cinematography
noun
cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsi-nə-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē 
: the art or science of photography in a visual medium (as for movies, television, or video games)
black-and-white cinematography
But most of the cinematography is pedestrian. Many scenes are ridiculously overlit—no doubt because Technicolor was still a glorious new gimmick in 1939.—
Philip Martin
Philip Martin… this film, directed by Cameron Crowe, has better acting, more depth, and also boasts gorgeous cinematography.—Nancy Gordon
Nancy GordonExamples of cinematography in a Sentence
The film's cinematography is breathtaking.
Who did the cinematography for this film?
Recent Examples on the Web
Its striking black-and-white cinematography and bold artistic choices draw the viewer into a story that feels both urgent and universal.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025
The simple cinematography and editing support the story without taking attention away from it.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025
Heading the main jury at the Camerimage Film Festival in Toruń, Poland, the industry’s most influential event dedicated to cinematography.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Nov. 2025
Despite the anodyne cinematography, special effects that look rinky-dink compared to Oppenheimer, and a color palette more suited to an episode of The A-Team than serious cinema, the movie really scared me.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cinematography
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Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025
The simple cinematography and editing support the story without taking attention away from it.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025
Heading the main jury at the Camerimage Film Festival in Toruń, Poland, the industry’s most influential event dedicated to cinematography.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 Nov. 2025
Despite the anodyne cinematography, special effects that look rinky-dink compared to Oppenheimer, and a color palette more suited to an episode of The A-Team than serious cinema, the movie really scared me.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cinematography
Cite this Entry
“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cinematography
noun
cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
noun
-fər
Medical Definition
cinematography
noun
cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography
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