The lowdown
The job of a cinematographer is to translate the ideas of a director into visuals. The vision of the director is given life by the cinematographer as the visuals are very important to support the content. They are responsible for capturing the images, composition, ligh ting the set, camera  movements (the smoothness of which determines the cuts) and visual styling of the film. They work in different mediums such as film production, (which may include feature film, documentaries, advertising, etc) television and broadcast production. Aspiring cinematographers begin their career as assistant cameraperson to an established cinematographer. They select the film stock, lens, filters, etc., to realise the scene in accordance with the intentions of the director. Relations between cinematographers and directors vary; in some instances the director allows them complete independence; in others, the director allows little to none

Clockwork
When on shoots, cinematographers begin according the schedule. If the scene requires early morning light then they begin early in the day and and so on. When not shooting most of them like to spend time hunting for the best cameras and catching up with everything and anything related to films, shooting technology etc

The payoff
One cannot expect lucrative money when one begins one’s journey in this profession. In the initial years, it is the learning process that matters. Pay varies with budget and it is very difficult to get a fixed sum for every movie. However, a cinematographer could earn anything between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 30lakh for a feature film; on a daily basis it could be Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per day. Top cinematographers could even get Rs 50 lakh to Rs 70lakh per film. When you start as an assistant you may get about Rs 750 per day and as you progress to being a senior assistant it could reach Rs 2000 per day. The odds are that you begin with nothing and then progress slowly to around Rs 1000 for a day’s shoot

Skills/TRAITS
* The basic trait to be a cinematographer is to have an eye for good pictures
* He or she must begin with still photography 
* Framing is the key to a good visual, when he or she has the eye to capture good visuals the rest should fall in place
* Lighting is another important trait; lighting plays around with the mood of the visual

Getting there
It is important to study pictures to learn and understand the aesthetics. One needs to observe the architecture, lighting, framing, colour, contrast and tone of the image. A diploma course in cinematography at the film institute would help you learn  and improve your skills. There are short-term courses as well being offered. Practical knowledge has to be complimented with good theoretical knowledge, reading helps a great deal

Institutes and URLs 
* Film and Television Institute of India, Pune
 http://www.ftiindia.com/
* Chennai Film Industrial School
 http://www.chennaifilmschool.org/cfs_facilities.htm
* Mindscreen Film Institute Chennai
 http://www.mindscreen.co.in/

Pros and cons
* The job is extremely satisfying 
* Capturing images and creating a visual gives great creative contentment
* You get to make a lot of money, rub shoulders with the beautiful and the glamorous 
* The cons are that it’s equally erratic 
* For all you know, you may not get work all your life 
* One survives only with creative excellence, people come to you only when they think you’re excellent 
* There is no job security, life could be very dreary

It is important to study pictures to learn and understand the aesthetics. You should have a keen eye to identify good shots Rajiv Menon, a cinematographer who has worked on movies like Bombay and Guru, to name a few