From Kodachrome to War Photographer: Your favorite shows and movies

Minamata (2020) movie trailer cover Image: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Featured films are not necessarily the first thing you consider when selecting a topic for a photography discussion, but we did just that last week when asking our community about their favorite photography-related shows and movies. We were blown away (a bad pun intended, related to the suggested movie, Blowup) by the wide range of results.

Our Reviews Editor, Mitchel Clark, got the jump on the community by suggesting the documentary Side By Side (2012):

"Oh boy, a chance to promote one of my favorite documentaries, 2012's Side By Side. Keanu Reeves talks to a bunch of filmmakers about how the movie industry is transitioning from film to digital, and goes into the pros and cons of each. Obviously, 14 years later, there's been a lot of progress made, especially on the digital side, but I still think it's a fascinating watch." - Mitchell

Check out the top suggestions below, and then let us know in the comments what your favorite photography-related show or movie is!

Movies

Lee (2023) film poster Image: Brouhaha Entertainment and Juggle Films

Morris Trichon: "My favorite Photography movie is Blowup, released in 1966. Blowup had a significant effect on me, and so I wanted to minor in photography. I was majoring in Aerospace Engineering. My advisor would not sign off, telling me I would spend too much time in the darkroom and probably flunk out of engineering and become a starving photographer. In the end, I completed my engineering degree, but have been involved in photography my entire life. Thank you, Blowup."

Swerky: "Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window with James Stewart in his chair and his Exakta VX 35mm SLR."

AbrasiveReducer: "Pecker. The problem is, most movies about photography show the impossible, like prints developing instantly under bright red safelights (bleach & redevelop) or handheld cameras doing surveillance from a quarter mile away, which is then enlarged to show a person's name tag. Even Sony can't do that."

Progman: "The 2024 film Civil War was chilling when it first came out, and even more so when rewatched more recently, given the current political climate. Seeing war photographers putting themselves in harm’s way, and experiencing the accumulated trauma they experience, is moving."

Shows and Documentaries

Ansel Adams (2002) documentary poster Image: Steeplechase Films and Sierra Club Productions

Tunnan: "War Photographer is an Oscar-nominated documentary following James Nachtwey shooting on location and in the darkroom. It is a fascinating film showing his approach to his life and work. I saw it in the cinema 25 years ago when I was just starting out as a press photographer, and although my career has never taken me to war, the film was a great inspiration. While researching this reply, I noticed it has been uploaded to YouTube, so I would give it a watch."

Don Sata: "Sebastiao Salgado's The Salt of the Earth. A beautiful retrospective documentary on the greatest photographer ever."

Lensmate: "Music Through the Lens is an eye-opening, six-part, thrill ride through the amazing world of music photography."

Kodachrome (2017) movie poster Image: 21 Laps Entertainment

There were many other great show and movie recommendations shared in the forums. You'll have no shortage of nostalgic photography-related content to watch.

Keep ready for the next Question of the week to participate in this series. New questions are posted here on the homepage and in the forums every other week. We can't wait to read and share your stories!

Share your favorite photography-related shows and movies!