Cinematography - the art of making motion pictures

Cinematography (from Greek: κίνημα, kinema "movements" and γράφειν, graphein "to record") is the science or art of motion picture photography by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as film stock.

The Art

To be able to convey a message, a story and emotions on the screen.
Effective composition helps to focus the attention on what you want to convey (think about the audience). Composition helps to tell the story.
The knowledge of your experience and its proper use for maximum effect, e.g. cameras, lights, etc..
Experiment, practice and experience.

Photography

Types of cameras (most important rule about photography - know your equipment)
Lens (allows you to convey a message)

Standard lenses: 50 mm "natural" lens.

Closeup shots (using wide angle lenses) - display the most details (such as characters' emotions), but they not include the broader scene.

Resolution

Camera resolution is measured in megapixels(meaning millions of pixels); both image ﬁle resolution and monitor resolution are measured in either pixels per inch (ppi) or pixel dimensions (such as 1024 by 768 pixels).

Aspect Ratio - gives a feel of the message

The most common aspect ratios used today in the presentation of films in cinemas are 1.85:1 and 2.39:1. Two common videographic aspect ratios are 4:3 (1.33:1), the universal video format of the 20th century, and 16:9 (1.77:1), universal for high-definition television and European digital television. Other cinema and video aspect ratios exist, but are used infrequently.

In still camera photography, the most common aspect ratios are 4:3, 3:2, and more recently being found in consumer cameras 16:9. Other aspect ratios, such as 5:3, 5:4, and 1:1 (square format), are used in photography as well, particularly in medium format and large format.

Lighting

types of lights - they convey mood

Red Head Lights

Red Head is a term used to describe general-purpose lights common in visual media work. Power rating is around 650-1000w, typically 800w.

Red heads can be used as a key flood light for large areas, but are also useful as fill and backlights.

The example pictured here is an Arrilite 800w open-face focusing tungsten floodlight. The beam is focused using the yellow control at the back — this adjusts the reflector rather than the lamp, which should give the lamp a longer life because it is not being moved.
The term "redhead" is often used loosely — there is no rigid definition.

One of the best company on the market is dedolight.

Dedolight has been recognized several times by the Academy for their acomplishments in engineering their high-quality lights.

Colour temperature - light measures in Kelvin scale.

Use of gels - set the mood or effect

Lighting for different moods

film noir - a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism and menace. The term was originally applied (by a group of french critics) to american thriller or detective films made in the period 1944-54 and to the work of directors such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang, and Billy Wilder.

Composition

"A work of art is a composition of tensions and resolutions, balance and unbalance, rhythmic coherence, a precarious yet continuous unity. Life is a natural process of such tensions, balances rhythm; it is these that we feel, in quietness of emotion, as the pulse of our own living."

Give a meaning by composition.

Colour - important part of composition makes it more interesting quite often.

Rule of Thirds