“I am still learning, which keeps it fresh”: Interview with film still photographer JoJo Whilden

Christian Bale in “The Fighter”, 2010. Paramount Pictures. Photo by JoJo Whilden.

Watching a film, the moving picture, you can travel the world, its diversity and richness. You can also travel the whole spectrum of emotions. At the same time, a movie still, that photograph taken on or off set, offering a time capsule of film history, and maybe, with skill and sensibility, the soul of the whole film, has the power to make us stop and just stare in awe, vividly connecting memories and audiences of all ages. Amidst today’s excess of imagery that is threatening to engulf us yet consistently fails to grab our attention, let alone tell a story, that’s almost magical.

During film production, a still photographer often needs to be the fly on the wall, recording the film as it’s being made, a scene as it’s presented, but also waiting and instantly recognising a potential, something immediate, a unique moment, before editing and special effects, faithful in their eye and in capturing the story that the director is creating with his or her actors. The still photographer is incredibly quiet and gentle, watchful and patient, feisty and determined, even between takes, capturing the candid, earnest moments from behind the scenes, of intimacy, vulnerability, playfulness, shyness or bravado. Yes, they have license to shoot behind the scenes, but the tricks of the trade are not revealed, but rather actors, the faces who become larger than life on the big screen, making us live a thousand lives, become human again, and the craftsmen behind them become visible – often times you see men and women hard at work, the scale of a movie, and sometimes you feel you are glistening through a window into a dreamlike setting for someone’s fantasy in the making.

My guest today, set photographer JoJo Whilden (High Art, The Fighter, Certain Women, Still Alice, Rabbit Hole, The Silver Linings Playbook, A Late Quartet), joins me to discuss the specifics of still photography, reflects on her beginnings in photography and film in the New York City of the 1990s, recounts how she was allowed to watch Psycho at the cinema as a child, and shares her approach to fulfilling studio requests while trusting her own artistic instincts in capturing images that unfailingly represent the story and the characters. Although I believe the most faithful definition would be images that capture the spirit of the story or the character. Because it is her deep understanding and love of art and film that makes JoJo Whilden’s photography not just important, but very special, too. She deeply cares about the people she photographs, about everyone melding together on the set, about cinema being so unique, about the films she becomes part of, as a witness and ultimately as a prime architect – it’s usually the still photographs that will iconize the film and will stay with us beyond the end credits, and beyond the big screen.

Patricia Clarkson in “High Art”, 1999. October Films. Photo by JoJo Whilden

High Art, your first feature film, just had its 25th anniversary this past fall. How did you get to work on it and do you remember what the experience was like?

I was asked to work on High Art because the director was my best friend in college, simple as that. Of course there was little to no money involved, it was purely a creative project for me. I was involved early in the script development and shaping the character of the photography. I remember the experience very well. It was a hot, sweaty summer in NYC and we made High Art with a very small budget, mostly in Brooklyn. I was still in grad school (as was the director), and I would go to set with my analog film camera, shoot the scene that needed to be shot, then drop film at a lab in Manhattan’s former photo district. When the 35mm film was ready, I would take it to the darkrooms at ICP (International Center for Photography) and work on the prints for hour and hours. Not only was I responsible for the Lucy Berliner character photo shoots, I was responsible for collecting images from other photographers to populate the FRAME universe. I asked many photographer friends thru grad school, working at SABA and the Camera Club of New York, to submit their work. I was vaguely planning to be a fine artist after completing grad school, and I really had no interest in pursuing film. I liked working with others, but I was also used to working solo. High Art began to change that path for me.

”I am still learning, which keeps it fresh.”

When did you first become interested in photography, and what sparked you interest in cinema?

It is difficult to say when the spark occurred or if it was more like a slow burn. In my first year of college, I had a work study job in the university’s photography department. It was run by 3 middle aged guys who all learned photography in the Navy. They gave me a camera, film, my own black & white darkroom and a wonderful education. They also gave me assignments around campus and guided me through the different chemical processes. I was always drawn to photography, but it was a combination of grit in going after what I wanted and the luck of finding opportunities along the way that lead me to my career. I never took a photography class until I was in graduate school many years later. Reuniting with my college friend in NYC years later and meeting her film friends drew me into the independent film world of the 1990’s. They all needed photographers, and I said yes to everything. I was involved in photography on many levels. I worked as a photo editor at a premium photo agency, I belonged to NYC’s oldest photography darkroom collective, I went to shows and curated shows, I went to grad school at ICP/NYU in photography and I taught photography. Photography/art/cinema all collided in NYC, and it wasn’t long after High Art came out that I was asked to shoot other independent films. I gradually immersed myself in the moving image and the art of cinema, as well as all camera arts. I am still learning, which keeps it fresh.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in “A Late Quartet”, 2012. 20th Century Fox. Photo by JoJo Whilden

How would you describe the independent film world of the 1990s as opposed to the American independent film scene of today?

I am not sure independent filmmaking in the 1990’s was as heavily branded as ‘Independent Film’ is today. The branding aspect flowed from the professionalization of Indie filmmaking production, as well as the inclusion of indie films in prestigious film festivals around the world which bestowed success and credibility on the films. New talent was discovered at festivals, and studio distribution created more career opportunities for some Indie filmmakers – actors, directors, producers. As social media came into existence in the early aughts, everything indie and celebrity was amplified. I am not saying this is good or bad, as I have had many films find their footing at film festivals and on social media, but the essence and cost of scrappy indie filmmaking has perhaps changed. Obviously the technology has changed as well. On the flip side, filmmakers are still making independent cinema all the time. Look at a film like the excellent Tangerine (dir. Sean Baker, 2015), which was shot on an iPhone, you can still feel the inventive and independent roots of the production, as well the director’s story and vision. Filmmakers will keep inventing ways to get their content or stories out into the world.

Paul Schneider directing “Pretty Bird”, 2007. Photo by JoJo Whilden

“For me, the idea of creating something is to make a statement,
which is possible with words, images, music, movement.”

Asa Butterfield in “Ten Thousand Saints”, 2015. Photo by JoJo Whilden

”We are encouraged to explore
our own artistic instincts and ‘photographic eye’
within the parameters of what the studio or production requires.”

Lily Gladstone in ”Certain Women”, 2016. Sonic Pictures Classics. Photo by JoJo Whilden

Raymond Cauchetier, the photographer of The French New Wave, said: “Artists are creators. I am a witness.” Do you agree? How do you yourself approach set photography?

That’s also a difficult question to address, with the quote as preamble. I think, to a certain extent, it is accurate to say photographers are witnesses or archivists to history – and I mean this in relation to authentic photography rather than AI photography. I worked at a photojournalist news agency my first few years in NYC and thought a lot about photographers as witnesses. I felt it very strongly during the events of 9/11, which happened less than a mile from where I lived. I literally made myself get my camera and go to the roof of my building to document the twin towers going down. It was extremely emotional and difficult, but I felt a responsibility to record history. Of course this was before everyone had a camera phone in their pocket. As for the creation of art, I think photographers can create art with their photographs. I don’t think there is any art form exclusively assigned to ‘fine artists.’

For me, the idea of creating something is to make a statement, which is possible with words, images, music, movement. In relation to set photography, I try to understand the script and story ideas, as well as the characters, so that I can create images that lend themselves to the story.

DP Frank DeMarco, John Cameron Mitchell and Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”, 2010. Olympus Pictures. Photo by JoJo Whilden

A unit photographer typically works alone on set, they are not part of a department. Does that give you, to a certain extent, the freedom to be more creative on set?

Although the still photographer is generally considered a department of one on set, due to our singular responsibilities, we are also a member of the camera team and the camera union (International Cinematographers Guild), and we work very closely with publicists and photo producers. However, while we are working on set, we are generally working alone albeit within the busy context of a film set. To a large extent, we are encouraged to explore our own artistic instincts and ‘photographic eye’ within the parameters of what the studio or production requires.

You have worked on great movies and tv series, from The Fighter and Certain Women to Scenes from a Marriage and Rabbit Hole. Is there any film you developed a special bond with?

I develop a special bond with all the projects to which I commit. I work best when I am a little in love with the project, including the characters and locations. Identifying favorites would be unfair and bad business!

Eddie Redmayne in “The Good Nurse”, 2022. Netflix. Photo by JoJo Whilden

”I think writing is the most underrated aspect of filmmaking.”

The OA, 2016. Photo by JoJo Whilden

Do you ever think: “I could have taken a better shot?”

Of course! Not sure if you mean that question as directed to myself or to other photographers, but YES to both. I often spend time thinking about how other photographers got their shot.

What would be one of your most difficult shots that you’ve had to take, if you don’t mind sharing the story behind the camera with us?

There have been many difficult shots. Technically, the hardest shots to get are the extremely graphic, centered shots where there is only room for one camera to get the ideal shot, and of course the motion picture camera takes precedence. I am looking for alternative camera positions that will work well with the set-up that is available, and, if I am lucky, sometimes I end up with a better perspective. It can be frustrating not to get the camera position I want, but this is an essential part of the craft.

Other past technical difficulties, which have become less a problem, include having enough light to get a proper exposure. When we all shot on film, we all had the same limitations dictated by the films speed. When digital cameras became prevalent in the nineties, the motion picture cameras light sensitivity far surpassed what was available in SLR PRO digital cameras in terms of ISO speed. The lag in development caused big exposure challenges for still photographers. Many cinematographers liked to experiment with the new digital tech by using minimal light and riding the very edges of an acceptable exposure or the blacks. I am glad to say the DSLR cameras have mostly caught up. The myriad of challenges shooting on film sets is universal and affect everyone working on a film set, and that includes working in extreme temperatures, difficult locations, very long hours and so on.

Frances McDormand in Olive Kitteridge, 2014. HBO. Photo by JoJo Whilden

How often does it happen that the filmmakers and studios choose the images you yourself would have picked to represent the films? Does your idea of what represents the film often differ than theirs or do you often find yourselves on the same page?

When I have the opportunity to make selects, I always do so that I can help shape which images get selected. I love when I am surprised in a good way by the images that are selected and how they are used. I try not to submit work that I don’t feel good about, and I am very aware of the iconic legacy film stills leave in the world. Look at the book you reference on LA locations. I had a brief look at it, and it seems almost entirely illustrated with films stills, likely created by set photographers.

”I am very aware of the iconic legacy
film stills leave in the world.”

Yes, often times film stills rather than the moving image is what endures in the public’s collective mind. You capture the moments of a performance live, during a take as it is unfolding, but also between takes, watching everything as that world is being made. How difficult is it to get close while keeping your distance on the set of a movie? One particular image of yours on the set of The Fighter comes now to mind, that of Christian Bale with fists in fighting position, with director David O. Russell by his side, clearly not during a take but with a Christian Bale completely immersed in his character.

In reference to Christian Bale on the set of The Fighter, CB always stayed in character. He would still communicate with the director and crew as CB, but he never dropped character on set. As for gaining intimacy and trust from actors and directors on set, it’s a skill that I have nurtured over many years. On David O Russell’s sets, there is quite often no other way to get my job done without making myself part of the small circle of people allowed on set. The sets could be quite small, and the camera could roam anywhere, so it is essential to be hyper aware of what is going on with everyone and to be out of their way, while still being friendly and professional.

Christian Bale and David O. Russell on the set of “The Fighter”, 2010. Paramount Pictures. Photo by JoJo Whilden

I always stay through the end credits and watch the names of the artists of so many crafts that came together to tell the same story. How would you describe your work relationship with the rest of the crew on a film?

I have worked in the industry for close to 25 years in NYC, so when I walk on set for a new project, chances are I know a lot of people. I am close with many of them, we have worked together, we have had lunch together and I have nothing but love and respect for the work they do. I am also active in my Guild, which is the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE local 600).

”I rarely will leave a screening, even I don’t like it,
because I think there is always something for me to learn
from watching a poorly made film.”

What is the biggest misconception people have about Hollywood?

I am not sure how to answer this question because I don’t know if there is a single conception of what Hollywood is about. I think cinema is an art form and a commodity, and I can see it from both angles. As for the general movie watching population, I think people love stories and the comfort cinema can provide. I love the idea of people coming together with their various crafts to make a story, and I am also aware that it can cost a lot of money to make a movie, so there has to be some consideration of budgets and potential returns. Two dramatically different impulses by necessity must co-exist in filmmaking – art and commerce. However, the best cinema will always germinate from a clear and strong artistic vision as well as the need to tell an important story.

”The Fighter”, 2010. Paramount Pictures. Photo by JoJo Whilden

”I think people love stories and the comfort cinema can provide.”

Paul Giamatti, Billy Crudup and David Hornsby in “Pretty Bird”, 2008. Photo by JoJo Whilden

What does the movie theater experience mean to you? Why do movies still need cinemas? Could you share with us one of your most memorable cinema experiences?

I love going to the cinema. I adore being in a big dark theater with no distractions, good sound, a large screen and hopefully a comfortable seat. It’s always going to be the best way to see cinema. One of my early cinematic experiences was going to see Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho when I was way too young – possibly 10 or 11. My mom would occasionally take us to see foreign films or art house films at a local college, and I suppose previous Hitchcock movies had not been so violent and scary. Needless to say, I was horrified by the shower scene and probably refused to shower for a few days following the screening.

And what is best film you’ve seen at the cinema lately?

The Brutalist, which I saw at the New York Film Festival.

Maura Tierney in “Diggers”, 2006. Photo by JoJo Whilden

JoJo, in this time and age, what do you wish people appreciated more?

If this question is in relationship to photography or filmmaking, I would say I wish people would appreciate how hard it is to make good photographs and meaningful films. I rarely will leave a screening, even I don’t like it, because I think there is always something for me to learn from watching a poorly made film. Sometimes I will sit through an entire series I hate watching so I can understand why it’s bad and what could have been done to make it better and I might learn something about myself and what I like or don’t like. I think writing is the most underrated aspect of filmmaking. Film and TV projects must have a solid, great script idea as a starting point or it’s very hard to recover. Amazing actors, smart directors and beautiful cinematography can all help cover up a trash script, but they cannot save it. In this sense, I also wish people who aspire to make art/film/photography should be able to read, write and have a compelling story to tell. Finally, in general, I wish Americans would invest more in arts, artists and education as a fundamental pillar of our culture and society, not as mere commercial enterprise.

Behind the scenes of “The Fighter”, 2010. Paramount Pictures. Photo by JoJo Whilden

jojowhilden.com | Instagram: @jojowhilden