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A-CAM · 40mm · T2.0 · 5600K · 24 fps · 2.39:1

Karan ChaudharyCinematographer

Selected work
Sc. 01Selected work6 films · 2023–2026

Selected work

Each film is framed in the aspect ratio it was delivered in. Hover or focus one for the camera move that defines it.

  1. 012026 · Short fiction

    Untitled Short I

    Director of Photography

    #027 Dolly inSample

  2. 022025 · Short fiction

    Night Exterior

    Director of Photography

    #033 Rack focusSample

  3. 032025 · Music video

    Music Video

    Director of Photography

    #030 OrbitSample

  4. 042024 · Documentary short

    Untitled Documentary

    Cinematographer

    #032 Dolly zoomSample

  5. 052024 · Experimental short

    Coastal Study

    Director of Photography

    #031 Crane upSample

  6. 062023 · Commercial

    Spot

    Director of Photography

    #043 Whip panSample
NoYearTitleDirectorProduction / PlatformFormatAspectCamera / LensPremiere
012026Untitled Short I SampleShort fiction2.39:1Super 35 digital cinema cameraSpherical primes
022025Night Exterior SampleShort fiction1.85:1Super 35 digital cinema cameraFast spherical primes
032025Music Video SampleMusic video2.39:1Full-frame digital cinema cameraVintage spherical primes
042024Untitled Documentary SampleDocumentary short1.33:1Super 16 film cameraZoom + two primes
052024Coastal Study SampleExperimental short2.76:1Large-format digital cinema cameraAnamorphic (1.3× squeeze)
062023Spot SampleCommercial1.78:1Super 35 digital cinema cameraSpherical zoom

Camera moves: Motion Prompt #027 #030 #031 #032 #033 #043 by Shohei Ohtaki (MIT).

Sc. 02StudiesRendered live

Focus / Light / Colour

Three working studies, each rendered live in your browser from the maths a camera department uses.

Study 01

Focus

Interactive study · code written with AI assistance · not camera work

Depth of field from real lens maths: format, focal length, stop and focus distance.

Motion Prompt #033 #105 (MIT) Open full screen

Study 02

Light

Interactive study · code written with AI assistance · not camera work

A plaster bust under classic portrait set-ups, with key:fill ratio and colour temperature.

Motion Prompt #097 #098 #100 #101 #102 #114 (MIT) Open full screen

Study 03

Colour

Interactive study · code written with AI assistance · not camera work

A scene-referred frame graded from LogC to finished looks, with live scopes.

Motion Prompt #087 #115 #117 #118 (MIT) Open full screen

Sc. 03PrevisUnreal Engine · Sequencer

Virtual production / Previs

Six shots planned for Unreal Engine: lens, stop, focus and lighting are set on the plans below; the renders are pending.

  1. PV-010 Push in

    #027 · Dolly in · 4.2 sS35 · 24mm · T2.8 · ⌀ 8.0→2.2 mRembrandt #101 · 3200K key · 4300K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    The camera travels 5.8 m forward over 0.5–3.4 s on a fixed 24 mm; focus tracks the head 8.0 → 2.2 m. The post and the rock pass out of frame; the head grows 3.6× while the colonnade 10 m behind grows only 1.5×.

  2. PV-020 Pull to the face

    #033 · Rack focus · 4.2 sS35 · 24mm · T1.4 · ⌀ 2.0→9.0 mLow-key #114 · 3200K key · 4300K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    Nothing moves but focus. A bare 2700 K practical 2 m from the lens, 0.75 m left, holds focus first, then focus pulls to the head at 9 m over 1.0–2.6 s. At T1.4 the practical blooms into a 9-blade disc as the face sharpens.

  3. PV-030 Around the light

    #030 · Orbit · 4.2 sS35 · 24mm · T2.8 · ⌀ 6.0 mSplit #100 · 3200K key · 3200K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    A 109° arc at 6 m. The camera is parented to a pivot at the head and the pivot yaw is keyed (+54.4° → −54.4°), so the path is a true arc. Under split light the move carries the face from its lit half to its shadow half; for this shot the key is raised to 35° and moved back to 3.5 m, so it never enters the frame.

  4. PV-040 The room leans in

    #032 · Dolly zoom · 4.2 sS35 · 9.6→24mm · T4 · ⌀ 3.2→8.0 mButterfly #102 · 5600K key · 5600K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    The camera pulls back 4.8 m while the lens zooms 9.6 → 24 mm in step. The head holds its size; the colonnade behind it closes in by about 1.8×. T4 keeps the background readable.

  5. PV-050 Rise and reveal

    #031 · Crane up · 4.2 sS35 · 24mm · T2.8 · ⌀ 8.0→9.9 mBacklight #097 · 3200K key · 5600K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    The camera rises 1.4 → 9 m and creeps 1.5 m forward while tilting down to about −44°. The tilt under-follows the subject (0.86×), so the head sinks toward the lower third as the floor and the backlight pool fill the frame. Keys are baked every 3 frames.

  6. PV-060 Whip to the profile

    #043 · Whip pan · 4.2 sS35 · 24mm · T2.8 · ⌀ 7.0 mRim #098 · 4300K WB

    Previs pending: Unreal / Sequencer

    Camera A holds the head just left of centre, whips 26° right in 0.4 s, and the cut to camera B (the profile, from the subject's left) lands on frame 50, where the blur peaks; B swings in from 26° left and settles by 2.5 s. Rendered at a 360° shutter with 9 temporal samples, the Motion Prompt blur.

Sc. 04About & approach

About

I am a cinematographer. I light for the moment a scene turns, and I would rather move the camera once, for a reason, than often for effect.

Sample bio

On set I start from what the scene is about, then work out where the light would plausibly come from and how close the lens needs to be to the actors.

I like small crews, long takes and practical sources I can put in the frame. I plan with overhead diagrams and previs so the day itself can stay open to the actors.

The studies on this site are how I think about the job: depth of field as a choice about attention, key-to-fill ratio as a choice about mood, and the grade as the last step of the lighting.

Name
Karan Chaudhary
Role
Director of Photography / Camera Operator
Status
Available for shorts and music videos

Approach

  1. 01

    Motivated light

    Every source should have a reason to be where it is. I build the key from the practical or the window the audience can see, then decide how much of the face to give away.

    See it in the Light study · Rembrandt

  2. 02

    Focus is attention

    Where the plane of focus sits tells the audience where to look. I choose the stop for the scene, not for the lens.

    See it in the Focus study

  3. 03

    Colour carries the scene

    I light for the grade I intend: warm against cool, separation before saturation, highlights that roll off rather than clip.

    See it in the Colour study

Sample approach

Sc. 05Kit

Kit

Owned

Camera
Camera body · Monitor · Media and readers
Lenses
Prime set · Zoom
Grip & light
LED panel · Tube lights · Diffusion frames

Experienced with

Cameras
Digital cinema cameras · Super 16 film
Lighting
HMI · LED · Practical / tungsten
Tools
Colour pipeline (LogC → Rec.709) · Previs in Unreal Engine

Sample kit list

Filmography

  1. Director of Photography Untitled Short IShort · 2026Sample
  2. Director of Photography Night ExteriorShort · 2025Sample
  3. Director of Photography Music VideoMusic video · 2025Sample
  4. Cinematographer Untitled DocumentaryDocumentary · 2024Sample
  5. Director of Photography Coastal StudyExperimental · 2024Sample
  6. Director of Photography SpotCommercial · 2023Sample
  7. Camera Operator Untitled Short IIShort · 2023Sample

Photographed by

Karan Chaudhary