Cinematography The cinematographer is a role of its own, and is also known as the Director of Photography. Includes all aspect of camera-work: camera shots, angles, movement, filters, lighting, filmstock (video, 16mm, 35mm), composition etc.He is the back bone of director.Although literally it means writing in light, the term cinematography is generally understood as the art and process of recording visual images for the cinema (with a camera) and later developping those images in a laboratory. Thus, it has as much to do with lighting and photography as it does with film