Lights Fade & Come Back Up
At the final jazz festival, the lights fade during what seems like the end of a set, but Andrew begins an impromptu drum solo. We see the lights on Fletcher fade to darkness across his face, but the lights come back up again in a few moments when it is clear that the performance isn't over. This image signifies the fact that Fletcher no longer has a tight control over his band or the performance, and that Andrew is taking matters into his own hands.
Hands
Chazelle uses close-ups of Andrew's hands as he plays the drums. In the drum solo scene we see how fast the hand is moving in order to create the tempo necessary for "Caravan," and the imagery shows the dexterity and focus necessary to perform at this high of a level. Indeed, Andrew's hands are his chief asset as a drummer and Chazelle takes many opportunities to show them in close-up, showing just how hard he is working.
Blood on ice
At one point, Andrew is practicing the drums so hard and gets so frustrated that he punches through his drum and his hand begins to bleed. He has brought along a pitcher of ice, and submerges his bleeding hand in the ice for relief. We see the pitcher from below, as the clear cold water suddenly becomes bright red. This image is memorable and evocative, showing the lengths to which Andrew is willing to go for his craft.
Opening Scene
The opening scene of the film shows Andrew practicing from a distance down a hallway. The composition of the shot shows the isolation of Andrew's practice, revealing that the life of a musician is solitary and stark. The light in his practice room is the only one in the shot, and we see him from a distance, heightening a sense of his removal from the rest of the world.
