Make Your Movie-Night Inspiring!

The relentless schedule of courses and homework can often make you feel burnt out on studying photography, but I have a list of five movies and a television series for you to catch that might help you feel a little more inspired as a professional as opposed to student in your downtime.

1. "Capture With Mark Seliger"

I have this show set to record on my DVR.  It airs on the Ovation channel (on DirecTV for me) on Sundays at 4:00 and 4:30 p.m.  Seliger, the host, has some very famous guest photographers come talk about their experiences and he also has some famous actors who might surprise you as being photographers and enthusiasts!  They discuss iconic photos as well as have a Q&A at the end.  I highly recommend checking into this series.

2.  "'Fur' – An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus"

Starring Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Jr., this movie does not portray completely accurate truths about the life of Arbus, but it does tell the story of her transformation from lonely housewife to iconic photographer.  This would be a nice drama to watch for some much-needed downtime while staying sharp on all-things photography.

3.  "Annie Leibovitz 'Life Through A Lens'"

I have seen this movie before and I think it's great to learn about the experiences of such an esteemed, highly-sought-after portrait photographer and listen to the testimonies of those who have had a chance to work with her.  

4.  "Henri Cartier-Bresson 'The Impassioned Eye'"

Another big name in photography, Cartier Bresson's life and career are illustrated in this movie.  

5.  “Guest of Cindy Sherman”

A truthful depiction of Sherman's creative mind and artistic process.  "She made her debut in the art world with “Filmstills” – 69 black and white images that show Sherman herself in different situations that resemble scenes from famous movies." (Behrmann)   Intrigued?  Check it out!

Tuesday's Personal Pick:  "The Bridges of Madison County"

I know, I know, I'm a sucker for romance and dramatic cinema, so it should be no surprise that I would feel compelled to sneak in one of my personal favorites...  "What does this movie have to do with the list," you might be wondering?  Well, Clint Eastwood plays Robert Kincaid, a National Geographic photographer on assignment in Iowa to document the covered bridges.  (I bet it makes sense now why I put it on the list. *wink*)  It is not as educational as some of the documentaries here but it doesn't stray from the central theme of all-things photography.  

There are many, many movies out there about photography and famous photographers, but I thought I would keep the list short and sweet.  Do you have any recommendations on movies or television shows that discuss our central theme?  Please list them below in the comments!  Thanks for reading today!

Works Cited

Behrmann, Kai. "The 10 Best Photography Movies." topphotographyfilms. Top Photography Films, Inc., 18 July 2013. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://topphotographyfilms.com/videos/the-10-best-photography-movies/ >

"Capture With Mark Seliger." ovation. Ovation, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://www.ovationtv.com/series/capture-with-mark-seliger/ >

"'Fur'--An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus." Photograph. topphotographyfilms. Top Photography Films, Inc., 18 July 2013. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://topphotographyfilms.com/videos/the-10-best-photography-movies/ >

"Guest of Cindy Sherman." Photograph. topphotographyfilms. Top Photography Films, Inc., 18 July 2013. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://topphotographyfilms.com/videos/the-10-best-photography-movies/>

"Henri Cartier-Bresson 'The Impassioned Eye.'" Photograph. topphotographyfilms. Top Photography Films, Inc., 18 July 2013. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://topphotographyfilms.com/videos/the-10-best-photography-movies/ >

"Life Through A Lens." Photograph. topphotographyfilms. Top Photography Films, Inc., 18 July 2013. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://topphotographyfilms.com/videos/the-10-best-photography-movies/>

"The Bridges of Madison County." Photograph. rottentomatoes, Flixster, Inc., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bridges_of_madison_county/ >