Pan's Labyrinth: Photography Lesson From Guillermo del Toro
Simple composition, based around leather and wood, in Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Austria.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a classic fantasy film directed by Guillermo Del Toro. I’ve discovered that photographer’s can learn a great deal from how Del Toro strove for simplicity in his approach to film making, even when dealing with complex concepts.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a beautifully crafted film set in Franco’s Spain in 1944 at the end of WWII. Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, the 2006 film is about Ofelia, a young girl unhappy with her widowed mum’s decision to marry a Spanish Army Captain, and what happens after she opens a gateway into a fantasy world.
Given the opportunity to dwell, in a position of power, in this strange world, Ofelia accepts a series of dangerous challenges to prove her true nature and, as a consequence, gain entry into her fantasy kingdom.
Pan's Labyrinth: The Magic Of Myth and Symbolism
Pan’s Labyrinth is heavy with mythological references and symbolism. Beautifully lit and filmed from two different color palettes: one for the world of reality and the other for the fantasy realms, Pan’s Labyrinth is a masterpiece and a recognized classic in the fantasy genre.
No wonder the director, Guillermo Del Toro, was at one stage signed to direct the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel, The Hobbit.
I remember my first viewing of the MA (15 years and over in Australia) rated film which my nephew, Pat, had purchased on Blu-ray. I was immediately drawn into this dark and mysterious tale, which I found to be totally engrossing.
A second disk featured two hours of extras that I found to be extremely interesting. In particular, the directors intelligent and insightful description into the concepts underpinning the film and how he went about achieving his particular vision.
Whether the underground kingdom, of which Ofelia is said to be the long-lost princess, and characters in Pan’s Labyrinth like El Fauno are real or a creation of Ofelia’s psyche is never made clear.
Logic would dictate that Ofelia has manifested this fantasy realm, and the characters whom inhabit it, as a way of helping her cope with changing circumstances in her earthly existence. But the tension between what is real and what would seem to be imaginary is key to the experience of Pan’s Labyrinth.
The film is symbolic of how great personal sacrifice is required to attain eternal life and, therefore, why few pursue that path. Ofelia, however, has undertaken this most challenging journey and, after successfully completing it, has earned eternal life in her magical underworld kingdom.
One point worth making is that the film is in Spanish with, in my case, English subtitles. I sometimes find subtitles to be a drag. However, in this case, I found the concentration required to follow the subtitles only immersed me further into the reality of this fantasy world the filmmaker had so beautiful crafted.
We’re usually so passive when watching films. So I think the extra effort required to follow the subtitles, on so-called foreign language films, can shake us out of our laziness and result in a more interactive viewing experience.
The lesson here is that, by concentrating on what’s important, we’re less likely to be distracted. And great art is all about the creation of a highly focused, immersive experience.
I’m happy to recommend Pan’s Labyrinth, particularly for those who love films from the fantasy genre with a darker twist. I only wish I’d seen it on the big screen.
Photography And Achieving Simplicity Through Exclusion
It takes years for us photographers to understand that less is usually more and that what we leave out of the frame is as important as what we leave in.
“The hardest thing to pull off in art is simplicity”
Just take a look at Del Toro’s comment on achieving simplicity, which I’ve quoted above. I think his comment really hits the mark and, when put into practice, can be a great benefit to the photographer seeking to create ever more meaningful images.
It’s my view that, what ever aspect of photography we’re concerned with, whether it be the choice of subject matter, framing, composition, post processing or equipment, we should strive for an ever simpler approach.
Take a look at the photo at the top of this post, which I made in a chapel at Heiligenkreuz Abbey in Austria. Established in 1101 CE, it’s a beautiful and historically important site.
As you can see the scene is quite complex, comprising of a variety of shapes, textures, lines and objects. To make the image work I needed to simplify my composition, which I achieved as follows:
Critical focusing on the religious book that’s closest to the camera
Employing a shallow depth of field
Being mindful of the historical significance of the site and concentrating my composition on the line of wood and leather-bound books
Actually, the fact that the books are placed along a diagonal line, with their sharpness decreasing as the eye follows them further into the picture, helps to suggest the passing of time and the longevity of Heiligenkreuz Abbey.
Now take a look at the reduced color palette within the scene. The fact that the colors are, almost entirely, warm helped me to emphasize the nostalgia associated with Heiligenkreuz Abbey and its wonderful Baroque architecture.
Advantages Of Minimizing Your Camera Kit
It’s great to have really good cameras and lenses. Over the years I’ve been both gear rich and gear poor. Actually, I’ve owned over 30 cameras throughout my photography career.
Certainly there have been times when I’ve owned and carried far more gear than I’ve needed, or used for that matter.
These days I try to keep my camera gear to the minimum I can get away with for a particular job or outing. And I’ve downsized my camera backpack several times over recent years.
“The lighter my backpack gets, the better I feel and the more often I photograph.”
The more often I photograph the more likely I am to be making good images, particularly when I’m having fun. And carrying a backpack full of camera gear is no fun at all.
Surely, that’s a pretty powerful reason to consider reducing the amount of camera equipment you own and carry.
Believe me, in photography, just as in the rest of life, minimalism is everything it’s cracked up to be.
Such simple and easy words for me to write, yet a very hard lesson to learn. Actually, it’s true to say that the advantages of minimizing my camera gear is a lesson I’ve had to relearn, numerous times, over the years.
I’m happy now to pass on this learning to you, to do with as you see fit.
Just remember the power of minimalism and how taking a simple approach to the way you make photos can result in more beautifully crafted images.
Simplicity is the lesson we should all take from Pan’s Labyrinth and the genius of Director Guillermo Del Toro.
