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

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

Her sections are shot, by cinematographer Gergely Pálos, in rich black-and-white, a clear contrast to the cool, colored digital aesthetic of the sequences with Mr. Leung.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Svetnoy was close friends with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and held her in his arms as she lay dying on the floor of the New Mexico movie set.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 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