This glossary organizes our cinematography analyses by directors, cinematographers, cameras, lenses, lighting styles, and visual techniques—each link leads to in-depth film breakdowns exploring how images are crafted.
Director
- Adam Elliot (1)
- Akira Kurosawa (2)
- Alejandro González Iñárritu (1)
- Alfonso Cuarón (1)
- Alfred Hitchcock (1)
- Alper Caglar (1)
- Andrew Adamson (1)
- Andrew Stanton (1)
- Ang Lee (1)
- Anthony Russo (2)
- Barry Levinson (1)
- Ben Washam (1)
- Bong Joon-ho (1)
- Brad Bird (1)
- Bryan Singer (2)
- Byron Howard (1)
- Çağan Irmak (1)
- Charles Ferguson (1)
- Charlie Chaplin (1)
- Christopher Nolan (1)
- Chuck Jones (1)
- Damián Szifron (1)
- Danny Boyle (1)
- Darren Aronofsky (1)
- David Lean (1)
- David Lynch (1)
- Denis Villeneuve (1)
- Doug Liman (1)
- Edward Zwick (1)
- Elem Klimov (1)
- Éric Toledano (1)
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (1)
- Frank Capra (1)
- Frank Miller (1)
- Franklin J. Schaffner (1)
- Gabriele Muccino (1)
- Garth Davis (1)
- Gary Trousdale (1)
- George Roy Hill (1)
- Giuseppe Tornatore (1)
- Harold Ramis (1)
- Hayao Miyazaki (1)
- Henry Selick (1)
- Isao Takahata (1)
- J.J. Abrams (1)
- James Cameron (1)
- James Gunn (2)
- Jean-Marc Vallée (1)
- Jim Sheridan (1)
- Joe Russo (2)
- John Huston (1)
- John Lasseter (1)
- John McTiernan (1)
- Jon Favreau (1)
- Jon Watts (1)
- Joss Whedon (1)
- Katsuhiro Otomo (1)
- Kirk Wise (1)
- Kurt Kuenne (1)
- Lasse Hallström (1)
- Lee Unkrich (1)
- Louie Psihoyos (1)
- Loveleen Tandan (1)
- M. Night Shyamalan (1)
- Majid Majidi (1)
- Makoto Shinkai (1)
- Malik Bendjelloul (1)
- Martin Brest (1)
- Martin Campbell (1)
- Martin McDonagh (1)
- Masaki Kobayashi (1)
- Mathieu Kassovitz (1)
- Mel Gibson (1)
- Michael Cimino (1)
- Michel Gondry (1)
- Miloš Forman (1)
- Morten Tyldum (1)
- Naoko Yamada (1)
- Neill Blomkamp (1)
- Noah Baumbach (1)
- Olivier Nakache (1)
- Oriol Paulo (1)
- Park Chan-wook (2)
- Paul Greengrass (1)
- Paul Thomas Anderson (2)
- Pete Docter (1)
- Quentin Tarantino (3)
- Rich Moore (1)
- Richard Kelly (1)
- Richard Linklater (3)
- Richard Marquand (1)
- Ridley Scott (1)
- Rob Reiner (1)
- Robert Rodriguez (1)
- Robert Wise (1)
- Roman Polanski (1)
- Ron Fricke (1)
- Ron Howard (2)
- Sam Mendes (1)
- Sean Penn (1)
- Siân Heder (1)
- Sidney Lumet (2)
- Spike Jonze (1)
- Stanley Kramer (1)
- Stanley Kubrick (2)
- Stephen Chbosky (1)
- Steven Spielberg (2)
- Stuart Rosenberg (1)
- Taika Waititi (1)
- Takashi Nakamura (1)
- Terry George (1)
- Terry Gilliam (1)
- Terry Jones (1)
- Tim Burton (1)
- Tim Miller (1)
- Tom Hooper (1)
- Vicky Jenson (1)
- Walter Salles (1)
- William Wyler (1)
- Wilson Yip (1)
- Wim Wenders (1)
- Wolfgang Petersen (1)
- Zack Snyder (1)
Cinematographer
- Adrian Biddle (1)
- Alan Hume (1)
- Alexey Rodionov (1)
- Allen Daviau (1)
- Andrew Dunn (1)
- Anthony Dod Mantle (1)
- Asakazu Nakai (2)
- Ben Davis (1)
- Blasco Giurato (1)
- Brook Aitken (1)
- Camilla Skagerström (1)
- Chung Chung-hoo (1)
- Chung Chung-hoon (1)
- Claudio Miranda (1)
- Conrad L. Hall (3)
- Dan Mindel (1)
- Danny Cohen (1)
- Dariusz Wolski (1)
- Dean Cundey (1)
- Dion Beebe (1)
- Donald E. Thorin (1)
- Eddie Collins (1)
- Eduardo Serra (1)
- Eigil Bryld (1)
- Ellen Kuras (1)
- Eric Gautier (1)
- Ernest Laszlo (1)
- Fabian Wagner (1)
- George Barnes (1)
- Gerald Thompson (1)
- Gilbert Taylor (1)
- Greig Fraser (1)
- Hagen Bogdanski (1)
- Henry Braham (1)
- Hirokata Takahashi (1)
- Hitomi Fukuzawa (1)
- Hoyte van Hoytema (1)
- Ian Megibben (1)
- Jack Hildyard (1)
- Jan de Bont (1)
- Javier Aguirresarobe (1)
- Javier Juliá (1)
- Jeremy Lasky (1)
- Jericca Cleland (1)
- John Alcott (1)
- John Bailey (1)
- John Seale (1)
- John Toll (1)
- Joseph Walker (1)
- Jost Vacano (1)
- Katsuji Misawa (1)
- Ken Seng (1)
- Kim Hyung-ku (1)
- Kurt Kuenne (1)
- Lee Daniel (3)
- Leon Shamroy (1)
- Leonardo Bittencourt (1)
- Makoto Shinkai (1)
- Maryse Alberti (1)
- Mathieu Vadepied (1)
- Matt Aspbury (1)
- Matthew Libatique (1)
- Mauro Fiore (2)
- Mehmet Basbaran (1)
- Michael Bauman (1)
- Michael Seresin (1)
- Miroslav Ondricek (1)
- Nathan Warner (1)
- Newton Thomas Sigel (2)
- Nobuo Koyama (1)
- O Sing-Pui (1)
- Oliver Wood (1)
- Oscar Faura (1)
- Owen Roizman (1)
- Parviz Malekzaade (1)
- Paula Huidobro (1)
- Pete Kozachik (1)
- Peter Biziou (2)
- Peter Deming (1)
- Phedon Papamichael (1)
- Phil Meheux (1)
- Philippe Rousselot (1)
- Pierre A (1)
- Raymond Stella (1)
- Ridvan Ülgen (1)
- Robbie Ryan (1)
- Robby Müller (1)
- Robert Elswit (1)
- Robert Fraisse (1)
- Robert Richardson (2)
- Robert Rodriguez (1)
- Robert Surtees (1)
- Rodrigo Prieto (1)
- Roger Deakins (2)
- Roger Pratt (1)
- Roland Totheroh (1)
- Ron Fortunato (1)
- Ron Fricke (1)
- Salvatore Totino (1)
- Seamus McGarvey (1)
- Sh (1)
- Shane F. Kelly (1)
- Sharon Calahan (2)
- Steven Poster (1)
- Steven Wilzbach (1)
- Svetlana Cvetko Kalyanee Mam (1)
- Tak Fujimoto (1)
- Takao Sait? (1)
- Takao Saitō (1)
- Ted D. McCord (2)
- Trent Opaloch (3)
- Victor J. Kemper (1)
- Vilmos Zsigmond (1)
- Wally Pfister (1)
- William A. Fraker (1)
- Xavi Giménez (1)
- Yoshio Miyajima (1)
- Yûichi Terao (1)
- Yves Bélanger (1)
Camera
- Aaton 35-III (1)
- Aaton Penelope (1)
- Aaton XTR (1)
- Arri 2c (IIc) (1)
- Arri 435 / 435ES (3)
- Arri 535 / 535B (1)
- ARRI ALEXA (3)
- ARRI ALEXA 4:3 / plus (1)
- ARRI ALEXA 65 (3)
- ARRI ALEXA Classic / Plus (1)
- ARRI ALEXA LF (1)
- ARRI ALEXA M (1)
- ARRI ALEXA Mini LF (1)
- ARRI ALEXA SXT (1)
- ARRI ALEXA XT / XTplus (5)
- Arricam LT (14)
- Arricam ST (7)
- Arriflex (1)
- Arriflex 235 (5)
- Arriflex 35 BL4 (1)
- Arriflex 35 IIC (2)
- Arriflex 35 IIIc (1)
- Arriflex 416 (1)
- Arriflex 435 (6)
- Arriflex 535B (2)
- Arriflex BL (2)
- Arriflex BL3 (2)
- Arriflex BL4 (1)
- ARRIRAW (6.5K) (1)
- Beaumont VistaVision Camera (1)
- Bell and Howell 2709 (2)
- CAMERA (1)
- Canon EOS 1DX (1)
- Fluorescent (1)
- Gold G2 (1)
- JDC Camera (2)
- Mitchell (2)
- Mitchell BFC 65 (1)
- Mitchell BNC (4)
- Moviecam Compact (3)
- Moviecam SL (2)
- Panaflex (1)
- Panavision Cameras (4)
- Panavision Gold / G2 (2)
- Panavision Millennium (2)
- Panavision Millennium / Millenium XL / XL2 (6)
- Panavision Millennium / Millennium XL / XL2 (2)
- Panavision Panaflex (7)
- Panavision Panaflex Gold (1)
- Panavision Panaflex Platinum (2)
- Panavision Panastar (1)
- Panavision Platinum (7)
- Panavision R-200 (1)
- Phantom (1)
- Phantom Flex4K (1)
- Platinum (1)
- Practical light (1)
- RED Epic Dragon (2)
- RED Komodo (1)
- RED One / OneMX (1)
- Redcode RAW 8k (1)
- Silicon Imaging SI-2k (1)
- Sony | XDCAM | PDW-F350 (1)
- Sony CineAlta F23 (1)
- Sony CineAlta HDC-F950 (1)
- Sony VENICE (1)
- Super Panavision 70 (1)
- Todd AO 65mm (1)
- XL/XL2 (1)
Lens
- Angenieux - HR Zoom - 25-250mm (1)
- Angenieux Optimo (4)
- Angenieux Optimo Zooms (10)
- Arri Macro (1)
- Arri Signature Prime Lenses (1)
- Arriflex 435 (1)
- Bausch and Lomb (1)
- C-Series (1)
- Canon K35 (1)
- Canon K35 m2 (1)
- Canon L-Series (1)
- Century Angenieux 23-460mm (2)
- Cooke 20-100mm (1)
- Cooke CXX Lenses (1)
- Cooke Panchro Classic (2)
- Cooke S3 (1)
- Cooke S4/ i (5)
- Cooke S4/i (2)
- Cooke Varotal Lenses (1)
- Cooke Varotel Zoom lenses (2)
- Cooke Xtal Express (2)
- E-Series (1)
- Fujinon E Series (1)
- Fujinon Lenses (2)
- Hassalblad Prime 65 lenses (2)
- Hasselblad Prime 65 lenses (1)
- Hawk C-series Anamorphics (2)
- Hawk V-Lite Vintage '74 (1)
- Hawk V-Plus (1)
- Hawk V-series Anamorphics (2)
- JDC (2)
- Leica Summicron-C (1)
- Leica Summilux-C (1)
- Leitz M 0.8 (1)
- Leitz SUMMILUX-C (1)
- Mamiya Large Format Lenses (1)
- Panavision | Standard Primes (1)
- Panavision 40-80 (Bailey zoom - AWZ2) (2)
- Panavision 70-200mm (ATZ) (2)
- Panavision APO Panatar (1)
- Panavision C series (6)
- Panavision Compact (19-90mm PCZ) (1)
- Panavision E series (3)
- Panavision Lenses (8)
- Panavision Nova series (1)
- Panavision Panaspeed (1)
- Panavision Primo 70 Primes (1)
- Panavision Primo 70s (1)
- Panavision Primo Anamorphics (1)
- Panavision Primo Macro 14.5-50mm (1)
- Panavision Primo Primes (14)
- Panavision Super Speed Zeiss MKII (3)
- Panavision System 65 Lenses (1)
- Panavision Ultra Speed II (PVintage) (1)
- Panavision Ultra Speed Zeiss (2)
- Zeiss Master Primes (5)
- Zeiss Super Speed (5)
- Zeiss Ultra 16mm (1)
- Zeiss Ultra Prime (6)
Lighting Style
- Artificial light (30)
- Backlight (13)
- Daylight (57)
- Edge light (7)
- Firelight (3)
- Fluorescent (6)
- Hard light (48)
- High contrast (28)
- High contrast; Artificial (1)
- HMI (4)
- Low contrast (7)
- Mixed (1)
- Mixed light (10)
- Moonlight (4)
- Overcast (9)
- Practical light (9)
- Side light (22)
- Silhouette (6)
- Soft light (43)
- Sunny (13)
- Top light (24)
- Tungsten (8)
- Underlight (5)
Genre
- Action (34)
- Adventure (34)
- AI (1)
- Ancient Wars (1)
- Animation (14)
- Anime (3)
- Anthology (1)
- Biopic (8)
- Body Horror (1)
- Buddy (2)
- Business (2)
- CGI Animation (5)
- CIA (1)
- Claymation (2)
- Comedy (22)
- Comedy/Adventure (1)
- Coming-of-Age (5)
- Conspiracy (1)
- Contemporary Western (1)
- Costume (2)
- Costume Drama (2)
- Courtroom Drama (3)
- Crime (20)
- Crime/True crime (1)
- Cyberpunk (3)
- Dark Comedy (2)
- Detective (1)
- Docudrama (3)
- Documentary (3)
- Documentary/Crime (1)
- Drama (76)
- Drama/Drama (1)
- Drama/History (1)
- Drama/Melodrama (2)
- Dystopian (3)
- Epic (10)
- Erotic (1)
- Fairytale (2)
- Family (20)
- Family/Sport (1)
- Fantasy (20)
- Fatherhood (5)
- Film Noir (2)
- Gambling (1)
- Gangster (3)
- Hard Sci-Fi (3)
- Heist (1)
- High Fantasy (1)
- History (26)
- Holidays (1)
- Horror (4)
- Lo-Fi Sci-Fi (3)
- Low Fantasy (2)
- Magical Realism (8)
- Marriage (3)
- Martial Arts (4)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe (1)
- Medieval Wars (1)
- Melodrama (7)
- Mental Health (2)
- Military (9)
- Mockumentary (1)
- Motherhood (1)
- Murder Mystery (5)
- Music (8)
- Music/Documentary (1)
- Musical (7)
- Mystery (13)
- Nature (5)
- Nature Documentary (1)
- Neo-Noir (3)
- Occult (2)
- Outlaw (2)
- Police (3)
- Political (19)
- Post-Apocalyptic (2)
- Pre-Industrial Wars (1)
- Prison (3)
- Psychedelic (4)
- Psychological (1)
- Psychological Horror (4)
- Puppetry (2)
- Revenge (4)
- Road Trip (3)
- Rom-Com (3)
- Romance (22)
- Romance/Drama (1)
- Samurai (1)
- Satire (11)
- Science Fiction (23)
- Science FictionAction (1)
- Science-Fiction (9)
- Shakespeare on Screen (1)
- Slapstick (1)
- Small town (1)
- Soft Sci-Fi (1)
- Space (5)
- Sports (1)
- Spy (3)
- Stage Adaptation (2)
- Stop-Motion Animation (2)
- Submarine (1)
- Suburbia (5)
- Superhero (7)
- Survival (5)
- Sword & Sorcery (1)
- Technology (5)
- Thriller (26)
- Thriller/Mystery (1)
- Time Travel (6)
- Traditional Animation (5)
- Travel (2)
- Vietnam War (1)
- War (14)
- War/Action (1)
- Western (3)
- Wildlife (3)
- Workplace (1)
- World War II (5)