Unlock the Power of Cinematic Storytelling Through the Right Lenses with Teresa Carante

Photo courtesy of Teresa CarantePhoto Credit: Marino Evans-Vakatini

By Jessica Mathis

Teresa Carante is a documentary cinematographer who has worked in incredible situations across the world. Experience in fast-paced environments informs her approach to selecting lenses where flexibility and preparedness are critical skills. She served as a topside Director of Photography for prestigious organizations like National Geographic Pristine Seas, Neptune Pirates (The Paul Watson Foundation) and VICE News. Today she is based in Honolulu (HI) where she is often busy working on her own personal documentary projects.

I spoke with her recently about her preferences and advice when selecting lenses for a kit.

Key Takeaways

1. Lens selection in documentary filmmaking depends on understanding the scene and adapting to unpredictable situations, balancing prime and zoom lenses based on flexibility, sharpness, and framing.

2. Common mistakes include prioritizing expensive lenses over practical ones, neglecting ergonomics and sensor compatibility, and overusing wide apertures, which can reduce sharpness.

3. Testing lenses in real-world conditions (lighting, environments, and movement) helps cinematographers choose lenses that enhance storytelling and create emotionally resonant imagery.

Understanding the Scene and Its Context

Teresa said the most important skill affecting lens selection is an understanding of the scene you need to film. Unlike scripted productions, documentary filmmaking often involves unpredictable situations or needs that can require the camera operator to think quickly when needs shift.

“I used to assume that a specific lens would be enough,” Teresa said, referring to a trip where she had to travel light and took her preferred prime lens. “I once chose a 24mm prime lens to capture a cultural dance event in Polynesia, wanting to place the audience in the heart of the action. However, I later learned that it was considered disrespectful to get too close to the dancers. With only a wide-angle lens, I struggled to capture the event as intended.”

Prime vs. Zoom Lenses: The Trade-Off

Teresa said she favors prime lenses for their sharpness. She also mentioned that prime lenses really teach cinematographers about focal lengths and framing. Carefully selecting a prime lens forces them to think more critically about the emotions and experience they want to evoke.

“With zoom lenses, you might zoom in and out without fully considering how each focal length affects the emotion and composition of a shot. Sticking to one focal length for extended periods trains your eye to recognize its strengths and weaknesses.”

She acknowledged the practicality of zoom lenses when working in unpredictable, run-and-gun situations. 

“If I’m following a character in real-time and using a Sony camera, I’ll often choose a Sony zoom lens to take advantage of autofocus. It makes a huge difference in keeping subjects sharp while moving.”

Breaking Down Focal Lengths

Different focal lengths can enhance different storytelling purposes or techniques. Understanding the characteristics of different focal lengths can impact choices about lens selection that will ultimately improve how the audience connects to your story.

• Wide-Angle (18-24mm): Ideal for immersive scenes where the audience should feel like they’re part of the action. Teresa chooses this focal length for handheld shots that follow subjects closely.
• Mid-Range (35-50mm): A versatile staple lens used for interviews and portraits. A 50mm is common for talking heads, providing a natural perspective with minimal distortion, while a 35mm can be good for landscapes and city scenes.
• Telephoto (85mm and beyond): Used for close-ups from a distance, such as capturing speakers at events, performances on stage, or even in wildlife cinematography. If distance is necessary, Teresa mentioned liking the Canon CN 20 (50-1000mm), but acknowledged how expensive and heavy it is.

Common Mistakes in Lens Selection

Teresa reflected on her own career and mentioned some common mistakes cinematographers can make that can affect image quality and storytelling:

• Choosing Lenses Based on Prestige, Not Practicality: A lot of beginners think they need expensive or trendy lenses without considering their real-world usability. If a person knows what they are doing, they don’t need expensive lenses to achieve beautiful footage.
• Ignoring Weight and Ergonomics: Weight and ease of use need to be considered. Heavier lenses make handheld shooting difficult and may overwhelm stabilization gear, especially without a camera assistant.
• Overusing Wide Apertures: The option to shoot “wide open” (e.g., f/1.4) is a selling point on lenses for some cinematographers, but many lenses lose sharpness below f/2.8. “Clients may ask for wider aperture, but I usually stick to f/2.8 or above for a sharper image.”
• Overlooking Sensor Format: Lenses behave differently on full-frame vs. crop sensor cameras. The difference can affect the field of view, depth of field, and the experience for the audience. It’s important to understand what you’re working with to adjust.

Testing and Choosing the Right Lenses

Testing lenses before buying is a crucial step in building your kit, and you can borrow or rent lenses to give them a try.

“I once bought the NiSi Athena cinema lenses because of their compact size. But I later found the color rendering too warm for my taste, and the softness below f/2.8 was problematic for documentary work.”

To determine the right lenses, she suggests:

• Renting and Testing: It’s important to try your lenses in the same type of scenarios you’ll be filming. That means testing them indoors, outdoors and in the same types of environments you plan to use.  
• Simulating Real-World Shoots: Ask friends to model and set up test interviews with them, follow them on a walk or through activities, and experiment with different lighting conditions.  
• Checking for Color and Sharpness: When conducting these tests, you’ll want to make note of color tones, sharpness at different apertures, and compatibility with your camera system. You’ll be able to compare those notes to what you want to achieve in the field.

The Power of Lenses in Visual Storytelling

Choosing the right lens will determine how your audience connects with the film. The right lens can place the audience right in the experience, while the wrong lens can leave them feeling distant and disconnected from the story. Testing the different lenses and assessing how the image makes you feel will be great in determining the best choice.

“ I think what makes great cinematography is poetry. There is a poem behind each image that you’re showing. The way you’re angling a specific leaf and branch might mean different things to different people, but you don’t have to think about that as much as what it means to you. You are creating a poem that is expressing what you’re feeling inside, and then they will feel something. If you can internalize how different focal lengths affect perception and mood, you’ll naturally know how to frame a shot before even pressing record.”

Final Thoughts

For those beginning their journey in documentary filmmaking, Teresa said that her preferred lens kit includes a 24mm, a 35mm and a 50mm for balance between immersion, versatility and subject isolation. 

The fundamentals of storytelling remain constant, regardless of which lenses a cinematographer uses. That being said, a well-chosen lens can make all the difference in capturing authentic moments that resonate with audiences. Thoughtful testing, selection and practice will bring stories to life in a way that audiences resonate with.