cinematography

Cinematography (from Greek: kinesis ????s?? (movement) and grapho ??af? (to record)), is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for the cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography. Many additional issues arise when both the camera and elements of the scene may be in motion, though this also greatly increases the possibilities at the same time. Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Aspects of cinematography 2.1 Film stock 2.2 The lab 2.3 Filters 2.4 Lens 2.4.1 Focal length 2.4.2 Diaphragm aperture 2.5 Depth of field and focus 2.6 Aspect ratio and framing 2.7 Lighting 2.8 Camera movement 3 Special effects 3.1 Frame rate selection 4 Role of the cinematographer 5 Evolution of technology: new definitions 6 References 7 See also 8 External links //

History Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (June 2008) For more details, see History of film. Roundhay Garden Scene directed by the world's first filmmaker, Louis Le Prince, in 1888.

The first attempt at cinematography can be traced back to the world's first motion picture film, Roundhay Garden Scene.[citation needed] It was a sequence directed by Louis Le Prince, French inventor and showman, on October 14 1888 in the garden at Oakwood Grange in Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.[citation needed] This groundbreaking event happened seven years before the Lumière Brothers' Sortie de l'usine Lumière à Lyon made the first paid exhibition on December 28, 1895 at Le Grand Café, in Paris, France.[citation needed]. This date is known as the birth of cinema since it was the first time the cycle of production-distribution-exhibition happened. The European city soon became the motion picture capital of the world.

Cinematography is an art form unique to motion pictures. Although the exposing of images on light-sensitive elements dates back to the late 1600s[citation needed], motion pictures demanded a new form of photography and new aesthetic techniques.

In the infancy of motion pictures, the cinematographer was usually also the director and the person physically handling the camera. As the art form and technology evolved, a separation between director and camera operator emerged. With the advent of artificial lighting and faster (more light sensitive) film stocks, in addition to technological advancements in optics and various techniques such as color film and widescreen, the technical aspects of cinematography necessitated a specialist in that area.

Cinematography was key during the silent movie era - no sound apart from background music, no dialogue - the films depended on lighting, acting and set.