Opening scene: I think isolation is a part of the film and how Ruth feels like she is alone with this passion and has no one to help her or even interested in what she does. But then she finds Eddie, who finally understands her passion and supports her.

Given that this is her passion, it would be interesting to use Close Ups when she is doing what she loves, and then move to wides when she is being cut down and taken away of her bubble.

For example: the opening of the story is her isolated in a tent and she is observing her surroundings. A wide establishing how she is alone in this hill, and then a Close Up to introduce her could be interesting given that it could establish that when we are alone with her we get to see her world as she sees it.

Close Ups of her hand touching the sand, her brush, her eyes as she is concentrated and inserts of multiple things that surround her can give us a better understanding of how she lives and what her world looks like.

Camera Movement

Given that Ruth and Eddie gradually come closer and closer there could be a change on framing. It could start with them being apart, Medium Close Ups and then move to Two shots in which we see them closer together or Over the Shoulder which also bring characters closer to each other.

Static vs Movement: there are various moments in which movement of the camera could be motivated by either an emotion or an actual action. Given that Ruth is cut off when Hollis is in the picture, movement and handheld could be useful to convey these feelings to the audience. While in moments like the campfire scene there could be more smoothness and locked off shots so we stay with their faces and reactions.

Shallow depth of field: I think this could be an interesting way of isolating some characters from the background, without being too dramatic. For example Hollis, who could care less about Ruth's passion, we could show him isolated from his surroundings, given that he doesn't realize the wonders that surround him.

POV: she is so in her own world and people don't understand her that looking at the situations from her perspective could help the audience stand where she stands, and therefore, feels what she feels.

Given that there is a lot happening with the land and a there is a lot of tension between Ruth and Hollis, compositions in which while we are with these characters we see what is happening around them could show the stakes. For example the workers that are waiting for commands, Ruth's tent and the excavations.

When Hollis crumbles up the paper which says when she has to be out and the moment when Eddie throws his hat on the floor are very similar in situation, but there are different characters being shut down. It would be interested to have similar shots in order to tie back to when Ruth was being shut down versus how she is finally discovering what she has been waiting for her entire life.

Example: When we see the fossil, I think it could be interesting to be where this would be. So that way we see from a low angle how they react to this discovery.

Lighting

Warmness can be shown when she is alone with Eddie, specially when they have the interaction and Ruth opens up to him. Warmness invites us in into their closeness and we can better understand what these characters are feeling.

Silhouetted characters could be another interesting way of isolating the environment and would also mimic the sun and how light hits a subject during the day.

The fact that all these scenes are in different times is interesting given that it shows passage of time and it helps build up the setting and the relationship between Ruth and Eddie.

Playing with shadows could be interesting. Hollis shadow at the beginning of the film could be more overpowering, and as the story progresses it can be less and less noticeable.

Color palette: earthly tones, given that Ruth is a ground to earth person who is just trying to make reality this thing that she believes in. Warm colors like oranges could be used when she is with Eddie, specially in the campfire scene; blue tones could also be used, specially when there is calmness in the environment.