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director of photography

American  
[dih-rek-ter uhv fuh-tog-ruh-fee] / dɪˈrɛk tər ʌv fəˈtɒg rə fi /

noun

Movies.
  1. a person who is responsible for all operations concerning camera work and lighting during the production of a film. DP


Etymology

Origin of director of photography

First recorded in 1915–20


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

"Film work has definitely been impacted by AI... it's really kicked us down," said Laura, 35, a director of photography in London, who preferred not to share her last name for professional reasons.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

“Each director of photography has his little secrets,” Dorieux said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026

"It almost feels like having a cinematographer or director of photography specialising in action films assisting you."

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

Work with my director of photography Christopher Messina on the visual language, lighting and technical aspects of the film went on for more than a year before shooting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025

She even knew a Chinese cameraman who would be her director of photography.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

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