OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY

Robbie Ryan for American Honey
Bradford Young for Arrival
Chung-hoon Chung for The Handmaiden
Stéphane Fontaine for Jackie
James Laxton for Moonlight

AND THE WINNER IS:

JAMES LAXTON FOR MOONLIGHT

This is the first win and nomination for James Laxton, he wins for his cinematography of Moonlight.

Moonlight is a film of so much, on a visual level it is probably one of the most beautiful films that I've ever seen. It's so rare not a director of photography accurately captures the different colours of characters skin and usually I'd expect a job this well done by Bradford Young (nominated for Arrival) but seeing a different name responsible for this film's work is so exciting. The way Chiron ages and is filmed is so effortless that I bow down at the feet of Laxton. Truly expert work that hopefully the industry looks at as a whole and starts inplementing because dp's need to do a better job at filming different skin colours as to not make so one note colourful.