Ranking 10 Best Cinematographers Working Today

A background in shooting documentary films has given Rachel Morrison an intimate understanding of her subjects and this is seen in the films she has worked on. Her preference for everyday lighting and subdued filming style has helped flesh out everyday stories and helped ground fantastic tales in futuristic worlds.

In her nearly twenty-year career, Morrison has worked with talents such as Ryan Coogler, Dee Rees, and Rick Famuyiwa and her experience with these directors has helped fine-tune her cinematic sensibilities.

Despite the diverse subject matter of her projects, the reality her visuals create is as tangible and as lived in as possible. Her lighting techniques bring out the best in the actors onscreen on a visual level (as seen in Dope) and her framing expertly captures budding or failing character relationships (most notably in Mudbound).

Her work on the latter earned her an Academy Award nomination, making her the first woman to do so in the ceremony's history. This was followed by commendable work on Black Panther and her upcoming directorial debut, Flint Strong, which is very likely to showcase her empathic and emotionally-charged style.