Roger Ebert noted that the majority of the film was shot indoors, where oblong sets, corridors, and small spaces manifest constriction and tightness, in contrast to the usual emphasis on sweep and majesty in historical dramas.

Hooper used wide shots to capture the actors' body language, particularly Geoffrey Rush. And with Colin Flirth the camera was positioned very close to the actor to catch the emotion in his face; "I wanted the nervousness of the first day to percolate into his performances."

Historical dramas traditionally tend to use "soft light", but Hooper wanted to use a harsher glare, which gives a more contemporary feel, and thus a greater emotional resonance. To achieve the effect, the lighting team erected huge blackout tents over the Georgian buildings, and used large lights filtered through Egyptian cotton.

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