Chris Murphy – Director of Photography

The strength of a Director of Photography lies not only in the ability to make fast, accurate decisions when first arriving on site, but also to have an instinct and natural talent for what will captivate an audience. Twenty eight years of camera experience has given me the ability to analyze the quality of available light and work with it, resulting in minimal setup time with fewer lighting elements and a more natural looking image.

My extensive EFP background in the Entertainment and News Industry required frequent color balancing of professional Betacams on a daily basis. This has trained my eye to a heightened level of sensitivity. I can easily deliver a consistent color rendition in the field thus reducing the post-production time often spent on Color Correction.

Since 1980 I have used almost every model of pro and semi-pro video camera and know each of their limitations and strengths regarding latitude, light sensitivity and color rendition. I treat the camera like a film stock. On productions with larger crews and a well-equipped lighting truck, I approach the situation as if shooting film and set the camera to a preset tungsten or true daylight balance, colour correcting the lighting not the camera.

I like to say “The Experienced Eye Sees More”. It is a combination of experience and technical knowledge that allows me to consistently deliver exceptional images for viewers and producers.

Chris Murphy
Director of Photography
Water Street West Entertainment