cinematographer

American  

[sin-uh-muh-tog-ruh-fer] / ˌsɪn ə məˈtɒg rə fər /

especially British, cinematographist

noun

1. a person whose profession is video photography, especially for feature-length movies.

2. director of photography.

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Etymology

Origin of cinematographer

First recorded in 1895–1900; cinematograph + -er ¹

Explanation

The cinematographer on a movie set is the person with the camera. The cinematographer's job can include planning shots, lighting, and operating a camera. A cinematographer is also called the "director of photography," or the DP. On a large-budget film there may be several cameras being used at once — the cinematographer is the person who directs the camera operators, as well as overseeing the lighting on the set. The word comes from cinematograph, which is now obsolete and permanently shortened to cinema, from the French cínématographe, "motion picture projector and camera."

Example Sentences

"If AI can help someone like Scorsese show his cinematographer or production team what he's imagining more quickly, I don't really see the issue," said another.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

The cinematic, seven-minute music video for both tracks is directed by Jessica Lee Gagné, who was a lead cinematographer on the psychological thriller series Severance.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Gabbard got married in a Hindu ceremony to her Hawaii-based cinematographer husband.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

This docuseries was created by National Geographic explorer Bertie Gregory, a cinematographer for legendary nature filmmaker David Attenborough, who knows how to dazzle with close-up imagery.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

A writer, like a cinematographer, manipulates the viewer’s perspective on an ongoing story, with the verbal equivalent of camera angles and quick cuts. the marital, the medical, and sometimes both at once.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker