins’ photography is not commercial, and His stills aren’t shot with the intention of impressing anyone, not even Deakin himself, and that’s part of what makes it feel so honest. He doesn’t consider these photographs “works of art” they are simply expressions of how he sees the world.

What interests me about Deakins's photography is how timeless it feels. Much like his movies, whether he's shooting a cyborg in a futuristic casino or a cowboy robbing a train in the old west, he manages to keep his viewers engaged and grounded in the worlds he makes through meaningful composition with creative uses of lighting and posing.