Stephen Cullina is cinematographer based in Brooklyn, NY. He blends a traditional lighting style with modern sensibilities to create refreshing, genuine images that adapt to fit the confines of a project’s genre and style. Across documentaries, longform shows, sketch comedy, commercials, and narrative, Stephen believes every image has the power to convey information beyond words.

A tinkerer and experimenter at heart, Stephen is always pushing his work towards the new and exciting. Whether shooting VHS, analog film, tube cameras, or digital, Stephen constantly seeks new ways to reimagine old technology into new workflows. His workflow is rooted in the belief that the process of creation ultimately shapes the power an image has to tell a story.

During his time studying 35mm analog cinematography at Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademi (FAMU) in Prague, Czech Republic, Stephen learned to blend classical techniques of composition and balance into the film medium. He continues drawing from artists such as Petr Brandl, Winslow Homer, and Ivan Aivazovsky.

Stephen’s work has been recognized by Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival, DC Shorts International Film Festival, Blackbird Film Festival, and Massachusetts International Film Festival. He is a fellow at Ghetto Film School and a graduate of Syracuse College of Visual and Performing Arts (BFA). ‍