Emmanuel Lubezki is just fifty-three years old and already a living legend. He has won three Oscars and more than one hundred international awards for cinematography, and some of the best directors in the world, like Terrence Malick, Alejandro Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón, Tim Burton, Michael Mann, and the Coen Brothers clamor to work with him. In short, Lubezki's portfolio is impressive. In this new installment of our “Language of the Image” series we review some of the attributes that have made Lubezki one of the best DPs in film history: For example, his talent for capturing incredible images with natural light and the spectacular long takes he’s filmed for fellow countrymen Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro Iñárritu. But above all, in Lubezki's camera work there is always a deep love for nature, and a search for purity and truth.

If you want to know more about Lubezki’s work check out our SFX Secrets on the False Long Take. Then watch our video on some of the most essential female cinematographers that you need to know right now. Then discover how Lubezki’s oft-time collaborator Alfonso Cuarón transforms reality with his camera.