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
The cinematography, by Malik Hassan Sayeed, has a documentary-like precision combined with a somber stateliness.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
To be fair, nothing in Linus Sandgren’s fluid and inventive cinematography looks drab.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Three chapters set in New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris — with Frederick Elmes and Yorick Le Saux splitting cinematography duties — center on adult children and their relationships with their aging parents.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
The ensemble cast includes Nicholas Pinnock, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, and Tom Bateman, with a score by Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir and cinematography from Sean Bobbitt.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cinematography
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Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
To be fair, nothing in Linus Sandgren’s fluid and inventive cinematography looks drab.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Three chapters set in New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris — with Frederick Elmes and Yorick Le Saux splitting cinematography duties — center on adult children and their relationships with their aging parents.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
The ensemble cast includes Nicholas Pinnock, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, and Tom Bateman, with a score by Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir and cinematography from Sean Bobbitt.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 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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