cinematographer

American  

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

especially British, cinematographist

noun

• cinematographers
  plural

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

2. director of photography.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cinematographers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cinematographer

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

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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

See Examples For:

cinematographer cinematographers

Before Paul called the property home, stars including Robert Pattinson, Jim Parsons, Noah Wyle, Tim Curry, cinematographer Robert Richardson, and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had all reportedly lived at the estate.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

A wildlife cinematographer and shark guide has spoken about the unexpected surprise and joy of seeing a humpback whale in the Celtic Deep just off the Welsh coast.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

To emphasize the ghoulishness, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki shoots the president and his advisors in unflattering low angles with a formaldehyde sheen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

"To me, the new cinemas have lost the charm," said Chaturvedi, a former Bollywood cinematographer who worked on hit movies during a three-decade career.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

She knew her parents wanted her to study law, but she wanted to pursue filmmaking and be a cinematographer.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Stuart cites the number of exceptional cinematographers that have “flooded the doc market” as a prime example of this technical upgrade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

"A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they want to become cinematographers," she said.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

Actors, directors, screenwriters and cinematographers fear any consolidation might mean less leverage negotiating their next deal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

"The greatest directors and cinematographers are passing on their know-how," Kael said, citing "Rise of the Raven", a Hungarian co-produced historical TV series released this year.

From Barron's ● Nov. 30, 2025

“It’s even bigger than the one I showed you last time. It contains just about every movie ever released. Actors, directors, cinematographers, sound tracks, musical scores, the lot.”

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

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