Behind-the-scenes photographs during or between takes — for press, marketing, and promotion. Shot by dedicated still photographer, separate from camera setup.
During principal photography, a second photographic operation runs parallel to the film camera — the stills photographer's task is to capture still images that will later be used for press work, marketing, and archiving. These production stills are created independently of the film production itself and follow completely different requirements than the moving image material. The stills photographer works with their own equipment — usually digital system cameras with high-resolution sensors — and has a completely different scope of movement on set than the film crew. While we as the DoP set up the lighting for the camera, the stills photographer often positions themselves outside the frame or between takes to gather material without tripod marks and cable chaos.
The operational difference is crucial: production stills are intended to isolate the dramatic moment and immediately reflect the simultaneous camera and lighting setup — which is why they are often shot during active takes when the lighting is exactly as planned. The stills photographer must work absolutely silently (SLR camera in silent mode, or better: mirrorless systems) and must never interrupt the actors' concentration or the sound recording. A second focus is often placed between takes: portraits of the actors in makeup and costume, shots of the set under controlled conditions, and documentary images of the director and crew at work. These behind-the-scenes images are later released for press kits and social media content.
In post-production, production stills play an underestimated role. They serve as reference material for the editor's cutting decisions, for the VFX supervisor to document practical effects and their integration, and for the color grader as a lighting memory when days or weeks pass between shooting days and color correction. A well-organized set with a professional stills photographer delivers 200–500 images daily for archiving — this volume makes it possible later to precisely identify those moments that are usable for trailers, film posters, or press conferences. The image resolution and the uncompressed RAW workflow allow for working with this material years later without accepting quality losses.