cinematography

American  

[sin-uh-muh-tog-ruh-fee] / ˌsɪn ə məˈtɒg rə fi /

noun

1. the art or technique of video photography, traditionally used in movies, but also in the production of TV shows and other video content.

   The agency is hiring award-winning film directors to elevate these television commercials with classic cinematography and state-of-the-art special effects.

2. the artistic vision, tone, look, and feel of a video production.

   The film’s warm cinematography and romantic musical score immerse the audience immediately in a sweet and nostalgic world.

---

cinematography British  

/ ˌsɪnɪməˈtɒɡrəfɪ, ˌsɪnɪˌmætəˈɡræfɪk, ˌsɪnɪməˈtɒɡrəfə /

noun

1. the art or science of film (motion-picture) photography

---

Other Word Forms

• cinematographer
  noun
• cinematographic
  adjective
• cinematographically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of cinematography

First recorded in 1895–1900; see origin at cinematograph, -graphy

Explanation

The art of filming a movie is cinematography. The cinematography in your first documentary might not be amazing — next time, get a real movie camera instead of filming on your smartphone. Every year, one film wins an Academy Award for cinematography — this usually goes to a movie with gorgeous, sweeping camera shots. There's a lot that goes into cinematography, beyond simply filming the action with a camera: cinematographers carefully plan out shots, including how they're lit, the camera angles, focus, and depth of field. Cinematography comes from the now-obsolete cinematograph, "device for projecting a series of photographs in rapid succession so as to produce the illusion of movement."

Example Sentences

"To Kill a Monkey" also won Best Cinematography.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Cinematography techniques can significantly increase user engagement with virtual environments and, in particular, the aesthetic appeal of what users see in virtual reality.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2024

AP: Cinematography is a hard-to-define art sometimes compared to painting or described as a grammar.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2022

Cinematography, editing, script writing, directing, acting, set design, sound design, costumes, makeup.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2021

Cinematography had also to deal with the limited span of its viewers' attention, their lack of any previous exposure to moving images, and the conditions for viewing a film.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai