Top 60 Cinematography Quotes

When ’36 Chowringhee Lane’ was released in 1981, I was a student of the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu. Everyone who had seen the film was very impressed with its flawless direction and acting. But we, cinematography students, were stunned by the visual style, which was truly international.

I don’t really believe in the mystery of cinematography – what happens in the camera is what the cinematographers create and all that nonsense – I want the director to see what I’m trying to do.

You make the movie through the cinematography – it sounds quite a simple idea, but it was like a huge revelation to me.

I believe that filmmakers have to internalize the story and subtext so well that all of the departments can start to speak to each other – that music can speak to cinematography can speak to writing and back again.

I stopped playing the drums when I was ten, and I picked up Rubik’s Cubes. I was doing that for a while, and then I got into cinematography.

My attention is more on the technical process of filmmaking; I like to observe cinematography and direction.

I believe if you come out of a movie and the first thing you say is, ‘The cinematography was beautiful,’ it’s a bad movie.

When I was studying photography, I became interested in conflict photojournalism, and that got me interested in lighting. Then I realized there was this amazing thing called cinematography where you could kind of tell more complete stories photographing for film. So I ended up going to AFI grad school for that.

My father would tell anyone who would listen that this dentist thing he was doing was not his passion; cinematography was.

I was not getting work, even after auditioning for films. So I started working in a studio as a photographer; I assisted a cinematographer for two ads. I was thinking that I will get into photography or cinematography or assist someone. But then the ‘Dangal’ offer came, and I was busy with the auditions.

I think ‘GoodFellas’ is just a perfect film. From an efficiency of storytelling standpoint, from an entertainment standpoint, from a performance standpoint, from a use of music standpoint, from a cinematography and editing standpoint – to me, it’s just a perfect movie.

In old movies, the cinematography is a thousand times better than anything today. Writing, a thousand times better.

The reason why I wanted to direct is because there are personal stories that I want to tell, but also because I love every part of movie making – from the wardrobe to the set decoration to cinematography.

And later I thought, I can’t think how anyone can become a director without learning the craft of cinematography.

The quality of television is becoming so good from an actor standpoint, where you get to do these amazing scenes with amazing directors and cinematography.

I like movies where you can come back and re-watch them and admire the cinematography 25 years later.

I believe if you come out of a movie and the first thing you say is, ‘The cinematography was beautiful,’ it’s a bad movie.

A lot of cinematography is intuition. It’s an art, not a formula.

The phenomenon that is ‘Game Of Thrones’ has propelled many actors associated with it into the minds of directors and producers, and it’s a fabulous position to be in. It’s because it’s so adored and respected, of such high quality with such amazing cinematography.

I feel for Veronica Mars so much when I’m watching at home. It is a wonderful story. The writing is consistently funny, biting, charming, heart-wrenching, etc. I also like the look of it. The cinematography – different from any other show.

I started out with this dream of being a director and doing cinematography and bought my first film camera at 15.

Right before ‘American Dreams,’ I started to pursue these avenues, like short films and getting into a couple night courses to really study photography and cinematography, and the language of visual storytelling.

The reason why I wanted to direct is because there are personal stories that I want to tell, but also because I love every part of movie making – from the wardrobe to the set decoration to cinematography.

I think the cinematography in ‘Mr. Robot’ is some of the best I’ve ever seen, honestly. Not even as being part of the show but as somebody who enjoys cinema and movies in film and TV.

In the James Cameron blockbuster ‘Avatar,’ 3-D cinematography is the real star. The bugs and crawling creatures seem to slither into the theater seats. The floating mountains of the planet Pandora hover gloriously overhead. And the Na’Vi, Pandora’s 10-foot-tall, blue-skinned natives, come convincingly to life.

Obviously, the cinematography of films is art, just as a still shot can be art. If I’m watching a Wes Anderson movie, the colour palettes alone, and the way they’re painted, could be art. With music, you’re a little bit limited, of course, because it’s only audio.

Let me tell you something about Joe Manganiello – I don’t care, dude. The most impressive thing that you have on your cinematography is that you got beat up by Spiderman.

If there’s an opportunity to tell a story through acting or directing or cinematography or a book, I will embrace that opportunity.

I believe that filmmakers have to internalize the story and subtext so well that all of the departments can start to speak to each other – that music can speak to cinematography can speak to writing and back again.

After I finished my degree in Mass Communication in Manipal, I enrolled for a cinematography course in Pune Film Institute. That is when Nandini Reddy, the director of ‘Ala Modalaindi,’ convinced me to act.

Life is unpredictable, and I feel, to some extent, lighting and cinematography should be a reflection of that.

The only consistency in the work I do is that I try to use cinematography to best tell the narrative and do justice to the character arcs, but not to do it in such an overt way that people are distracted by it.

I was in film school as an undergrad with a focus on directing. Once I started working on shoots, I realized, ‘Oh, I really like this cinematography thing.’

The cinematography and the conditions in which ‘Meru’ was filmed drew me to the project. It’s remarkable to think that everything in the film is real; these three men set out to attempt this impossible climb and to film it at the same time.

Let me tell you something about Joe Manganiello – I don’t care, dude. The most impressive thing that you have on your cinematography is that you got beat up by Spiderman.

When I was studying photography, I became interested in conflict photojournalism, and that got me interested in lighting. Then I realized there was this amazing thing called cinematography where you could kind of tell more complete stories photographing for film. So I ended up going to AFI grad school for that.

Obviously, the cinematography of films is art, just as a still shot can be art. If I’m watching a Wes Anderson movie, the colour palettes alone, and the way they’re painted, could be art. With music, you’re a little bit limited, of course, because it’s only audio.

I feel for Veronica Mars so much when I’m watching at home. It is a wonderful story. The writing is consistently funny, biting, charming, heart-wrenching, etc. I also like the look of it. The cinematography – different from any other show.

There are particular images that I like. Allegro is composed of a series of still life photographs that has been put to speed. There is so much care that has gone into the composition of the cinematography.

I like movies where you can come back and re-watch them and admire the cinematography 25 years later.

I really like photography, and I’d like to do more of that kind of thing. If I had to choose a different job within the industry and do it well, I would love to do cinematography.

I think the cinematography in ‘Mr. Robot’ is some of the best I’ve ever seen, honestly. Not even as being part of the show but as somebody who enjoys cinema and movies in film and TV.

The quality of television is becoming so good from an actor standpoint, where you get to do these amazing scenes with amazing directors and cinematography.

Cinematography is infinite in its possibilities… much more so than music or language.

The incredible cinematography makes ‘A Walk to Beautiful’ almost like a poem; there is a tenderness on display that seems to emanate from the camera. There is also great sensitivity to the women whose stories are being told – never did I have a sense of the subjects being exploited.

Usually, if you notice good cinematography, then the cinematographer’s failing. I try to make light feel like it’s always motivated and natural in some way and hope that the lighting goes unnoticed.

Playing with light is something that is very important, especially when you want cinematography in your game.

I don’t come from a film background. I haven’t learned anything about films or film-making. But I have a thirst to know everything about my profession. I want to learn about cinematography, about editing, about music recordings, about post-production. So when people in the know talk, I willingly listen.