The cinematography of a film brings life to its scripts. Think of your favorite movie and a scene you love—it is the effortless shots and their composition that captivated you and left you in awe.
So, how do you learn cinematography and master all the important techniques to transform your love for cinema and the craft of shooting it into a lucrative career? You can start with a course that introduces you to the discipline. There are offline and online cinematography courses that you can choose from.
You can take a more traditional approach and go to a film school or access online courses, tutorials, and masterclasses to learn about cinematography. Online courses are perfect if you want to study remotely—these programs are offered by reputed universities, are affordable, and get you acquainted with global cinema.
Find a suitable course, invest in some gear, and familiarize yourself with the camera, and you are halfway there.
This article will take you through a beginner’s guide on how to learn cinematography.
What is Cinematography?
Cinematography is the art of visual storytelling through the lenses of a camera. It captures moments and scenes in perfect sync with the mood of the backdrop, weaving a beautiful story that evokes the intended emotion and resonates with the audience.
What does a cinematographer do?
Cinematographers are the creative storytellers behind your favorite movie sequences and music videos. They are in charge of the camera, lighting, shots & angles, and related features to direct a composition. These professionals have technical prowess and creative drive, making a movie seem realistic and relatable.
Why is cinematography important in filmmaking?
Cinematography is the backbone of filmmaking – it guides the viewers through the story. Films and their scenes stand out because of excellent execution, the mood they set, and how they keep audiences on edge. With the right angles, shots, composition & frames, and attention to detail, the cinematographer can visually represent the plot – from script to screen.
How Can You Start Learning Cinematography?
Wondering how to learn cinematography and get acquainted with its basics? You’re at the right place. There are plenty of offline and online courses & workshops for you to learn and master the craft. We have discussed the benefits of both mediums so you can decide what’s the best choice for you.
Should you pursue a formal education or go for self-learning?
Formal training involves attending a film school in person, whereas self-learning includes teaching yourself the craft through online courses, and tutorials, attending online workshops, and reading on the subject. The latter requires you to do all the work, from planning how to proceed to being patient and regular until you learn cinematography fundamentals.
While formal education is more structured & expert-guided and includes industry training, self-learning relies on online resources and networking.
If you don’t have enough time and means to attend a film school, but are passionate about cinematography, many reputed institutes offer online cinematography courses for basic and advanced learning.
What are the benefits of online courses vs. film school?
Let us quickly go over the benefits of online courses and film school so you can decide what suits your interests –
Benefits of Online Courses
- Flexibility & Convenience – Online courses allow you to learn at your own pace, from anywhere & alongside another course/job.
- Cost-Effective – Most short-term online courses are affordable, with some workshops and tutorials available for free!
- Accessible – A lot of film schools around the world offer online cinematography courses. So, you can access these programs, materials, and much more on your phone or PC.
- Beyond Geographical Barriers – If traveling is not an option for you & there’s no film school in your city, you can still pursue your passion.
Benefits of Attending a Film School
- Networking Opportunities – film schools let you connect with professionals via events, alumni bases, and contact with film societies.
- State-of-the-art Infrastructure – With top-notch equipment, you can get hands-on training and work toward building a portfolio.
- Collaboration with peers – peer learning and working with other aspiring cinematographers expand your knowledge and allow you to explore the craft.
- Routine – The routine and structure at a film school are great for regular practice and steady growth in learning.
What Equipment Do You Need?
Do you want to know how to learn cinematography at home? Well, you need to get your hands on some basic equipment. Start with a professional camera or a smartphone with good camera features. Get a tripod, some microphones, lighting, and lenses. While good-quality gear is a good start, you don’t have to spend a fortune on it. Once you explore the craft more, you can always update your gear.
What are the essential cameras and lenses for beginners?
When you are just starting out, you would want a camera with 4K HD recording with 60-120 fps, an ISO range that can go up to 102,400, good zoom features, and good sound quality within budget.
Here are some beginner-friendly cameras you can check out –
SONY FX30
Fujifilm X-H2S
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Canon EOS R7
Get yourself lenses with T-stops, a f/2.8 (or more) fixed max aperture, high-quality zoom, and image stabilization. A prime lens with a fixed focal length or a zoom lens is a good start.
Here are some lenses you can invest in –
50mm – A light-weight & affordable prime lens
Wide Angle – With a fixed focal length between 14-20 mm
Anamorphic – With a wide aspect ratio of around 2:39:1 to fit wide frames without color changes or much image distortion.
How can you practice with basic lighting setups?
As a beginner, you can use the already available light sources around you to shoot creative videos. The key is to avoid overhead lights and mixing different temperatures. You can explore different lighting techniques – hard lighting, three-point lighting, and illuminating the object on focus – and perfect your skills at home –
- Natural light – It is a great way to highlight the natural features of your objects and create a realistic composition. You can use white paper or a bedsheet as a diffuser to control the light as well.
- Lamps and Indoor Lights – You can use one or more lamps to illuminate the frame, place them to make it look realistic, and turn off the ceiling lights. You can use colored lamps to experiment with the mood and temperature too.
- DIY modifiers and reflectors – Be crafty and use things around you to practice your cinematography skills. Use white sheets and funnels as modifiers, make reflectors using foam boards and black umbrellas & white paper. You can position your lights and play around with your DIY gear to create stunning lighting effects.
What Techniques Should You Master First
A crucial step in learning cinematography is mastering some important techniques. From lighting to camera movements, framing, and creating compositions, knowledge of techniques makes all the difference.
What are the key camera movements you should learn?
Camera movements can dictate how a story unfolds, and how the audience feels, and guides their vision and mood through the plot. Some of the basic yet important camera movements every cinematographer should know are –
- Tilt – It’s the vertical (Up and Down) movement of a camera. These are used to reveal new information or draw attention to a character.
- Pan – The horizontal or sideways (Left and Right) movement of a camera is called a pan. It is used to guide the audience’s focus through a character’s action or highlight a new object.
- Push In & Pull Out – Push in is when a camera is moved closer to the subject as opposed to pull out where a camera is moved away from it. These shots are used to build on the emotion of the plot, draw or withdraw focus, and emphasize a singular or macro perspective.
- Static Shot – There are no camera movements in static shots. The camera is fixed on a tripod or stabilized so there is no distraction and the focus is on the character and their performance.
- Tracking Shot – in tracking shots, the camera physically tracks the moving subject. It can be used to take the audience on board and emphasize the characters’ POV through the movement.
How do framing and composition impact visual storytelling?
Framing is a process where the cinematographer decides what objects are included and left out. Composition is the arrangement of these objects in a way that furthers the story, engages the audience, guides their attention, and establishes the mood of the shot/scene.
Framing and composition are two major elements of visual storytelling. They guide audiences’ eyes to the subject and take them through the narrative without using a verbal cue.
The placement of subjects within the frame, the props, and supporting characters, together with the color scheme and lighting tells a story beyond the dialogues, evoking emotions in the viewers and developing their feelings towards a character.
The right composition & framing can garner the intended response from the audience – from empathizing with a character, feeling the tension building up, to dislike or melancholy.
In period movies like ‘Jodha Akbar’ and SLB movies like ‘Guzaarish’ or more recently ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, these elements also add an aesthetic touch to the movie, making it more visually appealing.
How to Learn Cinematography by Studying Other Media?
Creative fields often have interdisciplinary qualities. They borrow from other mediums, use overlapping elements, and explore techniques from other related areas to create a cohesive yet unique effect.
How can silent films teach you about visual storytelling?
If you have watched and loved Charlie Chaplin, you probably understand that there is a lot more to cinema and storytelling than dialogues. From body language, and sets, to camera movements and angles, silent films depend on the visual aspects of a story.
Be it the camera tracking the main character in Charlie Chaplin, or Panning from one character to the other in Satyajit Ray’s short film “Two”, the stories are built and executed mainly through camera movements.
Camera angles are often used to determine a character’s hierarchy, the mood of the frame, and the focus, while different movements and shots dictate the emotion and pace – guiding the audience through the plot. Charlie Chaplin and Two are shot in Black & White, but, adding colors to this can further enhance the visual aspects of a movie by emphasizing different emotions.
How to learn cinematography from photography and graphic novels?
Photography and graphic novels are super useful for learning framing, composition, and angles.
Photography can teach you about lighting, how to play around with light and shadow, the rule of thirds, and how to create a composition that draws people in.
Graphic novels will tell you more about how to focus on a character, and how angles can be a device to further the storyline.
You can study notable photos in exhibitions and follow your favorite photographers online to understand how they work with the camera and create meaningful and visually intriguing compositions. Flipping through different genres of graphic novels will help you understand how shots and framing might vary depending on the context.
How Can Practice Improve Your Cinematography Skills?
The phrase “practice makes you perfect” applies as much to cinematography as it does to other crafts. It helps you refine your skills, master the equipment, and feel comfortable with complex shots and techniques.
Shooting mini-movies, working on exercises available online, and trying different shots, angles, and lighting settings will help you get an overall understanding of the craft. You can come up with interesting plots and storylines and try shooting the same story in different ways. Experimenting and playing around with genres, moods, and emotions and fusing traditional and contemporary ways are some great ways to practice and hone those skills.
What personal projects can help you apply new skills?
Projects that focus on capturing emotion, creating a timeline through visual effects, and working on an anecdotal or historic piece will help you practice and be versatile in your work.
Personal projects are a good start to building an extensive portfolio, diving into different fields and genres, venturing into documentaries, ad films, and silent films, and getting a headstart in the industry.
How can you build a portfolio while learning?
As an aspiring cinematographer or filmmaker, you have probably heard experts say how important a portfolio is. Portfolios provide a glimpse of your skills, talent, and interest, and present the best of your work.
If you are interested in knowing how to become a cinematographer with an impactful and versatile portfolio, don’t worry, we have some cool tips for you –
- Try different projects so you have snippets of various genres, techniques, and storylines.
- Make a demo reel with your best projects. You can keep updating your portfolio as you perfect your skills.
- Take behind-the-scenes videos to focus on your process of work.
- As you learn to use new gear and software, use those in your practice projects. This way, you can showcase growth and emphasize being a quick learner through your portfolio.
- Identify an element that binds your work together. It adds a professional touch and defines a personal style even when you are building the portfolio as you learn.
What Are Some Common Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid?
It’s always good to know what the experts have to say so you don’t struggle with avoidable errors. In this section, we will go over some technical mistakes that you should understand and watch out for.
What technical mistakes should new cinematographers watch out for?
Technical mistakes occur when you are just learning how to handle the gear. It’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them but being a little cautious and planning the pre-production can make your journey more fun and the videos you shoot look more professional.
- Lack of planning before a shoot can lead to chaos, multiple trials, and a lesser-than-intended result.
- Poor Lighting and Sound can hinder the experience of watching a film. Make sure you have checked your setup well before you start.
- Relying too much on one type of shot can make a film appear mundane and uninteresting. Even if the story demands a single shot, make sure you are using interesting frames, and zoom-ins and zoom-outs to create motion and intrigue.
- Using too many different shots and not arranging them properly will make your video look jarring. Planning and informed shot design will help you avoid these mistakes.
- Improper sequencing disrupts continuity and hampers the flow of a movie.
- A lack of cultural sensitivity can result in misrepresentation and cultural appropriation. Research thoroughly or collaborate with a gender and culture sensitivity expert to avoid these errors.
How can feedback and collaboration improve your craft?
Seeking feedback, improving on your weak areas, and collaborating with other professionals are integral to developing your craft and refining your skills.
Positive feedback can help you understand the aspects you need to work on, guide you through new techniques and styles, and help develop a positive attitude towards constructive criticism.
Collaboration is the key to fueling your creative drive, experimenting with different forms, lighting, and shots, and coming up with novel ideas and videos. Working in a team simulates the real-world industry setting and prepares you for navigating the space with ease.
Conclusion
For all of you wondering how to learn cinematography and have a way with the camera, formal training can be a good place to start. There are offline and online cinematography courses that would acquaint you with the discipline and help kickstart your career.
Get yourself some basic gear, a professional camera, and a couple of cine lenses, and start your learning journey.
If you are looking for an in-person, infrastructure-rich learning environment, there are plenty of film schools that could be the right fit. But, if you don’t have that much time and want to learn cinematography at your own pace, affordable online programs and workshops could be just as useful. Check out the Diploma in Cinematography offered by AAFT University for a smooth transition into the world of cinema.