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Reflections on Cinematography by Roger A. Deakins (2025, GrandCentral).

Two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, two Critics Choice Awards, five American Society of Cinematographers Awards – Sir Roger Deakins has been recognized as one of the greatest cinematographers of his time. He has a new book, briefly covering his life, but more focused on his career in the movies.

After film school, Deakins began operating the camera for documentaries. This led to music videos, then he was offered features films where his work was noticed. Luck and timing were two elements that helped place him where opportunity arrived. The film industry in England at the time was a tough climb for fresh talent. As a wet behind the ears film school grad in England, a few producers and directors took a chance, and he delivered.

One might feel that a cinematographer’s guide to his films would be dry and technical, but it’s not. He talks about lighting, film stock, filters, camera placement and movement – but it’s told in a way that understandable and purposeful. Mostly. When he talks about how to desaturate film stock but retaining a high-contrast image, or combining a precast of the negative with a bleach bypass process, I’ll just skim past that. Deakins does include tons of photos and drawings indicating how the camera and light pertain to some scenes.

Deakins has often worked with award-winning directors the Coen brothers, Sam Mendez and Denis Villeneuve, great visionaries, but he’s worked across most genres. From small, sobering films like In the Valley of Elah and Passion Fish, to major action-special effects films Blade Runner 2049 and Skyfall – Deakins adapts his creative aperture to the story. “Many people equate the craft of cinematography with creating beautiful images,” Deakins writes. “In contrast. I believe the cinematographer’s role is to support the story, to immerse the viewer rather than create attractive but ultimately uninvolving ‘eye candy.’”

If you aren’t afraid of reading about T8 lighting or 800 ASA film, this book is worth a browse. It’s pricey ($45 US), but it’s a large, 402 page read with hundreds of color photographs.

Roger Deakins films include:

1917 (2019) Academy Award
How to Train your Dragon 3 (2019) (Visual Consultant)
The Goldfinch (2018/9)
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Academy Award
Hail Caesar (2016)
Sicario (2015)
Unbroken (2014)
How to Train your Dragon 2 (2014) (Visual Consultant)
Prisoners (2013)
The Croods (2013) (Visual Consultant)
The Guardians (2012) (Visual Consultant)
Skyfall (2012)
In Time (2011)
Rango (2011) (Visual Consultant)
True Grit (Dec 2010)
How to Train your Dragon (2010) (Visual Consultant)
Company Men (2010)
A Serious Man (2009)
Doubt (2008)
The Reader (2008) (With Chris Menges)
Revolutionary Road (2008)
WALL•E (2008) (Visual Consultant)
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
No Country for old Men (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James (2007)
Jarhead (2005)
The Village (2004)
The LadyKillers (2004)
The House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Levity (2003)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Dinner with Friends (2001)
The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Anywhere But Here (1999)
The Hurricane (1999)
The Siege (1998)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Kundun (1997)
Courage Under Fire (1996)
Fargo (1996)
Dead Man Walking (1995)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
The Secret Garden (1993)
Passion Fish (1992)
Thunderheart (1992)
Barton Fink (1991)
Homicide (1991)
The Long Walk Home (1990)
Air America (1990)
Mountains of the Moon (1990)
Pascali’s Island (1989)
Stormy Monday (1988)
The Kitchen Toto (1987)
Personal Services (1987)
White Mischief (1987)
Sid and Nancy (1986)
Defense of the Realm (1985)
Shadey (1985)
The Innocent (1985)
Return to Waterloo (1984)
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
The House (1984)