noun

cinematography

/ˌsɪn.ə.məˈtɑɡ.rə.fi/ · say it: sin·uh·muh·TAH·gruh·fee

the art of photographing a motion picture

In Arts & Culture

In more detail

the art and technique of making movies by operating cameras and creating visual images on film or video

Examples

The cinematography in that film was stunning, with each shot carefully composed.

How to use cinematography

Cinematography refers specifically to the technical and artistic aspects of capturing images for film and video, emphasizing the visual composition, lighting, camera movement, and color grading. It is commonly used in film criticism, production contexts, and academic discussion of cinema, and differs from directing in that it focuses on how images are captured rather than the overall creative direction of a project.

Common phrases

cinematography techniques
digital cinematography
award-winning cinematography
cinematography department
cinematographer's eye
stunning cinematography

Synonyms

filmmaking · film production · camera work · visual storytelling · motion picture photography

Word family

cinematographer (noun) · cinematographic (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse cinematography with direction or screenwriting; cinematography is about visual execution through the camera, not about narrative structure or creative vision of the whole film.

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