James Anderson

Bio

James Anderson is a formally trained Sydney-based Director of Photography. He has studied Cinematography and Colour Grading at AFTRS and acting in Vancouver, Canada. A cinephile at heart, James often draws inspiration from his broad film knowledge. James is inspired by “the process of capturing honest and vulnerable moments, collaboration and the magic of everything coming together.” He is drawn to a refined visual aesthetic, natural lighting and motivated camera movement. With a reliable, stress-free approach, he is passionate and easy to work with and is just as comfortable working on a fast-paced fashion set as he is on larger motion picture sets. In the past my clients have included… Vogue, Camilla and Alice McCall all stand out for being memorable clients with creative and experimental briefs, that push you to think beyond, often creating a unique style. The type of creative briefs I most enjoy bringing to life are… strong and specific briefs with considered references, as I find this gives me something to refer to when making creative decisions. Rather than a constraint, I find that a specific brief allows for more creativity. My greatest source of creative inspiration is… for as long as I can remember, I have always been a cinephile, with a love and passion for films. My favourite location to shoot is… the Australian outback is such an inspiring location and a favourite to shoot. The landscape offers vast contrast, from the light to the rich colour palette. Naturally formed patterns create unique texture, ever changing with the light. My signature style is… my signature style is clean and refined, informed by classic film references. In a perfect image I’m looking for… soft lighting, high contrast ratios and a perceived sharpness. I feel the perfect image is one that best serves the story or concept. The format prefer to shoot in is… I find a particular magic in shooting 16mm film on my vintage Arriflex 16ST. However, the flexibility and creative freedom that high quality digital images offer are a gift. Modern digital sensors combined with vintages lenses would be the ideal combination. I love using my Red Komodo with vintage Cooke Speed Panchros.