How to tell a STORY with Photography

Summary

In this engaging video script, Peter McKinnon introduces his new 'Book Club' series, starting with 'Pictures Volume 1' by actor and photographer Jeff Bridges. McKinnon discusses the unique perspectives and storytelling in photography, inspired by Bridges' work. He highlights the creative use of the Widelux camera, which captures scenes in a panoramic format, and shares his own experiences and insights on capturing emotion and narrative within a single frame. The script also features a sponsored segment for Squarespace, emphasizing its utility for photographers to showcase and sell their work.

Takeaways

• 📸 The script is about Peter McKinnon's experience with photography and his new book club series, where he discusses photo books and coffee.
• 🎞️ Peter's earliest memories of photography involve his dad's Nikon and setting up a dark room in high school, where he enjoyed the process of printing photos.
• 🌟 He emphasizes the joy of seeing images come to life during the printing process, comparing it to opening a Christmas present.
• 📚 The book club series aims to inspire by featuring different photo books and coffee blends, combining the sensory experiences of sight and taste.
• 🤳 Jeff Bridges' 'Pictures Volume 1' is highlighted, showcasing his unique perspective as an actor and photographer, with access to behind-the-scenes moments.
• 📷 The script mentions the Widelux camera, which has a slit that exposes film as the lens pans, a technique that inspired Peter to explore new photography styles.
• 🎨 Peter discusses the importance of storytelling in photography, noting how Jeff Bridges' images convey narratives and emotions.
• 🛍️ The video includes a sponsorship message for Squarespace, a platform for photographers to sell prints, books, and services, with built-in SEO tools and customizable layouts.
• 🏆 Jeff Bridges is praised for his ability to capture crew members and actors in candid moments, adding depth to his photographs.
• 🎨 Peter shares his personal experience with the Widelux camera, including a creative selfie and the impact of happy accidents on photography.
• 🔍 The script concludes with the idea that storytelling in photography is accessible and can be found in unexpected places, encouraging photographers to think creatively.

Q & A

What is the significance of the first photograph in the book for the speaker?

The first photograph in the book is significant for the speaker as it features his mom and dad, making it one of his earliest and favorite shots. It was taken with his dad's Nikon, which he started using in high school.

Why did the speaker set up a dark room in high school?

The speaker set up a dark room in high school to develop and print photographs, which he found enjoyable despite the time-consuming process.

What aspect of photography does the speaker particularly enjoy?

The speaker particularly enjoys the process of printing photographs and the excitement of seeing the images come out of the developing solution, comparing it to opening a Christmas present.

What type of camera does the speaker mention using for most of the photographs in the book?

The speaker mentions using a wide Lux camera for most of the photographs in the book, which has a unique slit that exposes the film as the lens pans.

Who is hosting the book club, and what is the purpose of this series?

Peter McKinnon is hosting the book club with the purpose of exploring books for inspiration, discovering new photographers, and enjoying the stories behind photographs.

What is the speaker's opinion on social media and its impact on storytelling in photography?

The speaker believes that while social media has been crucial for his career, it has led to less storytelling in photographs. He finds that books offer a more immersive and personal experience with photography and its stories.

What is unique about the wide Lux camera that the speaker discusses?

The wide Lux camera is unique because it has a fixed focus, limited shutter speeds, and requires the photographer to 'wing it' with fewer technical options, leading to a more immersive and in-the-moment photography experience.

How does the speaker describe the layout and personal touch of 'Pictures Volume 1' by Jeff Bridges?

The speaker describes the layout of 'Pictures Volume 1' as phenomenal, with proof sheets scattered throughout the book, showing Jeff Bridges' markings, selections, and notes, giving a personal feel into the creative process.

What technique did Jeff Bridges use to capture portraits with two expressions on one negative?

Jeff Bridges used a technique where he physically moved the subject as the camera panned, capturing the portrait twice on one negative.

What does the speaker find particularly immersive about the wide Lux camera's panoramic photos?

The speaker finds the wide Lux camera's panoramic photos particularly immersive because they make him feel present in the photograph, as if he is being inserted into the frame.

How does the speaker describe the storytelling aspect of photography as depicted in Jeff Bridges' book?

The speaker describes the storytelling aspect as being very possible in unlikely places and emphasizes the importance of thought before taking the frame, which makes a significant difference in the storytelling power of a photograph.

What did the speaker learn from Jeff Bridges' book about composition and creativity in photography?

The speaker learned about fresh perspectives on composition and numerous creative ways to compose a picture using the wide Lux camera, which he had not thought about or seen before.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of mistakes in photography?

The speaker believes that sometimes mistakes, such as being slightly underexposed, can lead to unique and cool shots that add character and cannot be replicated.

How does Jeff Bridges use the wide Lux camera for self-portraits?

Jeff Bridges uses the wide Lux camera unconventionally for self-portraits, taking advantage of its panoramic capabilities to create unique and interesting self-portraits.

What does the speaker recommend for those interested in 'Pictures Volume 1' by Jeff Bridges?

The speaker highly recommends finding and exploring 'Pictures Volume 1' by Jeff Bridges for its storytelling, unique perspectives, and creative composition.

Outlines

00:00

📸 The Passion for Photography and Book Club Introduction

Peter McKinnon reflects on his lifelong passion for photography, starting with his dad's Nikon camera and setting up a darkroom in high school. He admits not enjoying developing negatives but loves the excitement of printing and seeing images come to life. He introduces his new series, 'Pete's Book Club,' where he combines coffee and photo books for a unique experience. The first episode features Jeff Bridges' photography book, which inspired Peter to explore wide Lux cameras and find inspiration beyond social media.

05:01

🎞 Unique Perspectives and Creative Portraits with Wide Lux

The script delves into Jeff Bridges' unique photography techniques using the wide Lux camera, which captures images in a panoramic format. It discusses the creative process of taking portraits by exposing the subject twice on one negative, creating a dynamic image with two expressions. The camera's limitations, such as fixed focus and limited shutter speeds, are highlighted as features that encourage photographers to be more present and creative in the moment.

10:01

🌟 Storytelling Through Photography and the Power of Widelux

Peter shares his admiration for Jeff Bridges' ability to tell stories through his photographs, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in photography. He describes specific images from the book that capture anticipation, emotion, and the behind-the-scenes of movie sets. The wide Lux camera's capacity to create immersive and wide panoramic photos is praised for its ability to transport viewers into the scene.

15:08

🤳 Selfie Mastery with Widelux and Embracing Imperfections

The final paragraph focuses on Jeff Bridges' mastery of taking selfies with the wide Lux camera, showcasing unconventional and creative compositions. Peter also discusses the value of embracing imperfections in photography, using his own experiences with underexposed and slightly off-focus shots that resulted in unique and memorable images. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of thought and intention in creating impactful photographs.

🤔 A Curiosity about a TikTok Trend

In the last paragraph, Peter briefly mentions a curiosity about a trend he saw on TikTok, hinting at the influence of social media on creativity and the exploration of new ideas.

Keywords

💡Photography

Photography is the art, practice, and technique of capturing images through a camera lens. In the video, it is the central theme as the speaker discusses their passion for taking pictures and making movies, starting from using their dad's Nikon to setting up a dark room in high school. The entire narrative revolves around the love for photography and its evolution.

💡Developing negatives

Developing negatives refers to the process of transforming photographic film into photographic prints through chemical reactions. The speaker mentions not enjoying this part of photography, which is considered important but not as exciting as the printing process for them. This term is integral to understanding the traditional film photography process.

💡Printing

Printing in photography is the act of creating a physical photograph from a negative or digital file. The speaker expresses a deep love for this step, describing the excitement of seeing images come out of the 'soup' and the joy of revisiting moments captured on a proof sheet.

💡Wide Lux camera

The Wide Lux camera is a type of panoramic camera that exposes film through a moving slit as the lens pans. It is highlighted in the video as a unique tool used by Jeff Bridges and later by the speaker, emphasizing its role in creating wide, immersive images that tell more complete stories.

💡Book club

In the context of the video, 'book club' refers to the new series initiated by the speaker where they discuss photo books for inspiration. It is a departure from traditional book clubs, focusing on visual storytelling and the art of photography rather than literature.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is a key concept in the video, as the speaker seeks it through photo books rather than social media. It is the driving force behind the book club series and the exploration of new photographic techniques and perspectives.

💡Proof sheet

A proof sheet is a contact print of all the frames on a roll of film, used to review and select images for further printing. The speaker describes the experience of looking at a proof sheet for the first time as opening a Christmas present, indicating its significance in the joy of photography.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling through photography is the ability to convey a narrative or evoke emotions through images. The video emphasizes this concept, particularly in the context of Jeff Bridges' work and the speaker's own realization of the power of a single frame to tell a compelling story.

💡Pano camera

A Pano camera, short for panoramic camera, is used to capture wide-angle images. The video mentions the Xan Pano as a popular model, highlighting the unique perspectives and compositions these cameras offer for creative photography.

💡Selfie

A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a smartphone or camera held in the hand. The video describes Jeff Bridges' innovative use of a panoramic camera for selfies in the 1990s, showcasing the camera's versatility and creative potential.

💡Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building and hosting platform mentioned in the video for its ease of use and features suitable for photographers to sell their works, services, and prints. It represents a tool for photographers to establish an online presence and commerce.

Highlights

Peter McKinnon shares his passion for photography, starting with his dad's Nikon and setting up a dark room in high school.

The joy of developing prints and the excitement of seeing images come to life from the 'soup' is likened to opening a Christmas present.

Introduction of Peter's new series 'Pete's Book Club', combining coffee and photo books for a unique experience.

The use of a Widelux camera by Jeff Bridges, which provides a unique perspective and inspired Peter to find and use one.

Jeff Bridges' book 'Pictures Volume 1' is praised for its phenomenal layout and personal touch with proof sheets and notes.

The creative technique of double exposure using the Widelux camera to capture two expressions in one photo.

Peter's realization of the importance of storytelling in photography and how it can be achieved through various means.

The book's portrayal of behind-the-scenes moments and the unique access Jeff Bridges has as an actor.

Sponsorship mention of Squarespace and its benefits for photographers to sell prints, books, and services.

A standout photo of Barbara Streisand using a mirror to create a double portrait effect with the Widelux camera.

The immersive quality of Widelux panoramic photos that make viewers feel present in the scene.

Creative use of the Widelux for vertical shots and unconventional selfie techniques.

Jeff Bridges' handwritten notes in the book that provide context and add to the storytelling aspect of his photos.

A powerful photo from the movie set of 'White Squall' that tells a compelling story through its composition.

Peter's personal experience with the Widelux camera, capturing a unique photo of JJ On Stage at Red Rocks.

The importance of being open to happy accidents in photography and how they can lead to unique images.

A portrait of Tommy Lee Jones that showcases the camera's ability to capture crisp details and dynamic scenes.

Jeff Bridges' mastery of the selfie with the Widelux camera, showcasing its versatility and creative potential.

The conclusion of the book club episode emphasizing the value of storytelling in photography and the fresh perspectives gained.

Transcripts

[Music]

I've been taking pictures and making

movies most of my life the first shot in

this book is of my mom and dad it's one

of the earliest and probably my favorite

the shot was taken with my dad's Nikon I

started taking pictures with it in high

school I set up a dark room and would

lose track of time developing and

printing for hours and hours listening

to FM radio in the red safe

light I must say I never really enjoyed

developing negatives it's probably the

most important part of the whole process

but what I loved was the printing

watching those images come out of the

soup seeing that proof sheet of pictures

I had taken weeks before and forgotten

all about that's what I

loved to this day looking at a proof

sheet for the first time is like opening

a Christmas present I've given to myself

to feel the moment of the picture all

over again most of the other photographs

in this book were taken with a wide luux

camera instead of a traditional shutter

it has a slit that as the lens pans

exposes the

film it's been a minute since we've done

that and I will tell you it felt good

what's up everybody Peter McKinnon here

and welcome to the first episode of book

club now don't don't worry this isn't

going to be academic or lame or I did

not do well with academics or would

never have been part of something called

book club but alas 2024 here we are

Peter McKinnon hosting a book club who

would have thought my parents are

probably so proud in trying to evolve my

craft and become a better artist and

photographer one of the things I did was

starting to look to books for

inspiration one it stopped me from

scrolling endlessly on social media two

I was able to find new photographers

that I didn't even know existed three I

love looking at pictures and reading the

stories about each image you see

captions back when Instagram was new and

fresh I felt like people took more time

to write more stories about their photos

or experiences or what they were sharing

online that's not so much the case

anymore I find but you still get plenty

of stories within someone's photo book

so we thought it would be fun to start a

new series where we make coffee feature

a different blend and feature a

different photo book smash those two

things together you've got Pete's book

[Music]

club can't forget the shell light dude

shell

light is it weird before we dive in

we've got some James coffee Ethiopia in

the Cup today with a little khita wave

poured over it felt good to get coffee

back in my shop and and making it myself

again for me and the captain cheers Bud

all right just like the old days where

do I even start with Jeff Bridges

pictures there's so many places to start

we'll start with one that yes this is

the actor Jeff Bridges who's been in

movies since well for me like the

beginning of time what that's done for

Jeff is put him in situations

environments and positions to shoot

incredibly unique photographs because

he's able to bring his camera to set

that gives him a very unique perspective

of things to photograph and I think

that's what makes this so interesting

seeing familiar faces seeing other

actors the behind the scenes the peak

behind the curtain that you don't

otherwise get to see from a very

talented photographer Jeff Bridges is

he's a great great photographer if you

didn't know now you know and he uses the

wide Lux camera we made a video about

that a month or two ago that was

inspired from this book after seeing

these images I had to find a widelux

camera and I can say since then it has

become probably my most used camera of

the last few months since receiving it

that's a level of inspiration I haven't

got from scrolling social media again

I'm not trying to dog on it it's my

career I've built my career I'm very

grateful for social media but turning to

books to find my inspiration instead has

has been amazing let's take a look at

pictures volume 1 first off the layout

of this book is absolutely phenomenal

the proof sheets that he talks about in

the forward are scattered throughout the

beginning and the end of this book and

you can see all of his markings and

selections and notes and that gives you

a really nice personal feel into the

creative process that he must have gone

through When selecting which images to

use for this book which is a very long

and lengthy process ask me how I know

now what's cool about this camera is it

has a fixed Focus there's only three

shutter speeds and most of the time

you're just kind of winging it with not

a lot of options and not a lot of

flexibility it kind of takes a lot of

the technical out of Photography and

puts you more in the moment and that's

what I really enjoyed about it that's

what really shines in this book there

are a series of portraits in this book

that uh were really interesting and I

couldn't wrap my head around how it was

being done it's portrait of someone

where he exposes them twice so you get

two pictures of someone on one negative

and Kirk actually came downstairs and

opened the book and looked at it and was

like oh he's just moving physically as

the camera is panning so that he can

capture the portrait twice and Kirk was

right he took 5 Seconds figured it out

and it's a super creative way to get a

portrait and get two expressions out of

somebody in one photo throughout this

book he's got different portraits of

different actors I think that's a really

unique way of capturing people too that

became kind of his staple you're going

to frown and look that way with your

eyes and then when I say shift as fast

as you can smile and look that way

[Music]

okay

ship maybe Kirk watched that before he

told me he didn't he's just smart before

we go further we'll pay some bills real

quick and thank Squarespace for

sponsoring this video Jeff Bridges could

use a Squarespace website he could sell

his books on his Squarespace website I

plan to sell my book on my Squarespace

website now if you're a photographer and

you want to sell prints and your books

or your services or book client meetings

all of the things that pertain to being

a business owner as a photographer you

can get that up and running before the

day is over by using Squarespace they

have a super easy all-in-one platform

and they have all sorts of great SEO

tools built in so if you are doing

events or you're a local photographer

and you're trying to get recognized

you're trying to get more work those SEO

tools will help you with that your new

blueprint system is also a personalized

experience that helps you get up and

running with a custom site and that's

where you can choose from professionally

curated layouts styling options and

that's what gets you that creative

presence from the ground up my favorite

thing is that it's optimized for every

device because there's so many things

coming out all the time screen sizes are

different monitors are different tablets

it's it's a mess but that's all

optimized so it looks good no matter

who's looking at it no matter what

they're looking at it on lots of easy

checkout options flexible payments if

you are sell in products that's good and

you can book appointments so if you are

a photographer and you want to do a

consultation and you want to have

someone be able to go into your website

choose a time and book an appointment

that's cool those things start coming

into the inbox you can manage the whole

system the whole business from that back

end I can save you 10% by using Code

McKinnon at checkout so head over to

squarespace.com McKinnon hit that code

get that discount and get that website

online before the end of the day

speaking of which I I could probably use

an update on my website now we write

that down on the Whiteboard I think my

my favorite picture in this book is of

barbar strian 1996 the use of a mirror

when I saw this portrait for the first

time I thought it was two separate

photos of Barbara he's capturing the

reflection in the mirror and the widelux

pans over to her in real life standing

in front of the mirror so you get that

portrait twice without moving anything

there's a certain immersion with the

widelux camera that really makes you

feel like you're being inserted to the

frame be it that it's a landscape or a

portrait I've never seen photos that

make me feel more than the widelux and

not to say that feel something

emotionally but feel present in the

photograph I've never been transported

to that place more than when I see one

of these panoramic photos that's

obviously not just the wide Lux there's

lots of different panoramic cameras the

xan being one of the most popular if not

the most popular it really stops you in

your tracks here's another Super

Creative use of a widelux we know that

it pans left to right but what if you

turn the camera vertically and hand

bottom to top I found myself enamored

with the numerous ways you could

creatively compose a picture that I

haven't thought about or seen before now

when I talk about Jeff being in certain

situations where most of us aren't

finding ourselves in on a daily basis CU

We're Not actors on sets with crazy

budgets being able to shoot these things

and that's not uh to say his life is

easy or it's that's why he's able to get

these things not at all but wow does it

ever make them miraculous look at this

if you saw this photo blown up in my

office on the wall with no context you

would look at that and think what is

happening where is this pirate ship why

are there three guys overboard swimming

towards it the sea is Raging where were

you to get this photo why is it so wide

there's so many questions it's it's

unbelievable some of these pictures Jeff

has handwritten notes to what's been

going on in the picture which I like we

shot parts of white squall on the island

of Malta there was a huge tank there you

could create the illusion of being at

Sea by lining up the edge of the tank

with the Horizon of the real

ocean it's a

tank I was today years old when I

realized I was I've never read that

excerpt before they used jet engines and

giant fans to make hurricane force winds

and dumped massive amounts of ocean

water down these slides on top of us

that's so cool I almost drowned out

there it was n so much the water as

inhaling all of that damn jet fuel

that's crazy see what a great like what

a great story here's a wide of that tank

lined up with the Horizon of the ocean

dude look at look at that like that's

what I mean you don't get that if you're

not Jeff bridge is on set I mean yeah no

you won't that's so sick all right

there's one shot in here that for me

tells so much story I've always and

often struggled with being able to Comm

communicate a story within a photograph

that might be because a lot of what I

shot originally and growing up was

landscape photos you kind of just it is

what it is it's a beautiful landscape

maybe not so beautiful as I started

getting more of these photo books and

diving into other photographers works I

noticed more story in their photos by

reading their captions and reading their

forwards you learn so much about the

artist and what makes them shoot the way

they shoot this particular book and one

of these photos in here from me is the

exact depiction of Storytelling in a

photograph and let me show you forget

the fact that this is a movie set and

this is all fictional but you know

movies tell stories and this is a great

story in a photograph be you've seen the

movie or not it's from 1988 so you

probably haven't but look at the story

this tells you have the girls waiting to

go on stage their anticipation the one

girl holding other people back maybe

she's the leader of the group or the

performance maybe they're nervous but

they're getting ready to go on they're

being introduced on the right side you

have someone introducing maybe what's

about to happen you also have the

audience in anticipation waiting for

what's about to happen both exposed in

the dark exposed in the light I love

this photo one of the strengths Jeff has

in this book and throughout this volume

and there's a second volume which is

probably another video is he's great at

capturing the crew people hanging out

people doing their jobs and that also

brings you into the scene makes you feel

like you're in this car about to give

your lines does it matter that it's not

perfectly in Focus this thing is pre

focused at 11 ft obviously playing with

your aperture and depending on what

speed film you're using and your

distance to things that's going to

change but I've learned in shooting film

that sometimes some of the coolest shots

aren't in focus at all or mistakes end

up being some of the cool shots this

camera particularly really loosened me

up and to just dive into that for 2

seconds last week I was in Colorado

shooting Cleo at Red Rocks here's a shot

of JJ On Stage that's slightly

underexposed and I happened to get that

frame right as they were blasting some

red lights but the way their lights

bleed with my exposure on the wide Lux

that's an example right there of like a

good frame that I'm proud of but also

mixed with a bit of a happy accident

because it is a little underexposed but

all the right things kind of work

together in the right and wrong way

giving me a really unique photograph

that I won't ever be able to replicate

here's a portrait Tommy Lee Jones in a

hallway look at all the papers nice and

crisp on the wall like there's so many

things happening in this photo there's

so much going going on and you probably

miss it all first pass you just you just

flip through you're like oh that's cool

very creative use of composition there's

that hallway shot again left and right

of a hallway Gary in the middle so sick

lastly Jeff is a master of the selfie

with the wide luux it's a really cool

camera to do a selfie with because it's

just very

unconventional this guy was banging off

selfies with a Pano cam in 1998 needless

to say I had to try it myself and yes it

does look pretty rad I don't want to

spoil any more of this book Because half

the fun of getting a photo book is going

through it for the first time and seeing

and experiencing these photos that the

photographers have worked hard for uh

without having having seen it all online

first so that is where I will leave it

with Jeff Bridges pictures volume 1 if I

can sum anything up from what I've

learned with this it's that storytelling

is very possible in the most unlikely

places when it comes to photography as

hard as as it may sound or as cliche as

it may sound it's actually easier to do

than you would think and it makes a huge

difference When the Thought is put in

before the frame's taken I got to see so

many fresh perspectives on composition

when it comes to this book that I've

never seen before in all the years I've

been doing photography so being exposed

to that as a photographer is like

finding a new color imagine just digging

a hole and finding a new color that's

like that thought blows my mind so that

was book club

episode 1 thanks for joining us hope you

had a good time if you can find this

book highly recommend it this is the

first edition the second edition is

easier to find I think the first book is

better but we'll save that for another

video the next video we got to find out

who Ginger

is she she sold her copy

[Music]

does it look

good is it is it

weird the I saw this guy on Tik

Tock gave the I kind of dig it