7 Top Movies to Get Inspired By as a Photographer

Photography is more than just capturing images—it's about storytelling, emotion, and creative vision. Some of the best photography lessons don't come from books or tutorials but from the world of cinema. Great films use composition, lighting, and color to create stunning visuals, just like a photographer does when framing a shot.

In this blog, I've put together a list of films that are a great source of inspiration for photographers. Whether you're drawn to dramatic black-and-white photography, vibrant colors, or grand cinematic landscapes, these films will give you fresh ideas for your own photography.

1. Amélie (2001)

Amélie is a French film about a shy young woman named Amélie, who finds joy in helping others in Paris. It is well-known for its unique style, vibrant colours and playful visuals.

The visuals use bold and saturated colors, particularly reds, greens, and yellows, to give a warm and magical atmosphere. The framing and composition of each shot show lots of symmetry and interesting angles. The film also uses close-ups, slow motion, and unexpected perspectives. 

Amélie is one of my favorite movies. I love how it uses color and composition to tell the story. It also teaches how to create a mood and highlight small details to make them feel important, which is excellent for photographers who want to bring a sense of magic to everyday moments.

2. Life of Pi (2012)

Life of Pi is a movie about a young boy named Pi, who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The film shows Pi's struggle for survival and deep connection with nature.

The visuals in the film are stunning, with vibrant colors and soft lighting that create an almost dreamlike atmosphere. The ocean is captured in wide shots to reflect its vastness, while the moments between Pi and the tiger are filmed up close to create an emotional connection.

Life of Pi is an excellent source of inspiration for photographers who want to create a sense of wonder in their photographs by using light, color, and perspective, as well as deep emotional moments, even in a simple setting.

3. Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Grand Budapest Hotel follows a hotel concierge and his protégé as they become involved in a series of misadventures. The movie was directed by Wes Anderson, known for his unique and highly stylized visuals.

The cinematography of this movie is exceptional, with bold and vibrant colors, symmetrical compositions, and highly detailed sets. Frames are carefully arranged with contrasting colors, quirky angles, and almost theatrical staging. 

Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterclass in symmetry and composition. The movie shows how to create visual harmony and storytelling using a perfect balance in the frame, color palette and attention to detail. This movie is a must-see for any photographer looking to experiment with symmetry, color contrast, and visual storytelling.

4. The Salt of the Earth (2015)

The Salt of the Eart is a documentary about the life and work of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. Directed by Wim Wenders and Salgado's son, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, the film shows Sebastião's personal journey and the impact his black-and-white images of human suffering, conflict, and natural beauty have had on the world.

The visuals are striking especially Salgado's iconic black-and-white images. The way he uses light and shadow brings out the depth and emotion in his shots.

As a photographer, I find The Salt of the Earth inspiring because it clearly shows how photography can be used to tell important stories and create strong emotions. For me, this documentary and Salgado's work are a reminder that photos can change the way we see the world.

5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2015)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie about a man named Walter who often escapes his everyday life by imagining adventures that take him to beautiful and remote places around the world. 

As a landscape photographer, I love the natural visuals of this movie (mountains, oceans, remote islands) and the way Walter's imagination blends with the reality of his adventure. The movie uses vibrant colors and wide shots to make the natural world feel large. 

This film is inspiring for photographers because it shows how they can use landscapes to tell a story. The way the film uses color and perspective is an excellent lesson in capturing the feeling of being in a vast and beautiful place.

6. Dune (2021)

Dune is a science fiction film based on Frank Herbert's novel, set in a desert world called Arrakis. 

The visuals in Dune are grand and dramatic. The film makes excellent use of light and shadow, with the golden hues of the desert contrasting against the dark and moody scenes inside spaceships and palaces. The large-scale shots of sand dunes create a powerful atmosphere.

For photographers, Dune offers a lot of inspiration in terms of scale and texture. The way light plays off the sand and the film's use of colour to enhance mood are excellent lessons. The vast and empty landscapes show how to create a sense of isolation through perspective and composition. It's a great example of how to use light and shadow to tell a story and capture the beauty of nature's most extreme environments.

7. Lee (2022)

Lee is an incredible movie about a famous American photographer, Lee Miller. The film follows her journey during World War II and how she became one of the most influential photojournalists of the 20th century.

The film offers powerful visuals and shows some of Lee's iconic photographs. Lighting and contrasts are used in the movie to show the emotional impact of the images. 

Lee is an inspiring movie for anybody, but especially for photographers, as it shows how to meaningful moments through a camera. It also teaches how to use light, contrast, and composition to tell a story. Lee Miller's work reminds photographers of the power of images to document history.

The Bottom Line

Movies have a unique way of teaching us about photography—through light, composition, color, and storytelling. Each of the films on this list offers something unique, whether it's the dramatic black-and-white imagery of The Salt of the Earth, the vibrant colors of Amélie, or the vast landscapes of Dune.

As photographers, we can learn a lot by studying how filmmakers use visuals to create mood, emotion, and depth. So next time you watch a movie, pay attention to the cinematography—you might just find inspiration for your next shot.