Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
Awarded for	Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
Country	United States
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Currently held by	Girls State (2024)
Website	emmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program is awarded to one television documentary or nonfiction series each year.

In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place:

Winners and nominations

1970s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
1978	Outstanding Achievement in Coverage of Special Events - Individuals[1][note 1]
	The 29th Annual Emmy Awards		Rodger Harbaugh	NBC

1980s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
1980	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Program[2][note 2]
	Mysteries of the Sea		Bryan Anderson, Bob Elfstrom and Al Giddings	ABC
1981	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Creative Technical Crafts[3][note 3]
	The Body Human: The Bionic Breakthrough		John L. Marlow	CBS
1982	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[4][note 4]
	Great Movie Stunts: Raiders of the Lost Ark		Gil Hubbs and Phillip Schuman	CBS

1990s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
1992	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[5][note 5]
	Millennium: Tribal Wisdom and the Modern World	"Strange Relations"	Michael Boland and Vic Sarin	PBS
1993	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[6][note 6]
	Mysteries Underground (National Geographic)		Lionel Friedberg and Sid Perou	PBS
1995	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[7][note 7]
	Baseball		Ken Burns, Allen Moore and Buddy Squires	PBS
	A Century of Women		Ellen Kuras	TBS
	One Survivor Remembers		Andrzej Jeziorek, Erich Roland and Buddy Squires	HBO
1996	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[8][note 8]
	The Private Life of Plants		Neil Bromhall, Richard Ganniclift, Richard Kirby, Michael Pitts, Tim Shepherd, Gavin Thurston	TBS
	The Celluloid Closet		Nancy Schreiber	HBO
1998 [9]
	America's Endangered Species: Don't Say Goodbye		Nick Caloyianis, Richard Chisolm, Jerry Cotts, Jon Else, Paul Goldsmith and Buddy Squires	NBC
	Wolves at Our Door		Jim Dutcher	Discovery
	4 Little Girls		Ellen Kuras	HBO
1999 [10]
	The Farm: Angola, USA		Samuel Henriques and Bob Perrin	A&E
	Avalanche: The White Death		Richard Chisolm, Skip Gray, Cory Taylor and Erich Volkstorf	NBC

2000s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
2000 [11]
	Raising the Mammoth		Robert Pauly and Didier Portal	Discovery
	American Experience	"New York: A Documentary Film"	Allen Moore and Budyd Squires	PBS
	Children in War		Alan Raymond	HBO
2001 [12]
	Land of the Mammoth		John Davey, Didier Portal and Noel Smart	Discovery
	Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks		Henry Adebonojo, Greg Andracke, Hiro Narita and Brian Sewell	HBO
	Jazz	"A Masterpiece by Midnight"	Ken Burns and Buddy Squires	PBS
	Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen		Sandra Chandler	HBO
	Survivor	"A Honeymoon or Not"	Len Beard, Tom Cowan, Richard Dallett, Leighton De Barros, Michael Dillon, Scott Duncan, Randall Einhorn, Raj Gibson, Tom Gleeson, Jim Harrington, Mark Hryma, Mark "Ninja" Lynch, Brian Marleau, Ryan Mooney, Paul Moss, Michael Murray, Peter Pescell, Peter Pilafian, Matthew Sohn, John Tattersall, Martin Unversaw and Fed Wetherbee	CBS
2002 [13]
	The Blue Planet	"Seas of Life: Ocean World"	Doug Allan, Simon Carroll, Bob Cranston, Mike deGruy, Yuri Farrant, Tom Fitz, Mark Wolf, Simon King, Charles Maxwell, Ian McCarthy, Didier Noirot, Michael Pitts, Rick Rosenthal, Peter Scoones and Paul Stewart	Discovery
	American Experience	"Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film"	Michael Chin, Jon Else and Buddy Squires	PBS
	The Human Face with John Cleese		Rajesh Bedi, Bill Broomfield, Patrick Duval, John Halliday, Chris Hartley, John Hooper, John Johnson, Richard Numeroff, Allan Palmer, Jeremy Pollard and Nancy Schiesari	TLC
	In Memorian: New York City, 9/11/01		Greg Andracke, Jeb Bergh, Edward Marritz and Bob Richman	HBO
	9/11		James Hanlon, Gédéon Naudet and Jules Naudet	CBS
2003 [14]	Nova	"Mountain of Ice"	John Armstrong	PBS
	American Experience	"Daughter from Danang"	Vicente Franco	PBS
	Expedition: Bismarck		Vince Pace, Christopher Titus King, Neve Cunningham and D.J. Roller	Discovery
	Journeys with George		Alexandra Pelosi	HBO
	Survivor	"The Importance of Being Earnest"	Mark 'Ninja' Lynch, Mark Hryma, Len Beard, Derek Carver, Paulo Castillo, Tony Croll, Richard Dallett, Michael Dean, Leighton De Barros, Randall Einhorn, Russell Fill, Kevin Garrison, Jim Harrington, Michael Murray, Alan Pierce, Matt Sohn, Jeffery Taylor, John Tattersall, Martin Unversaw and Jeff Watt	CBS
2004 [15]	The Blues	"The Soul of a Man"	Lisa Rinzler	PBS
	The Amazing Race	"I Could Never Have Been Prepared for What I'm Looking at Right Now"	Peter Wery, John Armstrong, Tom Cunningham, Chip Goebert, Per Larsson, Loy Norrix, Dave Ross, Uri Sharon, Scott Shelley, Brett Smith, Jeff Taylor and Scott Walker	CBS
	The Apprentice	"Wheeling & Dealing"	Matt Sohn, Mark Hryma, Erica Shusha, Michael Dean, German Abarca Jr., Russell Fill, Jim Harrington, Peter Wery, Jeff Watt, Mande Whitaker, Joshua Mayes, Jorge Alves Jr., Vince Monteleone, Mark 'Ninja' Lynch, David Charles Sullivan, Tony Croll, Rodney Chauvin, Kary D'Alessandro, Tom Magill and David Park	NBC
	Jockey		Kate Davis	HBO
	Survivor	"Beg, Barter and Steal"	Mark 'Ninja' Lynch, Michael Murray, Mark Hryma, Derek Lovie, David Parkinson, Michael Applebaum, Jim Harrington, Alan Pierce, Peter Pilafian, George Waterman, Michael Yelseth, Derek Carver, Vince Monteleone, Jeff Watt, Peter Wery, Kevin Garrison, Bennie Cronje, John Tattersall, Russell Fill, Paul Moss, David Chapiro, Paulo Castillo and Justin Evans	CBS
2005 [16]	Death in Gaza		James Miller (posthumously)	HBO
	The Amazing Race	"We're Moving Up the Food Chain"	Per Larsson, John Armstrong, Sylvestre Campe, Tom Cunningham, Chip Goebert, Lucas Mertes, Dave Ross, Uri Sharon, Scott Shelley, Mark Walker and Scott Walker	CBS
	The Contender	"The Final Four"	Michael Murray, Michael Koepke, Scott Acosta, John Armstrong, Paulo Castillo, Rodney Chauvin, Scott Duncan, Russell Fill, Kevin Garrison, Rob Landry, Vince Monteleone, Martin Palafox, Alan Pierce, Jeremy Schneider, Therese Sherman, Raphael Smadja, Chris S. Smith, John Tattersall, Matt Valentine, Jeff Watt, Tyne M. Whitmore and Mande Whitaker	NBC
	Living with Wolves		Jim Dutcher	Discovery
	Survivor	"This Has Never Happened Before"	Mark Hryma, Michael Murray, Mark 'Ninja' Lynch, Lance Milbrand, David Parkinson, Justine Evans, Michael Yelseth, Jeffery Taylor, Kent Harvey, Michael Applebaum, Derek Carver, Lee Doig, Jeff Watt, Peter Wery, Matthias Hoffmann, David Chapiro, Bennie Cronje, Leighton De Barros, Russell Fill, Kevin Garrison, Paul Moss, John Tattersall and Paulo Castillo	CBS
2006 [17]	Baghdad ER		Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill	HBO
	All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise		Maryse Alberti, Sandra Chandler and Beth Wichterich	HBO
	Children of Beslan		Dirk Nel
	I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me		Buddy Squires
	Rome: Engineering an Empire		Jeremiah Crowell	History
2007 [18]	Planet Earth	"Pole to Pole"	Doug Allan, Martyn Colbeck, Paul Stewart, Simon King, Michael Kelem and Wade Fairley	Discovery
	Deadliest Catch	"The Unforgiving Sea"	Doug Stanley, Zac McFarlane, Don Bland, Cameron Glendenning, Todd Stanley and Eric Lange	Discovery
	Meerkat Manor	"Family Affair"	John Brown and Robin Smith	Animal Planet
	This American Life	"God's Close-Up"	Adam Beckman	Showtime
	When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts		Cliff Charles	HBO
2008 [19]	Deadliest Catch	"No Mercy"	Cinematography Team	Discovery
	Autism: The Musical		Tricia Regan	HBO
	Ice Road Truckers	"Ready to Roll"	Cinematography Team	History
	Meerkat Manor	"Journey's End"	Ted Giffords, John Waters and Ralph Bower	Animal Planet
	This American Life	"Escape"	Adam Beckman	Showtime
2009 [20]	Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations	"Laos"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	Travel
	Deadliest Catch	"Stay Focused or Die"	Cinematography Team	Discovery
	Expedition Africa	"Lost in Africa"	Cinematography Team	History
	This American Life	"John Smith"	Adam Beckman	Showtime
	Whale Wars	"Nothing's Ideal"	Cinematography Team	Animal Planet

2010s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
2010 [21]	Life	"Challenges of Life"	Cinematography Team	Discovery
	America: The Story of Us	"Division"	Dirk Nel	History
	Deadliest Catch	"No Second Chances"	Cinematography Team	Discovery
	The National Parks: America's Best Idea	"The Scripture of Nature"	Buddy Squires	PBS
	Whale Wars	"The Stuff of Nightmares"	Cinematography Team	Animal Planet
2011 [22]	Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations	"Haiti"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	Travel
	American Masters	"Troubadours: Carole King/James Taylor & The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter"	Nicola Marsh and Arlene Nelson	PBS
	Gasland		Josh Fox	HBO
	Gettysburg		Michael Snyman	History
	If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise		Cliff Charles	HBO
	Whale Wars	"To the Ends of the Earth"	Cinematography Team	Animal Planet
2012 [23]	Frozen Planet	"Ends of the Earth"	Cinematography Team	Discovery
	Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations	"Mozambique"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	Travel
	George Harrison: Living in the Material World		Cinematography Team	HBO
	Prohibition	"A Nation of Drunkards"	Buddy Squires	PBS
	Whale Wars	"Race to Save Lives"	Cinematography Team	Animal Planet
2013 [24]	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Myanmar"	Todd Liebler, Zach Zamboni and Morgan Fallon	CNN
	Ethel		Buddy Squires	HBO
	Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden		Frank-Peter Lehmann and Erich Roland
	Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God		Lisa Rinzler
	The Men Who Built America	"A New War Begins"	Richard Lopez	History
2014 [25]	The Square		Jehane Noujaim, Muhammad Hamdy, Ahmed Hassan and Cressida Trew	Netflix
	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Punjab"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	CNN
		"Tokyo"	Morgan Fallon
	Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey	"Standing Up in the Milky Way"	Bill Pope	Fox
	Vice	"Greenland Is Melting/Bonded Labor"	Jake Burghart and Jerry Ricciotti	HBO
2015 [26]	Virunga		Franklin Dow	Netflix
	Citizenfour		Laura Poitras	HBO
	Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief		Samuel Painter
	The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst	"Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy"	Marc Smerling
	Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck		Jim Whitaker
2016 [27]	Cartel Land		Matthew Heineman and Matt Porwoll	A&E
	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Cuba"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	CNN
	He Named Me Malala		Samuel Painter	Nat Geo
	Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures		Mario Panagiotopoulos and Huy Truong	HBO
	What Happened, Miss Simone?		Igor Martinovic and Rachel Morrison	Netflix
2017 [28]	Planet Earth II	"Islands"	Cinematography Team	BBC America
	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Rome"	Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	CNN
	Chef's Table	"Virgilio Martinez"	Will Basanta	Netflix
	O.J.: Made in America	"Part 4"	Nick Higgins	ESPN
	Planet Earth II	"Cities"	Cinematography Team	BBC America
	13th		Hans Charles and Kira Kelly	Netflix
2018 [29]
	Jane		Ellen Kuras and Hugo van Lawick	Nat Geo
	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Lagos"	Morgan Fallon, Jerry Risius and Tarik Hameedi	CNN
	Blue Planet II	"The Deep"	Gavin Thurston	BBC America
		"One Ocean"	Ted Giffords and Roger Munns
	Chef's Table	"Corrado Assenza"	Adam Bricker	Netflix
2019 [30]
	Free Solo		Jimmy Chin, Clair Popkin and Mikey Schaefer	Nat Geo
	Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown	"Bhutan"	Morgan Fallon, Todd Liebler and Zach Zamboni	CNN
	Our Planet	"Coastal Seas"	Doug Anderson and Gavin Thurston	Netflix
		"Jungles"	Alastair MacEwen and Matt Aeberhard
		"One Planet"	Jamie McPherson and Roger Horrocks

2020s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominees	Network
2020 [31]
	The Cave		Muhammed Khair Al Shami, Ammar Suleiman and Mohammed Eyad	Nat Geo
	American Factory		Erick Stoll and Aubrey Keith	Netflix
	Apollo 11		Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins	CNN
	Becoming		Nadia Hallgren	Netflix
	Sea of Shadows		Richard Ladkani	Nat Geo
	Serengeti	"Rebirth"	Richard Jones, Michael W. Richards, Warren Samuels and Matthew Goodman	Discovery
2021 [32]
	David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet		Gavin Thurston	Netflix
	City So Real	"Blood Sport"	Jackson James and Steve James	Nat Geo
	Rebuilding Paradise		Lincoln Else
	Dick Johnson Is Dead		Kirsten Johnson and John Wakayama Carey	Netflix
	The Social Dilemma		John Behrens and Jonathan Pope
	Secrets of the Whales	"Ocean Giants"	Brian Armstrong, Hayes Baxley and Andy Mitchell	Disney+
2022 [33]
	100 Foot Wave	"Chapter IV – Dancing with God"	Mike Prickett and Laurent Pujol	HBO
	The Andy Warhol Diaries	"Collab: Andy & Basquiat"	Wolfgang Held	Netflix
	McCartney 3,2,1	"These Things Bring You Together"	Stuart Winecoff	Hulu
	Our Great National Parks	"Chilean Patagonia"	Christiaan Muñoz-Salas and Ignacio Walker	Netflix
	Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy	"Venice"	Andrew Muggleton	CNN
	We Feed People		Kris Kaczor	Disney+
2023 [34]
	100 Foot Wave	"Chapter VI – Force Majeure"	Antoine Chicoye, Mikey Corker, Vincent Kardasik, Alexandre Lesbats, Chris Smith, Laurent Pujol, João Vidinha and Michael Darrigade	HBO
	Secrets of the Elephants	"Desert"	Toby Strong, James Boon and Bob Poole	Nat Geo
	The 1619 Project	"Justice"	Jerry Henry	Hulu
	Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy	"Calabria"	Andrew Muggleton	CNN
	Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie		C. Kim Miles, Clair Popkin and Julia Liu	Apple TV+
	The Territory		Alex Pritz and Tangãi Uru-eu-wau-wa	Nat Geo
2024 [35]
	Girls State		Laura Hudock, Laela Kilbourn, Daniel Carter, Erynn Patrick Lamont, Keri Oberly, Thorsten Thielow and Martina Radwan	Apple TV+
	Beckham	"The Kick"	Tim Cragg	Netflix
	Jim Henson Idea Man		Igor Martinovic and Vanja Cernjul	Disney+
	Our Planet II	"Chapter 1: World on the Move"	Brad Bestelink and Kyle McBurnie	Netflix
	Planet Earth III	"Extremes"	Luke Nelson and John Shier	BBC America

Programs with multiple awards

2 wins

• 100 Foot Wave

Programs with multiple nominations

7 nominations Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown 4 nominations Whale Wars 3 nominations American Experience Our Planet This American Life

2 nominations Blue Planet II Chef's Table Meerkat Manor 100 Foot Wave Planet Earth II Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Notes

1. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominee did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
2. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
3. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
4. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
5. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
6. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
7. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. No nominee met the benchmark and no award was given.
8. These programs were nominated as Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming. As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

References

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