C. M. Franke | Photography

              S ince I first got started in photography, I have had a fascination with creating portraits that bore what I liked to refer to as "Cinematic Style." I tried to incorporate lighting and camera angles used in Hollywood to create photos that looked less like traditonal portraits, and more like the client / subject had been photographed on the set of a blockbuster movie.                Now comes the next step in the development of this style: " Single Shot Cinema ." Not just portraits that use movie techniques, but images that are stand-alone narratives themselves. Single image movies, for lack of a better euphamism. The concept of these shots is not just to capture the subject, but to incorporate them into a 'story.' A story that the viewer creates in their mind. Complete with titles and a treatment that dupicates the look of a movie shown on the silver screen at the multi-plex, Single Shot Cinema really does let me  '...Put You in Pictures

A shot of myself with actor Lloyd Meyer during photography of The Tidewatcher . The shoreline of West Haven Connecticut stood in for the the fictional town of "Shadow Bay." (That's me on the left trying - pretty unsuccessfully - to look taller...)

After putting together The Tidewatcher , putting it up on the website, re-cutting it for length and clarity, letting it sit for a month - then cutting it yet again, I think I can finally say... This is about as good as it's going to get! Actually, the project was a HUGE learning experience. I discovered that imagery which might make for a great motion picture does not always translate well (or with as much impact) in the form of still photos. Less definitely is more here. And the fact that there is no music, nor sound effects means that the dynamics of a "still-image movie" are much different in the final form than they might be when originally written or imagined. But overall, it is a project I am glad I attempted - and I may try another such 'cinematic project' at some point, who knows.... Stay tuned