What do you do if you want to level up your understanding of film cinematography?

I’d say watch more films, watch behind the scenes on how the shot was created and of course upskill yourself with all the technical terminology and implement! Cinematography is really practical so apply what you learn, and ask questions. Volunteer in that department if you’re not the DOP. Find a mentor.

I am sure many people will discuss camera here, but I will go a different way. Grip and Set Lighting are vital components to increasing your overall understanding of the filming process. Working with inventive and experienced Gaffers and Key Grips can level up your cinematography. Better yet, learning HOW to work best with your Gaffer and Key Grip will level you up. Add Dolly Grip to that as well. The more you know about what they can do, the better you can design your shots.

You can start off by recreating a scene from a movie that you absolutely love. Set up lights, find the right focal length, adjust as best you can. Rinse and repeat.

Studying fine art is also an incredible resource for learning the craft of cinematography. Some of the most famous shots in cinema history have been directly inspired from artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Hokusai, DaVinci, and Picasso to name a few. Not all of your inspirations will lie in Film, you've got to think outside of the box too!

En los clásicos está todo el cine, ya que el séptimo arte es la construcción de esa visión del mundo desde Georges Méliès. Somos cine porque los clásicos nos han construido como somos ahora. Estudia los clásicos y profundiza luego tu mismo en el autoaprendizaje de esos modelos y técnicas.

I find that studying in combination with practicing those areas (lighting, staging, etc) and/or inner ideas will help you retain the knowledge. Studying alone won't do it, because it's being wasted if you don't implement them on your own projects. Even if it doesn't work right away, try it again or modify it to fit your vision. Most importantly, don't rush the process! Some expressions take longer to click. Plenty of research (books, YouTube videos, interviews, behind the scenes footage) all of that helps to gain a better understanding of the nuanced context.

Technical terms are aims to advance a smooth shooting, and to help you to communicate with other departments effectively. No matter you are considering yourself as an outsider or the crew member, you should adapt and learn all the technical terms to help yourself understand what is happening during the production.

Understanding your gear could help you to get what you want in visual if you have something that you must achieve during the creation. Different lens have their story to tell, from how they are being made, to how they serve your story. Brands that stand in the industry for a long time are the one you should look for, to understand how the standard made; while new brands with new tools sometimes resolve the problem that persist for modern era. If you are not the one that behind the camera, still, the knowledge will benefits you to communicate with the visual directors while you could focus on storytelling. Everything in video production is related, including your choice of your shooting gears.

Understanding how to work with LED backdrops in virtual production, combining traditional lighting, keep and improve colour room, handling RGBW and RGBCA. Understanding lighting concepts and LED colour spectrum and processing.

There is a very good cinematography school in Los Angeles called Global Cinematography Institute, which was founded by Yuri Neyman of Liquid Sky fame. In my opinion it probably the best filmmaking trade school in the country. If you are serious about becoming a cinematographer, it's a good place to start.

Practice while keep learning from the cinematography gurus in the film industry but also volunteering in the production house when there is project going on…By doing this it will help you to know the tricks that big production house uses to achieve great films

Quite simply the best education for understanding lighting is YouTube. There are a plethora of channels out there showcasing lighting techniques and offering insights into fundamental lighting techniques. Beyond that, the only way to actually improve is to simply practise. Go outside and shoot a subject when the sun is in different positions in the sky. Set up practical lights in your home and watch how the camera reacts. Practical experience will always be the best teacher.

This is the only way to grow any practical filmmaking skills - you don’t learn just by watching, you have to keep doing. Faces, lamps, cameras and rooms are all different so you can’t rely just on theory. It takes years to build up the eye for it, and consistent practice throughout those years.