A Challenging Feature Film

I’d like to write a brief note in support of stills photographer Craig Minielly after working together on a particularly challenging feature film.

Stills photographers need to be reliable, skilled, invisible on set, and yet able to work efficiently and seamlessly with the crew, and talent. Craig accomplished this quite comfortably, capturing dynamite images of the action going on, and yet not intrude on the sensitive moments when they happened.

Craig showed that he knows what he’s doing and has a high level of awareness for all departments. He worked quickly in free moments with our location lighting in a strategic manner to capture his pull-asides and found space and time to organize and capture some truly amazing gallery shots. I enjoyed being updated almost daily with images from his work on the project.

On one occasion, in reviewing some of Craig’s images from the day before, we then set up a quick scene to match his stills shots, in an area that Craig had scouted himself with our lead C. Thomas Howell. The result was a very nice compliment to a sequence that we used in the final cut.

I’d be happy to work with him again at any time and easily recommend him to any productions of all budget and talent levels. 


Sincerely yours, 


Chris M. Oben
Cinematographer – IATSE 669