How To Define Cinematography
As mentioned before, cinematographers are very diverse in their field. There are many types of cinematographers that do not use light as an integral part of their craft. Some like to refer to themselves as camera operators or even still photographers who then apply special effects such as VFX or green screen work to help convey the story.
All of these individuals study how to manipulate light for creative purposes but they don’t consider themselves full-fledged cinematographers. This is because most people associate the word "cinema" with movies!
However, this definition of cinema can be expanded to include any medium that uses imagery and/or stories to connect with audiences. These media include TV shows, documentaries, and even VR experiences.
Hence, the term cinematic does not imply only one type of production or style of storytelling. It simply refers to anything that uses integrated images and/or narratives to influence others. The key ingredient here being integration...
Elements of cinematography
Certain elements are considered key components in defining cinematic style. These include shutter speed, light source, camera angles, and focus/lack thereof.
When it comes to natural lighting, longer exposure times can create beautiful effects. By using very long exposures (or no exposure at all!), your film will seem more dramatic and aesthetically pleasing.
A common way to achieve this is with what’s called slow motion effect. This is when someone or something moving across the frame takes much longer than normal to pass by! For example, if a person walks down an empty hallway then you could use slow motion to make it look like they have been walking for hours.
This was done mostly through practical reasons- the shooter would have to wait until the person made it completely into the other room before taking the next picture. With digital though, you can take as many pictures per second as needed!
Another element that contributes to the slow motion effect is backlighting. This occurs when light sources come from behind the main character, creating a darker shadow and making them seem larger. Backlight also makes people and objects appear thicker and heavier, giving the feel of drama.
Camera types
A good starting place when defining what makes up cinematography is understanding how to describe the camera used in each shot. There are three main categories: still cameras, dolly shots, and crane or height settings.
Still cameras are usually referred to as “re-creations” of some area or event. These can be fully static (the setting does not move) or mobile (the setting moves). For example, a wedding has an itinerary that includes gathering at the church, ceremony, reception, etc. So during the pre-wedding events such as the rehearsal or introductions, the photographer would use a still camera to capture pictures of just the two people before moving onto another area.
Dolly shots are similar to a car driving down the road. The driver looks outside and takes note of all of the interesting sights they pass while traveling. In this case, the vehicle is the person being photographed, and the eye is looking out through the lens. This creates a more intimate feel because you get a sense of where your subject is coming from. It also gives off a less formal feeling since you aren't facing directly into the other person.
The third type of camera we will discuss is the crane or height setting. We will refer to these as cranes for the rest of the article! Crane shots are very specific and only done under special circumstances. They are typically needed for something like a space shuttle launch or a large waterfall.
Steadicam and dollies equipment
A key part of any cinematographer’s toolkit is his/her set of camera stabilization devices or “lenses.” These include bollards, steadicams, dolly tracks, cranes, gimbal systems, and more!
A stabilizer lens can be categorized as either vertical (like a tripod) or horizontal (dolly). The most common are tripods which work well for longer shots where you want to keep an eye on your subject. Dollies, also called handheld cameras, are great for shorter cuts because you can move with your shot and create natural movement.
Some people only use stabilizers in certain types of filming, but I believe it should be used at all times. Why? Because they allow you to convey a sense of dramatic tension, realism, and even flow to the film when needed. There are many ways to use them in filmmaking, so there’t really one right way to do it.