Black and white DP is a photographic term that refers to the director of photography or cinematographer on a film shoot. The director of photography (DP) is in charge of the overall look and feel of the images captured for a movie or television production.
What does a DP do?
The DP has a very important role in shaping the visual style of a film. Their responsibilities include:
- Working with the director to determine the artistic vision for the film
- Selecting, operating, and arranging camera equipment
- Deciding on camera angles, lens choices, and camera movements
- Lighting each scene and shot
- Overseeing the camera crew
- Collaborating with gaffer on lighting design
- Coordinating with the production designer on scene setups
- Working with post-production teams on achieving the desired look in editing
In essence, the DP takes the director’s creative ideas and brings them to life visually through considered use of cameras, lighting, and composition. They help shape the overall aesthetic of the film and photograph each scene to match the intended mood, tone, and style.
Why “black and white” DP?
The “black and white” descriptor refers to the fact that early films were shot in black and white rather than color. The role of the cinematographer was extremely important even in these early days of cinema for determining contrast, shadows, and grayscale tones.
Some key reasons why the DP role emerged as so crucial in black and white filmmaking include:
- Black and white film stock has less ability to reproduce a wide tonal range compared to the human eye. The DP had to carefully light and exposure scenes to create rich contrasts and modeling with shadows and highlights.
- They had to master the use of low-key and high-key lighting techniques to produce stunning monochromatic visuals.
- Black and white film was orthochromatic and only sensitive to blue and green light initially. So lighting had to be carefully filtered and arranged to get the right effects.
- The lack of color meant that DPs relied more heavily on light, shadows, shapes, and textures to create mood and depth in every frame.
- They became experts at manipulating focal lengths, depth of field, and camera angles to impart desired stylistic effects.
Right from the silent movie era through to the 1950s, the DP role was focused on the craft of sculpting light and composition in black and white. They were instrumental in creating dramatic visual storytelling. Even after the advent of color filming, the “black and white DP” term lived on when referring to the significant creative contributions of the director of photography.
Famous black and white DPs
Many of the most celebrated DPs in Hollywood history first made their mark by mastering the art of black and white cinematography. Some famous examples include:
- Gregg Toland – His striking monochromatic imagery in films like Citizen Kane is still studied today. Deep focus photography became his trademark.
- John Alcott – Best known for his iconic black and white work on Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 and other art films before shooting Barry Lyndon.
- James Wong Howe – A master of dramatic lighting effects, shadows, and unconventional camera angles as seen in classics like Sweet Smell of Success.
- Sven Nykvist – He worked with Ingmar Bergman on expressive black and white dramas like The Seventh Seal and Persona before transitioning to color.
- Gordon Willis – Known as “The Prince of Darkness” for his low-key lighting style on The Godfather films and other moody 1970s cinema.
- Robert Burks – Alfred Hitchcock’s long-time DP behind the striking monochromatic look of movies like Vertigo and Psycho.
The work of DPs such as these left an indelible mark on the visual language of cinema. Their technical mastery and creative vision in black and white set the foundation for the role of the modern cinematographer.
Black and white in modern films
While color became the norm in commercial filmmaking, black and white photography never went away. Many directors still choose to shoot in monochrome for creative reasons. Stanley Kubrick, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Lee, and Pedro Almodóvar are just a few who have used black and white to striking effect in contemporary movies.
Some benefits black and white can offer include:
- Striking iconic visuals removed from reality
- Nostalgic or old-fashioned stylistic effect
- Simplified focus on shapes, light and shadows
- Heightened mood and atmosphere
- Strong graphic elements and contrast
Black and white can be especially fitting for genres like film noir, horror, and period dramas. But modern DPs still need a keen understanding of monochromatic photography and lighting to make artistic choices that serve the storytelling. Their role in crafting the look and feel of black and white films remains as vital as ever.
Conclusion
In summary, the phrase “black and white DP” recalls the cinematographer’s crucial duty in the early eras of cinema to bring stories to life through carefully composed grayscale images. It was their skill with light, shadow, lenses, and camera movement that allowed them to impart mood, drama, and meaning to every scene even without color.
The DPs who mastered the art of black and white laid the groundwork for the profession. Their knowledge continues to provide inspiration and guidance even with today’s complete control over color and digital effects. While many conventions have changed, at its core the DP role still involves understanding how to sculpt light to tell visual stories and move audiences. So the early “black and white DP” remains a vital foundation for the art of cinematography.