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.

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cinematography British  

/ ˌsɪnɪməˈtɒɡrəfɪ, ˌsɪnɪˌmætəˈɡræfɪk, ˌsɪnɪməˈtɒɡrəfə /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• cinematographer noun
• cinematographic adjective
• cinematographically adverb

Etymology

Origin of cinematography

First recorded in 1895–1900; cinematograph, -graphy

Example Sentences

It ended up with four awards -- best actor for Jordan, Coogler's prize, best score for Ludwig Goransson and best cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first woman to ever win in that category.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Elsewhere, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first female winner of best cinematography, for her work on Sinners.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

It’s consistently executed, balancing history and layered metaphor with sweeping cinematography and a score that contributes as much to its electrifying storytelling as Ryan Coogler’s writing and directing.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Among the countless startups in this space is Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Vermeer, which began by building visual navigation systems for cinematography drones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Or it might have been my father’s cinematography.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides