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Photography
LifestyleEntertainment

Skyfall, Blade Runner 2049 Oscar-winning cinematographer releases photobook – but don’t expect behind-the-scenes celebrity shots

  • Considered by many the movie industry’s top cameraman, Roger Deakins has used the pandemic to focus on his other passion: his single-frame camera
  • Byways, published by Damiani, spans five decades of Deakins’ images, reflecting his quiet disposition and humility despite being an industry legend

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Dog jumping, Teignmouth (2000) by Roger Deakins and part of his new photobook Byways. “‘My wife and I were walking on the beach at Teignmouth [in Devon] one weekend and this dog was jumping after a stick that its owner was throwing from the promenade. The jump happened twice before but it was only in this one that the dog looked directly at my lens.” Photo: Roger Deakins / Damiani
Andrew Sun

There was a time when Roger Deakins had received 13 Oscar nominations for best cinematography and won none. But from his rural seaside English home in North Devon, he cared little about these perceived snubs.

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Since 2017 though, the legendary cameraman has racked up two Academy Awards, for 1917 and Blade Runner 2049.

With most productions on pause for the last couple of years, Deakins focused on his other photographic passion with a single-frame camera. The result is the photobook Byways, published by artbook specialist Damiani.

As his first monograph, the hardcover spans five decades in images. However, don’t expect behind-the-scenes celebrity selfies. Most of the pictures are scenes of ordinary, if ironic, moments in small English towns. Deakins’ black-and-white studies of quirky perspectives and impressionistic still life reflect his quiet disposition and humility despite being the movie industry’s top cameraman.

I pressed the shutter and closed my eyes, New Mexico (2014) by Roger Deakins. “I had it in mind to get a lightning bolt over the bar, but it was pure chance that I captured this one directly in the middle of the frame. I waited for over an hour that evening, and it was almost dark before the lightning struck. I was so surprised that I almost missed the shot. I only take single frames. A friend suggested I get a camera that takes multiple images and I could select from a series. No one would know the difference, but I would. Seems like cheating!” Photo: Roger Deakins / Damiani
I pressed the shutter and closed my eyes, New Mexico (2014) by Roger Deakins. “I had it in mind to get a lightning bolt over the bar, but it was pure chance that I captured this one directly in the middle of the frame. I waited for over an hour that evening, and it was almost dark before the lightning struck. I was so surprised that I almost missed the shot. I only take single frames. A friend suggested I get a camera that takes multiple images and I could select from a series. No one would know the difference, but I would. Seems like cheating!” Photo: Roger Deakins / Damiani

He had been thinking about the book for quite some time, he says over Zoom. “I had originally intended to do a book on the English seaside. I’ve taken a lot of photographs over the years of different seaside towns. But then I figured I would include photos from other places I’ve taken as well as incorporate photographs I did very early on when I started my career. I suppose it’s a personal project, put together just for my own purpose.

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