Editing Cinematographer

{{short description|Creative head of a motion picture's camera and lighting decisions}}{{More citations needed|date=February 2025}}[[File:US Navy 040615-N-6817C-030 A camera crew sets up for scenes to be taped on the flight deck for the upcoming motion picture Stealth.jpg|thumb|right|A [[camera crew]] sets up for scenes to be filmed on the flight deck for the motion picture ''[[Stealth (film)|Stealth]]'' with the crew of the [[Nimitz-class aircraft carrier|''Nimitz''-class aircraft carrier]] [[USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)|USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' (CVN-72)]].]]

The '''cinematographer''' or '''director of photography''' (sometimes shortened to '''DP''' or '''DOP''') is the person responsible for the recording of a [[film]], television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera and light [[film crew|crew]]s working on such projects. They would normally be responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image and for selecting the camera, [[film stock]], [[photographic lens|lens]]es, [[filter (photography)|filter]]s, etc. The study and practice of this field are referred to as ''[[cinematography]]''.

The cinematographer is a subordinate of the [[film director|director]], tasked with capturing a scene in accordance with the director's vision. Relations between the cinematographer and director vary. In some instances, the director will allow the cinematographer complete independence, while in others, the director allows little to none, even going so far as to specify exact camera placement and lens selection. Such a level of involvement is less common when the director and cinematographer have become comfortable with each other. The director will typically convey to the cinematographer what is wanted from a scene visually and allow the cinematographer latitude in achieving that effect.

The scenes recorded by the cinematographer are passed to the film editor for [[Film editing|editing]].

==History==
[[File:LiamHigginsAdidasTerrex.png|thumb|Outdoor gear protects the camera operator and camera.]]
In the infancy of motion pictures, the cinematographer was usually also the [[Film director|director]] and the person physically handling the camera. As the art form and technology evolved, a separation between director and [[camera operator]] emerged. With the advent of artificial lighting and faster (more light-sensitive) [[film stock]]s, in addition to technological advancements in optics, the technical aspects of cinematography necessitated a specialist in that area.

Cinematography was key during the [[silent movie]] era; with no sound apart from [[background music]] and no dialogue, the films depended on lighting, acting, and set.

The [[American Society of Cinematographers]] (ASC) was formed in 1919 in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], and was the first trade society for cinematographers. Similar societies were formed in other countries, for example the [[British Society of Cinematographers]] (BSC). Their aims include the recognition of the cinematographer's contribution to the art and science of motion picture making.<ref>  [https://theasc.com/asc/committees/asc-vision-committee The ASC Vision Committee] </ref>

==Societies and trade organizations==
There are a number of national associations of cinematographers that represent members (irrespective of their official titles) and are dedicated to the advancement of cinematography, including:

*the [[American Society of Cinematographers]] (A.S.C.)
*the [[Austrian Association of Cinematographers]] (A.A.C.)
*the [[Brazilian Cinematographers Society]] (A.B.C.)
*the [[International Collective of Female Cinematographers|International Collective of Women Cinematographers]] (ICFC)
*the [[Canadian Society of Cinematographers]] (C.S.C.)
[[File:Sathish. G.jpg|thumb|Cameraman along with the equipment for making cinematography.]]
*the [[Czech Society of Cinematographers]] (AČK)
*the [[Cinévore Madagascar]]
*the [[Finnish Society of Cinematographers]] (F.S.C.)
*the [[Guild of British Camera Technicians]] (G.B.C.T.)
*the [[British Society of Cinematographers]] (B.S.C.)
*the [[Australian Cinematographers Society]] (A.C.S.)
*the [[Cinematographers Guild of Korea]] (C.G.K.)
*the [[Filipino Society of Cinematographers]] (F.S.C.) 
*the [[French Society of Cinematographers]] (A.F.C.)
*the [[Indian cinematographers|Western India Cinematographers Association]] (W.I.C.A.)
*the [[Indian cinematographers|Indian Society of Cinematographers]] (I.S.C.)
*the Indonesian Cinematographers Society (ICS)
*the [[Italian Society of Cinematographers]] (A.I.C.)
*the [[German Society of Cinematographers]] (BVK)
*the [[Malaysian Society of Cinematographers]] (MySC)
*the [[Netherlands Society of Cinematographers]] (NSC)
*the [[Association of Slovak Cinematographers]] (ASK)
*the [[South African Society of Cinematographers]] (S.A.S.C.)
*the [[Spanish Society of Cinematography Works]] (A.E.C)
[[File:LiamHigginsSergeIbaka.jpg|thumb|Camera operator with support rig.]]
*the [[Polish Society of Cinematographers]] (PSC)
*the International Federation of Cinematographers (IMAGO)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-26 |title=IMAGO – International Federation of Cinematographers |url=https://imago.org/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=imago.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
*the Uruguayan Society of Cinematographers (S.C.U)
*the Lithuanian Association of Cinematographers (LAC)
*Cinematographers XX
*Illuminatrix

The A.S.C. defines cinematography as:

{{quote|A creative and interpretive process that culminates in the authorship of an original work of art rather than the simple recording of a physical event. Cinematography is not a subcategory of photography. Rather, photography is but one craft that the cinematographer uses in addition to other physical, organizational, managerial, interpretive and image-manipulating techniques to effect one coherent process.<ref>{{cite book| first = John | last = Hora | author-link = John Hora | chapter = Anamorphic Cinematography | editor-first = Stephen H. | editor-last = Burum
| title = The American Cinematographer Manual | year = 2007 | edition = 9 | isbn = 978-0935578317
}}</ref>|author=|title=|source=}}

==Noted cinematographers==
{{See|:Category:Cinematographers}}

The [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography]] is an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] awarded each year to a cinematographer for work on one particular [[film|motion picture]].

A number of cinematographers have become directors, including [[Reed Morano]] who lensed ''[[Frozen River]]'' and Beyoncé's ''[[Lemonade (Beyoncé album)|Lemonade]]'' before winning an Emmy for directing ''[[The Handmaid's Tale (TV series)|The Handmaid's Tale]]''. [[Barry Sonnenfeld]], originally the [[Coen brothers]]' DP; [[Jan de Bont]], cinematographer on films such as ''[[Die Hard]]'' and ''[[Basic Instinct]]'', directed ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]'' and ''[[Twister (1996 film)|Twister]]''. [[Nicolas Roeg]], cinematographer on films such as ''[[The Caretaker (film)|The Caretaker]]'' (1963) and ''[[The Masque of the Red Death (1964 film)|The Masque of the Red Death]]'' (1964), directed ''[[Don't Look Now]]'' (1973) and ''[[The Man Who Fell to Earth]]'' (1976). [[Ellen Kuras|Ellen Kuras, ASC]] photographed ''[[Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind|Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind]]'' as well as a number of [[Spike Lee]] films such as ''[[Summer of Sam]]'' and ''[[He Got Game]]'' before directing episodes of ''Legion'' and ''Ozark.'' In 2014, [[Wally Pfister]], cinematographer on [[Christopher Nolan]]'s [[Batman in film#Christopher Nolan|three ''Batman'' films]], made his directorial debut with ''[[Transcendence (2014 film)|Transcendence]],'' whilst British cinematographers [[Jack Cardiff]] and [[Freddie Francis]] regularly moved between the two positions.

==See also==
*[[3D film]]
*[[Camerimage]]
*[[Cinematography]]
*[[Cinematography Mailing List]], a communication forum for cinematographers
*[[Filmmaking]]
*[[Glossary of motion picture terms]]
*[[Indian cinematographers]]
*[[List of film director and cinematographer collaborations]]
*[[List of film formats]]
*[[List of film-related topics|List of motion picture-related topics]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190524102123/https://cinematography.com/ Cinematography.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200318014246/http://cinematography.net/ Cinematography Mailing List (CML)]
*[http://www.cameraguild.com/ International Cinematographers Guild]
*[http://www.precinemahistory.net The History of the Discovery of Cinematography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005081325/http://precinemahistory.net/ |date=2020-10-05 }}
*[http://www.theasc.com American Society of Cinematographers]
*[http://www.gbct.org The Guild of British Camera Technicians]
*[http://www.bscine.com British Society of Cinematographers]
*[http://www.iscindia.in Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406150300/http://www.iscindia.in/ |date=2020-04-06 }}
*[http://www.imago.org European Federation of Cinematographers/IMAGO]
*[http://www.cinematographer.org.au Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS)]
*[http://www.kinematografie.org/english/bvk/index.php German Society of Cinematography, BVK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205124614/http://www.kinematografie.org/english/bvk/index.php |date=2017-12-05 }}
*[http://www.aicine.it/ Italian Society of Cinematography, AIC (Autori Italiani della Cinematografia)]
*[http://www.cinematography.nl/ Netherlands Society of Cinematography, NSC]
*[http://www.lac.lt/ Lithuanian Association of Cinematographers, LAC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207102120/http://lac.lt/ |date=2021-12-07 }}
*[https://www.afcinema.com/?lang=en Association Française des directrices et directeurs de la photographie Cinématographique (AFC)]
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[[Category:Mass media occupations]]
[[Category:Cinematographers| ]]
[[Category:Cinematography]]
[[Category:Filmmaking occupations]]