Winter light: Sven Nykvist 1926 - 2003

Sven Nykvist shot a lot of movies, everything from Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" to Polanski's "The Tenant" to Louis Malle's "Pretty Baby," but he's best remembered for his astonishing 22-film collaboration with Ingmar Bergman (both are above; Sven's the one peering into the viewfinder). It was a partnership that visualized inner states of being in a fashion unprecedented in cinema and pretty much unmatched since. In essence, Nykvist found a way to paint psychology with light. Do yourself a favor: buy a bottle of aquavit and rent "Persona" tonight.