I’m Dennis, a Freelance Cinematographer in Hamburg

… or, depending on who’s asking, a Director of Photography. Some people say DoP, others say DP or cameraman. I’ll answer to any of them, because the title’s not what matters. The work is.

Light & Composition

… is what keeps me coming back. How it falls, how it shifts, how it can change the meaning of a scene and the visual tone in an instant. I’ve spent years watching it out of pure curiosity. Looking closely.
It may be the soft, unpredictable light of an overcast Hamburg or an elaborate setup we’ve wrangled together at three in the morning. Either way, I’m after the version that makes the story feel alive.
Composition works the same way. It’s not about having the most efficient technique or crafting the flashiest shots. It’s about arranging a frame, that evokes the feeling of always having been there, and getting out of its way.

On set

… I try to keep things grounded. I respect the craft, the crew, and the cast too much to have a set run on fear and ego. The best shoots run on trust, and good work happens when people feel they can take a risk—like a beautifully lit scene made more exciting by taking it in a completely unexpected direction, moving the camera like a maniac, or sitting still and simply letting the moment breathe.

Feature films

… and narrative fiction are where I feel at home. To find the right visual language—a tone & rhythm that make the story feel like it couldn’t exist any other way. Sometimes it’s a wide, deliberate shot. Sometimes it’s just a face caught in the right light, holding your attention longer than you expected.

Hamburg

… is where I live, but fortunately the profession has taken me beyond the city. A small, intimate character drama or something sprawling and ambitious—my goal is always the same: to create images that linger, the kind that stir something different in the audience, long after the credits have slipped away.

As for the title

… Cinematographer, DoP, DP—let the internet figure it out. I’ll be out there, looking for the next shot.