The Filmmaker’s Eye: The Power of Lenses and the Expressive Cinematic Image

Understanding the language of the lens is key for today’s filmmakers and cinematographers. Lenses and the different images they produce have the power to propel story, evoke dramatic/emotional responses from the audience, as well as give a film a certain aesthetic. Today, interchangeable lens systems are more accessible than ever due to their decreasing prices and the increasing amounts of cameras that allow for interchangeable lens use.

While some cinematography books touch on the use of different lenses, this is the first book to treat the topic with the breadth it commands. Following the same format of the author’s first book, the very successful, Filmmaker’s Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition, Filmmaker’s Eye: Language of the Lens shows readers in a visually-stunning way how crucial lens selection is to the design and intentions of a filmmaker’s visual story. Scenes from a wide range of movies are shown in 4-color, and then broken down to convey what lens was used, why it was used, and how the reader can use that lens on their own film to achieve the look, story, and emotions they seek.