All images by Henri Prestes. Used with Creative Commons permission.
Is the dreamy look of foggy nights and misty landscapes your frequent photography inspiration? We can’t blame you, as we’ve also found it to be a highly effective look for crafting emotive imagery, regardless of the genre or subject matter. Case in point is a gorgeous series by London-based photographer and cinematographer Henri Prestes, which takes us along a moody ride across various foggy locations.
It’s easy to see why They Drive by Night can easily make it to many photographers’ night photography aesthetic. As Henri himself describes this new set, it’s a “cinematic series about lone cars traveling at night on desolated landscapes, secluded forests and isolated villages during harsh weather conditions such as dense fog and heavy snowfall.”
As we’ve previously seen in works like Mark Broyer’s What the Fog, Kilian Schönberger’s Deadpole, and Black Station’s eerie Dubai cityscapes, the presence of fog instantly adds drama and character to a scene. Throw in some moody lighting when shooting in an already scenic location and you got yourself a formula for dreamy night photography.
It’s also worth noting that Henri’s background as a cinematographer most likely had a hand in his vision for this series. Everything about these photos scream of his cinematic tastes and knowledge — from the color schemes, to the angles, and even the title itself. Many of the photos actually almost feel like stills from a movie!
All that said, They Drive by Night is a fine example of two of today’s popular visual styles that we hope to see in more photography projects: dreamy and foggy scenes and captivating cinematic imagery. For more examples of cinematic series to study, we suggest checking out the works of Felix Renaud and Brendon Burton next.
Don’t forget to visit Henri Prestes’ Instagram and Behance portfolio to see more of his projects and stay updated with his work.