craft. So what is it that makes cinematography an art?
Decades ago, Indian cinematographers defined the art of cinematography as an art of storytelling. Rather than distract the audience with spectacle, the cinematographer’s job is to keep the audience’s attention rapt on the unfolding narrative. This does not mean that style should be neutral. Quite the contrary: the key to the art form is modulation. All stories are about change; as the stories change, the style should change. A well-photographed film is a film that shifts smoothly from comedy to drama, action to romance, always keeping the mood of the cinematography in accord with the fluctuating arc of the story. When no one notices the cinematography, it is because the images have set the right tone for the story, no matter how many moods the story may present. The tools of cinematography may have changed over