MPB Meets: James Bond Unit Stills Photographer Nicola Dove

A film stills photographer with over twenty years’ experience, the latest assignment for Nicola Dove was on the latest James Bond film No Time To Die. Let’s hear from Nicola about her experiences on set.

MPB: Could you tell us about yourself and your creative background?

ND: My background is in editorial and documentary photography, after studying photography in New Zealand. I shot for many magazines here, and for charities in different parts of the world. I also shot weddings for many years, which is great training for any photographer! I met a film producer on my travels who liked my documentary work, and who opened my eyes to film stills as a possibility. Once I arrived in the UK, I spent a year on and off working on short films for free, before getting a feature film with him, which was Sally Potter’s film Yes, starring Joan Allen, Simon Abkarian and Sam Neill.

MPB: What was your camera setup for the shoot?

ND: I shoot with two Sony A9s,mirrorless cameras have been a revolution for film stills photographers. After many years of shooting with my camera housed in a big heavy blimp to stop the sound of the shutter, it’s like being set free. I shoot with two main lenses—the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and a 70-200mm f/4 G OSS. That tends to cover most things, although occasionally I’ll use a 2x lens converter on the 70–200mm if I need more focal length. For me, it is important to be light on my feet and always ready for a shot. I also make sure my backup Nikon DSLR travels with me on location in case my gear breaks, which is what happened in Jamaica on the Bond shoot. When you’re shooting film stills, you need to be very quick and effective technically. A scene might start out in one room and move to another with different lighting. Subjects are often moving, and you might not have much time to get the shot, so it pays to know your gear very well.

MPB: What is the first day of filming on a Bond film like?

ND: First days on set are always a bit strange, but in this instance, I was nervous, for sure. Our first day of principal photography was a car chase scene in a Jamaican town square, so it was action right from the start. I had worked with Daniel Craig 15 years prior, so it wasn’t the first time I had met him. But it’s also about getting to know the crew and other cast as well.

MPB: What was your most memorable experience on the set?

ND: Shooting in Jamaica, and Matera in southern Italy, were both highlights. But particularly, for the launch event, staying at GoldenEye in Jamaica, which is where Ian Fleming lived and wrote many of the books. It has such a history. That was a pretty surreal way to start a Bond film.

MPB: What was your favorite moment shooting on No Time To Die?

ND: The London street shot where Daniel Craig walks towards the camera after parking the Aston Martin. On paper, it was a very simple scene, but many elements came together in one shot—he was wearing an incredible suit, the sunglasses, the watch, the car, the light was perfect, and Craig did a few extra steps for me to get the shot. It was exciting to get that in the can, and it was sent out that afternoon from the set as the ‘first look’ image from the film.

MPB: What was your most challenging moment?

ND: Shooting while in Jamaica with damaged gear, and no way to get it fixed. I kept getting error messages, and whilst I could shoot through them, it was extremely limiting. We thought it was the humidity, and possibly salt from shooting out at sea for a couple of days. When we got back to London, it emerged that the sensor was damaged, possibly from a knock. Luckily, I had my back-up Nikon gear with me. It’s so important to have backup equipment with you on location like that.

MPB: What was your favorite set to shoot on?

ND: It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite, as all the set builds were extraordinary, thanks to set designer Mark Tildesley and the lighting from director of photography Linus Sandgren. In Jamaica, I did enjoy shooting in Bond’s house, which was built on the side of a deserted beach. It was a beautiful place to be. The rooms were all open to the jungle, which helped to make access easier as a photographer on set, and it felt like it was unusual to be getting pictures of James Bond in ‘relaxed home mode’. Otherwise, the Cuba street set, at Pinewood Studios in London, was mind-blowing. Every detail was thought through, right down to the tufts of weeds growing through cracks in buildings. It literally felt like we were in Cuba, except for the temperatures! October nights in the UK are arctic, very much unlike a balmy Cuban evening. We shot fight sequences and party scenes on that set build, both of which were great fun to shoot.

MPB: What was it like on the last day of shooting No Time To Die?

ND: It’s always mixed feelings after such a long shoot, but the end of No Time To Die was quite surreal. On the one hand, you are really looking forward to a rest. But, on the other hand, you know you’ll miss everyone and the buzz. Knowing it was Daniel Craig’s last day of his last Bond film heightened the emotions for everyone—we all knew it was the end of an era. Personally, it felt like an accomplishment to end really well, still attempting to make great shots right to the end. I happened to be in the alleyway when the final shot ended and ‘cut’ was called. As Daniel Craig walked back up the alley the light spilled around him and he just had this wonderful smile on his face. There were only a few of us in that alley, and one of the crew said to me after he walked past, “that's the shot of the film.” I’m not sure if that's accurate, but it certainly felt like a privilege to be there.

MPB: Could you tell us more about your experience shooting with iconic film stars?

ND: The very first feature I shot, back in 2003, had Joan Allen and Sam Neill in it. So, I learnt pretty quickly to be fast and effective with image-making, so I’m not in their faces all the time. It’s always a privilege to be in the room with incredibly talented actors, and observe their processes. Daniel Craig is a total pro. I first worked with him back in 2003 on a film called Enduring Love. He is so dedicated to his craft, has very high standards and cares about the whole process.

MPB: What are your plans for the future, do you have anything else to add?

ND: I am very thankful to be based here in New Zealand for the time being and working on productions shooting here, although I am always open to another international adventure when timing allows. In the meantime, I am kept busy with the Film Stills Academy, where I teach photographers who want to learn what it takes to succeed as a film stills photographer, and mentor students. I love teaching and gathering groups of inspired people together from around the world.

Read our interview with unit stills photographer Kirsty Griffin (The Power of the Dog), and more interviews on the MPB Content Hub.