Multiple award-winning production company Little Monster Films’ “Photographer” series will enthrall viewers with the sense of adventure that encapsulates National Geographic photography. With each episode in the series, the viewer will join renowned photographers on their journeys toward a specific event and their process towards capturing the shot.
The docu-series will allow viewers to feel as if they are right beside the photographer as they are taking photos. Get sucked into an episode shooting in the lab with an award-winning photographer
Anand Varma, on a boat with nature photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, comes shoulder-to-shoulder with refugees in Romania and Jordan with Pulitzer Prize-winner Muhammed Muheisen, and more.
3 Creative Minds Behind Photographer
Adorama gets a behind-the-scenes experience with Little Monster Films producers Gene Gallerano and Brent Kunkle, along with Director of Photography Michael Crommett.
Gene Gallerano
“There are a million logistics that come into play,” says Gene Gallerano, an Emmy Award-winning producer, once again bringing his expertise to the screen as a producer of the new Disney+ and National Geographic TV series, “Photographer.” He describes “Photographer” as a reminder that “the camera is a portal to experiencing the world.” Additionally, Gallerano believes that digging into the process of each photographer becomes indicative of their quality of photography.
Brent Kunkle
Brent Kunkle, a documentary producer known for his authentic storytelling approach, serves as
co-executive producer on the series “Photographer.” With a wealth of experience in documentary production, Kunkle’s role helps ensure a compelling exploration of the world’s top photographers.
Upon working with a lot of talented photographers, Kunkle identifies their common denominator, each photographer has a unique point of view or perspective.
Additionally, Kunkle answers the age-old question, “What does it take to be a National Geographic photographer?” with: “A lot of people are great photographers… but such a big part of it is the willingness. You have to assume the risk and be willing to just get out there and do it.”
Michael Crommett
Michael Crommett, an Emmy and PGA Award-nominated filmmaker and cinematographer, is a valuable addition to the captivating “Photographer.” He is the director of photography for the episode with Dan Winters and a digital cinematographer and co-director of photography in several other episodes.
Crommett has a background spanning acclaimed projects like “Unprecedented” and “Humans of New York.”
In our behind-the-scenes interview, he shares that his view of photographers has shifted over the
years. In an age when just about anyone can take a photograph, he sees photographers’ vitality and expertise, technique, artistry, and expression. Moreover, he recalls an old expression in photography “F/8 and be there,” saying that when it comes down to it, it’s more about being getting the right moment. Professional photographers search high and wide for the subject matter, embodying this expression.
Using the Sony FX6 Cinema Camera
Director of Photography Michael Crommett mainly used the Sony FX6. Its compactness and size allowed Crommett to jump in and out of vehicles easily when he was chasing storms in the Midwest with Krystle Wright for her episode. One of the key elements for Crommett with the Sony FX6 is the variable ND filter. Which he says completely revolutionized the way he shoots. For starters, “You can choose an F-stop that you want to shoot at, and you can stick to that F-stop no matter what the lighting conditions are,” Crommett says. “It’s always a linear exposure change when you change a variable ND, so if you need to
fix an exposure adjustment in post, it’s just a simple matter of a linear brightness adjustment.”
The Inspiration Behind the Docu-series
Gene Gallerano gives one of the production company’s missions in this series. “It makes so much sense when you learn about these photographers and you see their photos, it perfectly aligns with why their photography is the way it is.” The series will allow viewers to see the photographers in their element and help viewers understand why they capture the way they do. Gallerano adds, “And by following these photographers on their journeys, we also got to go along, and it became our mission to tell the stories of these journeys in these episodes.”
How Long It Took to Produce
Photographer is created and produced by Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi’s production company,
Little Monster Films, maintains a stable partnership with Nat Geo and Disney.
They have helped produce award-winning films, documentaries, and TV shows. With the “Photographer” docu-series, the production company utilized a company like Nat Geo, which has been around since 1888.
“It [took] around three years,” Gallerano says, explaining the time it took to conceptualize, shoot, and edit. “The pilot took two years to kind of dial in and understand the real voice of the series.”
Where You Can Watch Photographer
“Photographer” will premiere in the United States on the National Geographic Channel on March 18th and the entire series will be available to stream starting March 19th on streaming services Disney+ and Hulu.
More Than a Series
“Photographer” is a gateway to adventure, inspiration, and human connection behind lenses. Behind each image lies a world of genuine dedication, trust, and respect coming from photographers who double as storytellers. They travel to areas around the world to capture moments that encapsulate the soul of photography.
As we journey alongside these artists in the docu-series, we realize that each photo is more than just a click of the shutter—it’s a story frozen in time.
