There is something incredibly appealing about photography documentaries. They tend to be of a higher calibre due to the quality set by the photographer involved in the documentary. They are also a great way to improve and inspire your own work. So here is a collection of photographic documentaries you need to watch if you love photography or even just exciting documentaries!
1. “Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters”
“Brief Encounters” has successfully captured the inspiring and influential work of one of the world’s most accomplished photographers, Gregory Crewdson. Filmed over 10 years, the documentary presents the processes Crewdson uses to create his epic masterpieces, from his inspirations to the scouting and logistics necessary to produce the work, through to the post-processing of his photographs.
While watching the movie, you feel privileged to be getting such an in-depth perspective of the care Crewsdon takes to produce his detailed cinematic-inspired images. He allowed unlimited access to the film crew, which enabled them to capture the essence of Gregory Crewdson’s art.
- Directed and produced by Ben Shapiro
- Released on October 31, 2012 (New York City)
- Running time: 77 minutes
- Country: United States
- Language: English
Photographer Gregory Crewdson setting up a shot with his 8×10 camera on location in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Creative commons.
2. “Night on Earth”
Whilst not strictly a photography documentary, “Night on Earth” is something that everyone should watch, not only photography enthusiasts. The use of new low-light camera technology has allowed the documentarians to capture animals at night in high definition. The footage is breathtaking and brings incredible animal species in spectacular locations into your living room.
A variety of animals and their survival methods are captured in a myriad of environments. The series of episodes includes footage taken in jungles, oceans, cities, and tundras worldwide. Samira Wiley is the narrator, and she is a refreshing alternative to the usual nature narrators like David Attenborough and Peter Coyote.
- Distributed by Netflix
- Released on January 29, 2020
- Running Time: 40-52 Minutes
- Country: United Kingdom
- Language: English
3. “War Photographer”
“War Photographer” is an extraordinary documentary about an extraordinary photographer, James Nachtwey. Nachtwey is not a photographer who sees himself as removed from his subject matter. He believes that photographers are political and are involved in what is happening around them and the situation they are capturing. This documentary captures Nachtwey’s philosophy of us all being part of a whole, and that tragedies worldwide involve us all.
“War Photographer” is an emotive film that tells of an iconic photo-journalist who documents war. A photographer who is idealistic, compassionate, and humane despite witnessing the horror of war. The director has cleverly echoed these qualities by using a micro camera mounted onto Nachtwey’s SLR, which enables us to see what he sees.
- Produced by Christain Frei
- Released in November, 2001
- Running Time: 97 Minutes
- Country: Switzerland
- Language: English, German, and French
Rio de Janeiro – Photographer and environmentalist Sebastião Salgado. Creative commons.
4. “The Salt of the Earth”
Sebastião Salgado, like James Nachtwey, is no ordinary photographer. He, too, considers the photographer to be an interloper and not someone detached from their subject. “Salt of the Earth” follows Salgado’s life and showcases his work, which spans 40 years and includes major historical events in Africa, Europe, and Brazil, his motherland. Directed by Wim Wenders, a photographer, and Juliano Ribiero Salgado, Sebastião Salgado’s son, this award-winning documentary reveals how Salgado fell in love with photography and used his talent to capture natural environments and the people who live in them.
Salgado’s photographs illuminate the exploitation of people and the planet by individuals and corporations who are just out to maximize profit. They are so powerful and perfectly composed that they elevate documentary photography into art. The storyline and cinematography give the audience a startlingly clear insight into this amazing man.
- Produced and Directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
- Released on May 20, 2014 (Cannes)
- Running Time: 110 Minutes
- Country: France, Brazil, Italy
- Language: French, Portuguese, Italian, English
Still from Swiss Documentary “War Photographer” by Christian Frei with James Nachtwey. Creative commons.
5. “Through a Lens Darkly”
“Through a Lens Darkly” is the first documentary to explore the impact photographs have on the identity of African Americans from the times of slavery to the present day. It looks at the differences between white photographers’ images of African Americans and photographs taken by African Americans themselves. It reveals how the camera has been used as a tool by African Americans to affect social change. The documentary includes historical photographs of lynchings through happy family snaps to professional photographs by some of America’s most renowned black photographers.
Through these images, the documentarians have not only created an overview of African American history, but they have also presented them in a way that challenges the audience to understand how identities are affirmed through the photographs we take of one another. Many of the photographs featured in “Through a Lens Darkly” have never been seen before and open a window to African American culture and history that gives the audience a more in-depth view into the lives, experiences, and perspectives of African Americans.
- Produced and Directed by Thomas Allen Harris
- Released on January 17, 2014
- Running Time: 92 Minutes
- Country: United States
- Language: English
6. “The Mexican Suitcase”
“The Mexican Suitcase” is a photographic documentary with a twist. It follows the journey of over 4,500 film negatives of photographs taken during the Spanish Civil War by Gerda Taro, David Seymour, and Robert Capa, from their disappearance at the start of the second world war (WWII) to 2007, when they were rediscovered in a suitcase in Mexico City.
Three narratives come together in “The Mexican Suitcase.” The story of the suitcase, the story of exile, and who owns our histories. This documentary is a beautiful film that not only looks at history but at the memory and the impact that photography has in shaping both. It is a fascinating and soulful documentary that anyone interested in photography or history must watch.
- Directed by Trisha Ziff
- Produced by Trisha Ziff, Eamon O’Farrill, Paco Poch
- Released on July 9, 2011
- Running Time: 86 Minutes
- Country: Mexico
- Language: English and Spanish
Robert Capa’s negatives later found by his brother, Cornell Capa. Creative commons.
There you have it! Six photography documentaries that you might not have heard of before and need to watch. They will not only entertain you, but they will also inspire you to go out there and engage with the world and with the people and places you photograph.
Photo credits: Dreamstime. No usage without permission.
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is the founding editor of JRNY Travel Magazine as well as a professional travel photographer and writer based in the UK. His images have been used by clients such as Condé Nast, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and many others. Kav is also the co-founder of That Wild Idea, a company specializing in photography workshops and tours both in the UK and around the world.
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