Cinematographers

The cinematographers are the professionals in charge of the technical and artistic aspects involved in the shooting and development of the film, i.e. movie photography. The cinematographer, often referred to as the director of photography, acts as the film director’s main visual collaborator. During the early days of motion pictures, it was often the director who doubled up as the cinematographer. But with advancements in photography techniques and artificial lightning, the art of cinematography demanded the services of a separate dedicated specialist. The cinematographer’s job is a highly responsible one. In the preproduction stage, the director and the cinematographer discuss the overall vision for film, before embarking on a scene by scene discussion. He then determines the requirements for each scene, arranges for the required equipment and coordinates with other crew members to begin the production stage. At this stage he works closely with the director and guides his crew to ensure that each scene is shot to match the director’s vision. He has to decide the combination of cameras, the camera setups, and lighting arrangements. They also need to ensure that everything is kept within the photography budget. Browse the biographies listed below to explore the life and works of various world famous cinematographers and learn about their lives through their timelines and information about their personal and professional lives.