Cinematographers know about making movie scripts into the images on our screens. You’ve seen the initials “ASC” after countless screen credits and probably don’t know it stands for the American Society of Cinematographers. The acronym signifies the bearer is an industry-recognized master of their highly technical and artistic craft.
The ASC’s monthly magazine—American Cinematographer—started in November 1920. It pre-dates sound. Few industries offer as much scandal and drama as the film industry but there’s not a whiff of it in the magazine. Much like the Oscars, it tends towards mutual congratulation. Lots of gear adverts though.
The May 2025 edition is their annual still photography issue—intriguing given the skill of the ASC members involved. The cover image is a child in a red dress taken through frosted glass. It’s a strong image with high contrast, a dominating primary color and a clear subject. The two images on the contents page vary in quality—two people silhouetted on a swing at night with atmospheric blue, green and red neon lights behind them. What are they talking about? There’s mystery here. The second image comes straight from a stock image archive: a small boat on a beach with a rope leading the eye to the anchor in the foreground. At least there’s a leading line.
Like most recent movies, it goes downhill after a strong opening. The first collection is “Places.” David Mullen’s leading image is a high-contrast monochrome shot of the Eiffel Tower shrouded in nighttime fog. All very Lonely Planet. And then lots of dull images of backlit trees. Shana Hagan and Ravi Varman’s are flat compositions with an orange sunrise. Nancy Schrieber shows two skies and four trees in one image: a blue sky taken through a car window capturing an orange sunset in the exterior mirror. Eben Bolter and Mihai Malaimare Jr.’s images are color studies. Charlie Lieberman shows a hazy Malibu Creek Park. Then some dull black and white images of corridors and stairwells. The highlight is Roberto Schaefer’s “After Hopper”—a worker silhouetted in patch of light seen through partition office windows.
“People and Faces” offers mostly unspectacular images—photos of children playing and a man jumping into the ocean. Long exposures and Dutch angles add nothing to dull subjects. Yet, Jon Joffin’s image of a shop window dummy in a red wig caught in yellow light stands out. As does Dana Gonzales’ “Girl on a Red Bus” contrasting a red frame with yellow electric light and a hint of blue exterior daylight. Crescenzo Notarille’s is a selective color image of a cat. Richard Crudo captures a seagull. The still life section was entirely lifeless.
What a dull collection of Vermeer and Rothko clichés, absent subjects, and flat compositions. For self-proclaimed master storytellers, this collection suggests they started shooting once the book was closed.