Creating Still Images Using Film Noir Styles

"Film noir is a new cinematic technique that made use of dark or dim lighting effects, dreary settings, filtered lights and generally dark themes and characterizations. Noir scenes are made from interesting camera angles and with dramatic close-ups and shadowed lighting. Frequently the stories use of smoke-filled rooms, views of light filtered through venetian blinds, seedy downtown areas with neon lights, dark wet streets to heighten the noir effect."

My group and I captured and edited a variety of portraits around the school which reflect the moody, melodramatic, shadowed, film noir style.We created shadows and sillhouettes with artificial lighting, and in different locations around the school including the studio for tall plain walls to project light, and a cupboard with a door which had a glass pane to photograph through. We also tried a variation of different poses for our models to bring life to the traditional film noir characters, such as the seductive femme fatale, shady villain, and shaken anti-hero. Finally, we all contributed to bringing our own costume and mise en scene for our character, which included dark, sultry femme fatale costumes and cigarette props, which are conventional to the film noir style.

Below are the portraits that I have edited, compared and contrasted with similar work from other photographers of this style:

Image 1:

This image represents the femme fatale character, as it balances feminity; red lipstick and a delicate expression/pose, with danger; the pistol and heavy shadows. It is more conventional to the neo noir style rather than traditional film noir due to the colours, as I used Photoshop to add a faded black and white filter, but coloured her lips red. The image contrasts power with weakness, as the femme fatale characters are traditionally both empowered and vulnerable. The power is presented by the use of chiaroscuro, with the strong, bold shadows of the pistol which are emphasised against the light wall and her body. Her vulnerability is presented by her worried expression and the handkerchief she is clutching, which creates the image of a 'damsel in distress'.



I have compared my portrait to the pose and character of 'Film Noir Gun Girl' by Kollin Bliss, due to the similarities with the model's style, close-up type of shot, pistol mise en scene, and presentation of the femme fatale character. The image contrasts as Bliss' image is more traditional film noir, whereas my edit is in the neo noir style.

Image 2:

This image represents three traditional film noir characters; the femme fatale, redemptive woman, and villain. The femme fatale is presented conventionally as she is revealing with her costume to reflect her seductiveness, and is shadowed and smoking to present rebelliousness and danger. Her vulnerability is also displayed as she is facing the silhouette of the villian. The femme fatale is contrasted by the redemptive woman, who is lighter to symbolise her purity and innocence. Finally, the villain is presented with a strong silhouette to create mystery, and is much larger than the other characters to display power and strength. Unconventionally, the villain is female (which you can from her silhouette) as we did not have any male members in our group. However the image is conventional to the traditional film noir style due to it's use of chiaroscuro for silhouettes and shadows, and black and white filter.