--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cinematography is so much about instinct…" description: "\"Cinematography is so much about instinct and intuition - you want the same range of experience going into behind the camera as what you see in front of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/rachel-morrison-9347_come_cinematography-is-so-much-about-instinct_2225204.jpg" --- # Cinematography is so much about instinct and intuition… ![“Cinematography is so much about instinct and intuition - you want the same range of experience going into behind the camera as what you see in front of it. Your life experience will come through the lens.” quote by Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/rachel-morrison-9347_come_cinematography-is-so-much-about-instinct_2225204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/rachel-morrison-9347_come_cinematography-is-so-much-about-instinct_2225204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/rachel-morrison-9347_come_cinematography-is-so-much-about-instinct_2225204.jpg) > “Cinematography is so much about instinct and intuition - you want the same range of experience going into behind the camera as what you see in front of it. Your life experience will come through the lens.” [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cinematography should reflect the filmmaker’s lived experience, merging intuition with visual storytelling. **In simple terms:** Life experience shapes visual storytelling. Key Takeaway Infuse personal intuition into your work. Themes creativity intuition storytelling Mood reflective artistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film directing - photojournalism - documentary work - personal projects Key Concepts visual arts cognitive perception embodiment Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance instinct with technical skill? - When does intuition hinder clarity? A Different Perspective Reliance on intuition may overlook technical rigor or audience clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinematography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinematography/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experience/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Life is unpredictable, and I feel, to some extent, lighting and cinematography should be a reflection of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/life-is-unpredictable-and-i-feel-to-some-extent-lighting-and/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I don't love cinematography that's very flashy because I find that it keeps the audience from becoming a part of the film; it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-don-t-love-cinematography-that-s-very-flashy-because-i-find-that-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Usually, if you notice good cinematography, then the cinematographer's failing. I try to make light feel like it's always motivated and natural in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/usually-if-you-notice-good-cinematography-then-the-cinematographer-s/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [When I was studying photography, I became interested in conflict photojournalism, and that got me interested in lighting. Then I realized there was this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/when-i-was-studying-photography-i-became-interested-in-conflict/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [The only consistency in the work I do is that I try to use cinematography to best tell the narrative and do justice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/the-only-consistency-in-the-work-i-do-is-that-i-try-to-use/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [“Where are they going to get a camera? I asked. I don't know, said Noehmi. They'll probably get sidetracked along the way. Or they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/where-are-they-going-to-get-a-camera-i-asked-i-don-t-know-said-noehmi/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [A lot of people are in the business because they were the prettiest girls at their high school or whatever, and it's like, 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-grossman/a-lot-of-people-are-in-the-business-because-they-were-the-prettiest/) [Leslie Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-grossman/) > [I don't think I'd be a good director because people would ask me, you know, "What is it? What's going on here? Where should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-don-t-think-i-d-be-a-good-director-because-people-would-ask-me-you/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I'm glad I took the leap away from acting into going behind the camera because it's much more satisfying - I love acting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/i-m-glad-i-took-the-leap-away-from-acting-into-going-behind-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Stress is real, and you never know what a person is going through behind the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/stress-is-real-and-you-never-know-what-a-person-is-going-through/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [It's hard enough to just be a good actor. When you're on set, there's everything going against you. There are walkie talkies going off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-marsden/it-s-hard-enough-to-just-be-a-good-actor-when-you-re-on-set-there-s/) [James Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-marsden/) > [If you've seen a photo of me from when I was a kid, I don't think anyone would have expected that going in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/if-you-ve-seen-a-photo-of-me-from-when-i-was-a-kid-i-don-t-think/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I was going to college for broadcast journalism because I knew whatever career path I would take, I knew I wanted to be talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-gutowski/i-was-going-to-college-for-broadcast-journalism-because-i-knew/) [Eva Gutowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-gutowski/) > [I always thought I was going to be on the other side of the camera. That's where I found myself. I found out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-shea-jackson-jr/i-always-thought-i-was-going-to-be-on-the-other-side-of-the-camera/) [O'Shea Jackson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-shea-jackson-jr/) ## More by Rachel Morrison > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Part of the reason why I love to operate is because I find that so much of what we do is instinctual. It's dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/part-of-the-reason-why-i-love-to-operate-is-because-i-find-that-so/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [You can only shoot small movies and documentaries for so long if you want to have a family that you support; eventually, you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/you-can-only-shoot-small-movies-and-documentaries-for-so-long-if-you/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [As artists, we can't help but infuse our art with our own experience, so your experience becomes informative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/as-artists-we-can-t-help-but-infuse-our-art-with-our-own-experience/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [The first female DPs that I was aware of were Ellen Kuras, Mandy Walker, Nancy Schreiber, Amy Vincent, Sandi Sissel, Maryse Alberti and Tami…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/the-first-female-dps-that-i-was-aware-of-were-ellen-kuras-mandy/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I find beauty in imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-find-beauty-in-imperfection/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I think lighting is a reflection of what is at stake emotionally in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-think-lighting-is-a-reflection-of-what-is-at-stake-emotionally-in-a/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [If there's anything consistent about my work, it's not flat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/if-there-s-anything-consistent-about-my-work-it-s-not-flat/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [It would be naive to say that you could make a movie on film for the same price you can digitally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/it-would-be-naive-to-say-that-you-could-make-a-movie-on-film-for-the/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Photos have the real task of bringing exposure to places that we otherwise don't have much awareness of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/photos-have-the-real-task-of-bringing-exposure-to-places-that-we/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I pour my blood, sweat, and tears into a movie. What I always look for is a message and a social consciousness: a relevance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-pour-my-blood-sweat-and-tears-into-a-movie-what-i-always-look-for/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Authenticity, to me, is something that you feel, and if it doesn't feel authentic, you pick up on it right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/authenticity-to-me-is-something-that-you-feel-and-if-it-doesn-t-feel/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > ['Fruitvale' set the bar for what I wanted to do with my career, which was to make films that had consciousness and messaging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/fruitvale-set-the-bar-for-what-i-wanted-to-do-with-my-career-which/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [We shot 'Mudbound' in the South in the summer, which meant we were working in extreme heat and humidity at all times and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/we-shot-mudbound-in-the-south-in-the-summer-which-meant-we-were/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [The biggest difference for me was that I operated almost every frame on 'Mudbound,' and I didn't operate on 'Black Panther.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/the-biggest-difference-for-me-was-that-i-operated-almost-every-frame/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) [Explore all 73 Rachel Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) ## More Cinematography quotes > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I think the cinematography in 'Mr. Robot' is some of the best I've ever seen, honestly. Not even as being part of the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-corneliussen/i-think-the-cinematography-in-mr-robot-is-some-of-the-best-i-ve-ever/) [Stephanie Corneliussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-corneliussen/) > [The body moves through space every day, and in architecture in cities that can be orchestrated. Not in a dictatorial fashion, but in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/the-body-moves-through-space-every-day-and-in-architecture-in-cities/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [The audience I'm targeting doesn't care about the language spoken in the films they watch. They're interested in more important things like story, performance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chika-anadu/the-audience-i-m-targeting-doesn-t-care-about-the-language-spoken-in/) [Chika Anadu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chika-anadu/) > [It's infrequent that that happens - great performances and magical cinematography and great direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/it-s-infrequent-that-that-happens-great-performances-and-magical/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [What interested me in film was the image-making aspect of it. So, I went to school in cinematography. I was really convinced that image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babette-mangolte/what-interested-me-in-film-was-the-image-making-aspect-of-it-so-i/) [Babette Mangolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babette-mangolte/) > [I like to say that lighting is about taking the light away. I often like to use the shadows more than the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilmos-zsigmond/i-like-to-say-that-lighting-is-about-taking-the-light-away-i-often/) [Vilmos Zsigmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilmos-zsigmond/) > [The quality of television is becoming so good from an actor standpoint, where you get to do these amazing scenes with amazing directors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/the-quality-of-television-is-becoming-so-good-from-an-actor/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [I believe if you come out of a movie and the first thing you say is, 'The cinematography was beautiful,' it's a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-believe-if-you-come-out-of-a-movie-and-the-first-thing-you-say-is/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Ashok Mehta was the man who brought contrast and lighting back to mainstream Hindi film cinematography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-menon/ashok-mehta-was-the-man-who-brought-contrast-and-lighting-back-to/) [Rajiv Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-menon/) > [The incredible cinematography makes 'A Walk to Beautiful' almost like a poem; there is a tenderness on display that seems to emanate from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/the-incredible-cinematography-makes-a-walk-to-beautiful-almost-like-a/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Micky was a hard taskmaster. He could be very unkind. He was out to judge people, I think pretty quickly, and once he’d made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-challis/micky-was-a-hard-taskmaster-he-could-be-very-unkind-he-was-out-to/) Christopher Challis > [“Filmmaking has the power to fortify the feeble, unify the divided, raise the abandoned and inspire the ignorant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/filmmaking-has-the-power-to-fortify-the-feeble-unify-the-divided/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I've always really loved cinematography and glamorous old Hollywood movies and they go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violet-chachki/i-ve-always-really-loved-cinematography-and-glamorous-old-hollywood/) [Violet Chachki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violet-chachki/) [Browse all 130 Cinematography quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinematography/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cinematography is so much about instinct and intuition - you want the same range of experience going into behind the camera as what you see in front of it. 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