Daniel Landin

Biography

Daniel Landin is a British cinematographer celebrated for his distinctive visual style and atmospheric compositions in feature films, commercials, and music videos. A member of the British Society of Cinematographers, he is known for his collaborations with acclaimed directors such as Jonathan Glazer, with notable work including the 2013 sci-fi film Under the Skin.

Early Career and Experimental Work

Landin began working with Super 8 and VHS video in 1978, documenting live performances and art events for the industrial music group Throbbing Gristle. In 1979, he co-founded the experimental collective Last Few Days, alongside Simon Joyce and Keir Fraser. The group focused on highly conceptual live performances in unconventional venues such as chapels, cinemas, burger bars, silos, and tunnels. 

As their performances evolved, Landin incorporated synchronized Super 8 and 16mm film projections to accompany provocative live music, a practice that continued in collaborations with figures like William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin at The Final Academy in 1982.

In 1983, Landin toured extensively with Last Few Days and Yugoslavia’s Laibach during the Occupied Europe Tour, performing across 11 countries in Eastern and Western Europe. This experience inspired his co-authorship of The Rough Guide to Eastern Europe in 1985, a pioneering travel guide for independent travelers to the region.

Education and Short Films

Returning to the UK in 1985, Landin studied Fine Art Film and Video at St Martin's School of Art while gaining experience as a camera assistant and film extra, including a three-month stint on Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. After graduation, he directed several acclaimed short films, such as A Broken Spine, Ring of Fire, Thou Pluckest Me Out Screaming, and The Child and the Saw, the latter winning 1st Prize 'Golden Dancer' at the Huesca International Film Festival in 1987. His films were exhibited at festivals including Berlin, Edinburgh, and London.

Landin also collaborated on live performance films such as Procar (1986) and Laibach’s Država, which fused live performance with cinematic projection. In 1994, he co-directed the documentary Laibach, A Film from Slovenia, exploring the band’s political and artistic significance, featuring commentary from philosopher Slavoj Žižek.

Cinematography and Music Videos

Landin began working professionally as a cinematographer in 1991, shooting short films and music videos for high-profile artists including The Verve, Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Massive Attack, Björk, Franz Ferdinand, The Rolling Stones, PJ Harvey, David Bowie, Madonna, and Cher. His signature approach emphasizes mood, atmosphere, and visual storytelling, blending experimental techniques with cinematic polish.

He has also shot numerous commercials for global brands such as Stella Artois, Giorgio Armani, Sony, BMW, Guinness, Nintendo, Levi's, Wrangler, PlayStation, and Nike, further establishing his reputation for visually striking work.

Collaborations with Fashion and Film Icons

In 1996, Landin served as Director of Photography for Alexander McQueen’s only music video, Alarm Call by Björk. He continued collaborating with McQueen as a lighting designer, contributing to his conceptual fashion shows in London, Paris, and New York until 2009.

Landin’s expertise in merging cinema and live events also led to a collaboration with Danny Boyle on the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony, shooting staged sequences for projection and broadcast during the “Isles of Wonder” segment.