Built Like a Tank, with a Painterly Look: The Irix Cine Experience with Timothy Richardson
Timothy Richardson is a Florida-born director, writer, and cinematographer whose passion for visual storytelling was sparked by the film Moonlight. Now based in Atlanta, he crafts bold, emotionally rich narratives across documentaries, narrative films, and music videos—many of which have received recognition at film festivals. With a cinematic style that’s expressive and character-driven, Timothy has found Irix lenses to be an essential companion in bringing his vision to life. He has been an official Irix Ambassador since 2024.
What made you decide to start using Irix lenses?
I attended the Cine Gear Expo in Atlanta, GA, and serendipitously came across the Irix tent. It was the sleek build of the lenses that first caught my eye. The reps let me throw a 30mm on the camera and it sold itself. I purchased the 21mm, 45mm, and 150mm.
What were your first impressions regarding their capabilities and quality?
They easily punch above their weight class in quality. I’ve said before the lenses render opulent images.
Still from short film Sanctuary, shot on Irix Cine 65mm T1.5 lens.
How do you define the specific "look" of Irix lenses?
I would say the Irix look would fall on the spectrum of “painterly.” Great contrast. Sharp in the middle with beautiful fall-off around the edges. While at the same time, being clinical enough to build a look using filters.
You often refer to Irix lenses as a "tank"—what do you mean by that?
I refer to the lenses as a tank because I’ve been up against some harsh weather conditions which include shooting some projects in the rain with freezing cold temperatures, and I’ve never thought twice about if the lenses were going to hold up.
Still from short film Sanctuary, shot on Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 lens.
How do Irix lenses help you set the mood and evoke emotions in your films?
Lenses help me establish characterization. It always starts with the character with me and then I create the mood of the project with my gaffer based on the genre. Lenses can help establish perspectives, settings, and reveal information. So I’m very thoughtful about my lens selection when approaching projects.
How do Irix lenses perform across different film genres—documentary, fiction, music videos?
Irix lenses have a very versatile aesthetic. I shoot feature and short narrative films along with documentaries. I’ve also used these lenses on a commercial shoot. I always walk away from the project very pleased with the photography when shooting with Irix glass.
Do you have a favorite focal length among Irix lenses, and why?
One character trait about the Irix lenses I love is the “untraditional” focal lengths. I love capturing cinematic portraits with a 45mm. I recently photographed a short film and the majority of the frames were captured on the 65mm.
Gabriel Njogu, a respected photographer right, is my frequent collaborator in the camera department as 1st assistant camera. He loves working with the lenses and appreciates the minimal focus breathing when pulling focus.
Can you provide an example of a project where Irix played a significant role in shaping the final image?
Sanctuary is a short film produced by my production company, Untraditional Films. It’s a character-driven story that explores the mother-daughter relationship. The film is directed by myself and Laniqua Collins Richardson. Story by Teymbi Tannis.
The Irix lenses were built into the look of the film. I knew in pre-production we would be shooting cinematic portraits in natural light, so I wanted to shoot wide open to create painterly fall-off around the characters since faces were our landscapes.
Still from short film Sanctuary, shot on Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 lens.
What would you recommend to filmmakers considering Irix lenses for the first time?
My advice for filmmakers using the lenses for the first time is: be prepared to be blown away by the quality of the lens.
Irix was thoughtful of the independent filmmaker, making these affordable, high-quality lenses.
How do you see the future of the Irix brand in your work?
Sure, there are some major players in the optic game that have been around for decades. However, Irix is a company to pay attention to. Creating high-quality, affordable prime lenses enables the independent filmmaker to add a dependable set of cine lenses to the budget and have confidence knowing the Irix look punches above its weight class.
I’m honored to be a part of the conversation and communicate with engineers at Irix who are exploring new and innovative designs for lenses.
Interested in seeing more of Timothy's work? Follow @timothymrichardson (on Instagram) and keep an eye out for his upcoming releases.