TOP 5 Cinematographers

By
Samarjeet Sule

People pay visits to magic shows, circuses,

when they wish to get enthralled,
entertained and to experience MAGIC.
But,in my opinion,why visit a magic
show,when you can experience magic on
a wonderful gifts given to humanity called
screens, whether TV or a cinema hall or
maybe even your tiny, microscopic
mobile phone screen!
 This is the magic of cinema. And the
power of that marvellous magic comes
through the visionary gems who nurture
and mould their child called the camera.
These gems are known as
‘cinematographers’.
The invention of cinema has presented
the world with master cinematographers
who have revolutionized the way films are
shot.
The following is a list of of the top 5 most
influential and the best lesnmen in the
movie business.
1) Roger Deakins :-

 Probably one of the greatest

cinematographers currently
working, Roger Deakins, the
English lensman, is arguably the
most influential DoP living.
His extraordinary talent, striking
vision and profound knowledge
and skill in the art of
cinematography has propelled him
to the forefront in representing the
pioneers of modern filmmmaking.
Deakins is the master cameraman
behind the gemstones of modern
cinema like No Country For Old
Men (2007), SICARIO (2015),
PRISONERS (2013), SKYFALL
(2012), THE SHAWSHANK
REEMPTION (1994) and the
recently released BLADE RUNNER
:2049 (2017).
2) Emmanuel Lubezki :-

 The current master of the natural

light photography,Emmanuel
Lubezki,also called as ‘Chivo’ is a
Mexican cinematographer .The
only DoP to have won 3
consecutive Academy Awards for
best achievement in
cinematography, Lubezki is the
master lensman behind modern
cinematographic marvels of cinema
such as The Revenant (2015),
BiRDMAN or The Unexpected
Virtue of Ignorance (2014),
GRAVITY (2013), and Children of
Men (2006).
Lubezki transports the viewer to
unimaginable worlds with his
trademark styles which include,
long continuous takes,often
accompanied by wide framed
lenses which,majorly, are shot in
natural light. His work on director
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s
BiRDMAN (2014) and The
Revenant (2015) is considered
highly innovative and top notch
due to the use of long shots, wide
lenses, and crisp images of the
digital format.
3) Robert Elswit :-

 Robert Elswit ASC, is an American

cinematographer. He is widely known
for his frequent collaborations with
master filmmaker Paul Thomas
Anderson.
Elswit is widely known for his work on
Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece
There Will Be Blood (2007), for which
he won the Academy Award for Best
Cinematography. Other masterworks
include Magnolia (1999) (dir. Paul
Thomas Anderson), Punch Drunk
Love (2002), Boogie Nights (1997),
Inherent Vice (2014) which was shot on
film stock.
He was again nominated for the Best
Cinematography oscar for his work on
Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler (2014).
Elswit has shot one of the most
magnificent action sequences ever
which is the burj khalifa sequence in
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
(2011). Shot in the best possible format
currently available,that is, the IMAX
format, Elswit created magic with those
lenses.
4) Barry Ackroyd :-

 The master of handheld filmmaking,

and his trademark ‘ShakyCam’, Barry
Ackroyd is often known for his work
with director Paul Greengrass. The
almost documentary like shooting style
which comprises of frequent zoom-ins
and zoom-outs which give the film an
unsettling and relentless feel and tempo
and complete handheld shooting are
the trademark ‘Ackroydisms’. Some of
his best works include UNITED 93
(2006), The Hurt Locker (2008),
Captain Phillips (2013).
5) Ravi Varman :-

 Ravi Varman is an Indian

cinematographer and director, widely
known for his work on BARFI (2012),
Ram Leela (2013), Jagga Jasoos (2017)
etc.
Varman’s key cinematographic style is
his use of a bright often yellow, light
source somewhere in the frame ehich
he uses to light up mostly daylight
scenes. Yes, read it right. Daylight
scenes. Varman beautifully throws a
flash of yellow light to light his daylight
scenes, a method atleast I have never
noticed anyone else use.