Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program
{{Infobox award
| name = Primetime Emmy Award for Cinematography for a Reality Program
| awarded_for = Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program
| presenter = Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
| country = United States
| holder = Life Below Zero (2024)
| website = {{url|emmys.com}}
}}
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program is awarded to one program each year. In 2006, the category was called Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming – Multi-Camera Productions. Reality programs competed with documentaries prior to 2006 in a combined category for Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera).
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
{{legend|#FAEB86|indicates the winner}}
=2000s=
| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" |
| bgcolor="#bebebe"
! width="5%" | Year ! width="25%" | Program ! width="20%" | Episode ! width="45%" | Nominees ! width="5%" | Network |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2006 (58th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2006/outstanding-cinematography-for-nonfiction-programming-multi-camera-productions|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "Here Comes the Bedouin!" | Per Larsson, Sylvestre Campe, Tom Cunningham, Chip Goebert, Uri Sharon, Scott Shelley | CBS |
| The Apprentice
| align=center| "Assault on Battery" | Jim Harrington, Alan Pierce, Jeff Watt, Rodney Chauvin, Tom Magill, Vince Monteleone | NBC |
| Deadliest Catch
| align=center| "The Clock's Ticking" | Doug Stanley, Marc Carter, Patrick Cummings, Zac McFarlane, Bryan Miller, Scott Simper |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "Clothes Off Your Back" | Tony Sacco | Bravo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" | Mark 'Ninja' Lynch, Michael Murray, Mark Hryma, Derek Carver, Leighton De Barros, Kevin Garrison | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2007 (59th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2007/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "I Know Phil, Little Ol' Gorgeous Thing" | Per Larsson, John Armstrong, Sylvestre Campe, Petr Cikhart, Tom Cunningham, Chip Goebert, Bob Good, Peter Rieveschl, David Ross, Uri Sharon, Alan Weeks | CBS |
| Dirty Jobs
| align=center| "Mule Logger" | Douglas Glover, Troy Paff, Christopher Whiteneck |
| Intervention
| align=center| "Sylvia" | Chris Baron, Meri Pritchett, Jamie Hall | A&E |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "Iconic Statement" | Tony Sacco | rowspan=2|Bravo |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Seven" | Craig Spirko, Gus Dominguez |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2008 (60th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2008/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| Carrier | align=center| "Rites of Passage" | Axel Baumann, Robert Hanna, Ulli Bonnekamp, Mark Brice, Wolfgang Held | PBS |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Honestly, They Have Witch Powers or Something" | Per Larsson, Sylvestre Campe, Tom Cunningham, Lucas Kenna Mertes, Peter Rieveschl | CBS |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "En Garde!" | Derth Adams, Malkuth Frahm, John Armstrong, Marcus Bleecker, David Vlasits | Bravo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Just Don't Eat the Apple" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Finale, Part 1" | Paul Starkman | Bravo |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2009 (61st) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2009/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment | align=center| "What Did I Sign Up For?" | Derek Carver, Michael Applebaum, John Armstrong, Marc Bennett, Eric Freeburg |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me" | Per Larsson, Sylvestre Campe, Petr Cikhart, Tom Cunningham, Peter Rieveschl | CBS |
| Intervention
| align=center| "Chad" | Bryan Donnell | A&E |
| Survivor
| align=center| "The Camp Is Cursed" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "The Last Supper" | Time Spellman | Bravo |
=2010s=
| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" |
| bgcolor="#bebebe"
! width="5%" | Year ! width="25%" | Program ! width="20%" | Episode ! width="45%" | Nominees ! width="5%" | Network |
| rowspan=7 style="text-align:center" | 2010 (62nd) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2010/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| Survivor | align=center| "Slay Everyone, Trust No One" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "I Think We're Fighting the Germans, Right?" | Tom Cunningham, Sylvestre Campe, Petr Cikhart, Peter Rieveschl, Richard Forman | CBS |
| Dirty Jobs
| align=center| "High Rise Window Washer" | Douglas Glover, Troy Paff, Carston Bell | rowspan=2|Discovery |
| Man vs. Wild
| align=center| "Big Sky Country" | Simon Reay |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Vivre Las Vegas" | Time Spellman | rowspan=2|Bravo |
| Top Chef Masters
| align=center| "Masters Get Schooled" | Gus Dominguez |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2011 (63rd) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2011/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "Redemption Day" | Cinematography Team |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Intervention
| align=center| "Rachel" | Joia Speciale | A&E |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Give Me Your Huddled Masses" | Tim Spellman | Bravo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Rice Wars" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2012 (64th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2012/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "I Don't Wanna Die" | Cinematography Team |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Let Them Drink Their Haterade" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "The Finale Challenge" | Gus Dominguez | Lifetime |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Fit for an Evil Queen" | Ari Boles | Bravo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Running the Show" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2013 (65th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2013/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "Mutiny on the Bering Sea" | Cinematography Team |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Be Safe and Don't Hit a Cow" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "A Times Square Anniversary Party" | Gus Dominguez | Lifetime |
| Top Chef
| align=center| "Glacial Gourmand" | Ari Boles | Bravo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Create a Little Chaos" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=7 style="text-align:center" | 2014 (66th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "Careful What You Wish For" | Cinematography Team |
| Alaska: The Last Frontier
| align=center| "Of Moose and Men" | Brian Mandle, Scott Gardner, Neil Moore, David Short, John Whittier, Leif Johnson |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Part Like the Red Sea" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "Tie the Knot" | Gus Dominguez | Lifetime |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Mad Treasure Hunt (Cagayan)" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| The Voice
| align=center| "Episode 601" | Alex Van Wagner, Steve Lopez, Adam Tash, Markos Alvarado, Jeffrey Wilkins, Edgar Martin, Graham Steele, Dom Zanghi | NBC |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2015 (67th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2015/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "A Brotherhood Tested" | David Reichert, Todd Stanley, Steven Wright, Breck Warwick, Matt Fahey |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Morocc' and Roll" | Alan Weeks, Peter Rieveschl, Petr Cikhart, Ryan Michael O'Donnell, Joshua Gitersonke | CBS |
| Life Below Zero
| align=center| "Darkness Falls" | Oliver Standfast Lynch, Benji Lanpher, Terry Pratt, Simeon Houtman, Mark St. Marie | Nat Geo |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "The Rainway" | Gus Dominguez | Lifetime |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Survivor Warfare (Worlds Apart)" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=7 style="text-align:center" | 2016 (68th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2016/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 20, 2016}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86"
| align=center| "Breaking Through" | Cinematography Team | Nat Geo |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "We're Only Doing Freaky Stuff Today" | Peter Rieveschl, Alan Weeks, Petr Cikhart, Ryan O'Donnell, Joshua Gitersonke | CBS |
| Deadliest Catch
| align=center| "Carpe Diem" | David Reichert, Todd Stanley, Steve Wright, Josh Thomas, Shane Moore |
| Intervention
| align=center| "Sierra" | Toby Birney | A&E |
| Project Runway
| align=center| "Mad Dash Mayhem" | Gus Dominguez | Lifetime |
| Survivor
| align=center| "Second Chance" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2017 (69th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2017/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 13, 2017}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| align=center| "Rough Waters" | Bruce Ready | A&E |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Bucket List Type Stuff" | Peter Rieveschl, Alan Weeks, Petr Cikhart, Ryan O'Donnell, Joshua Gitersonke | CBS |
| Deadliest Catch
| align=center| "Uncharted Territory" | David Reichert, Dave Arnold, Kelvon Agee, Todd Stanley, Josh Thomas |
| Life Below Zero
| align=center| "Loaded" | Mike Cheeseman, John Griber, Simeon Houtman, Terry Pratt, Danny Day, Ben Mullin | Nat Geo |
| Survivor
| align=center| "The Stakes Have Been Raised" | Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=7 style="text-align:center" | 2018 (70th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2018/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 12, 2018}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
|colspan=2| Life Below Zero | Danny Day, John Griber, Mike Cheeseman, Simeon Houtman, Terry Pratt, Rob Gowler, David Lovejoy, Ben Mullin | Nat Geo |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "It’s Just a Million Dollars, No Pressure" | Joshua Gitersonke, Alan Weeks, Ryan Shaw, David D'Angelo, Petr Cikhart | CBS |
| Born This Way
| align=center| "Homecoming" | Bruce Ready | A&E |
| Deadliest Catch
| align=center| "Battle Lines" | David Reichert, Charlie Beck, Kelvon Agee, Ben Staley, Josh Thomas |
| Queer Eye
| align=center| "To Gay or Not Too Gay" | Garrett Rose | Netflix |
| RuPaul's Drag Race
| align=center| "10s Across the Board" | Michael Jacob Kerber | VH1 |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2019 (71st) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2019/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 17, 2019}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
|colspan=2| Life Below Zero | Mike Cheeseman, Danny Day, David Lovejoy, Ben Mullin, John Griber, Benji Lanpher, Terry Pratt | Nat Geo |
| colspan=2| Deadliest Catch
| Cinematography Team |
| Queer Eye
| align=center| "God Bless Gay" | Garrett Rose | Netflix |
| RuPaul's Drag Race
| align=center| "Trump: The Rusical" | Michael Jacob Kerber | VH1 |
| colspan=2| Survivor
| Cinematography Team | CBS |
=2020s=
| class="wikitable" style="width:100%" |
| bgcolor="#bebebe"
! width="5%" | Year ! width="25%" | Program ! width="20%" | Episode ! width="45%" | Nominees ! width="5%" | Network |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2020 (72nd) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2020/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 29, 2020}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| align=center| "The New World" | Michael Cheeseman, Danny Day and Dwayne Fowler | Nat Geo |
| Cheer
| align=center| "Hit Zero" | Melissa Langer and Erynn Patrick | rowspan=2| Netflix |
| Queer Eye
| align=center| "We're in Japan!: Japanese Holiday" | Garrett Rose |
| colspan=2| RuPaul's Drag Race
| Cinematography Team | VH1 |
| colspan=2| Survivor
| Cinematography Team | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2021 (73rd) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2021/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 13, 2021}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| colspan="2"|Life Below Zero | Michael Cheeseman, Danny Day, John Griber, Simeon Houtman, David Lovejoy, Ben Mullin, Jeffrey Alexander, Brian Bitterfeld, Tom Day and Josh Fisch | Nat Geo |
| The Amazing Race
| align=center| "Give Me a Beard Bump" | Joshua Gitersonke, David D'Angelo, Petr Cikhart, Vincent Monteleone, Ryan Shaw and Alan Weeks | CBS |
| colspan="2"|Deadliest Catch
| David Reichert, Jacob Tawney, Shane Moore, Dave Arnold, Nathan Garofalos, Todd Stanley, Bryan Miller, Kelvon Agee, Carson Doyle, Scott Messier, Charlie Beck, Josh Thomas, Tom Trainor, Nate Chambers and Randy Lee |
| Queer Eye
| align=center| "Groomer Has It" | Garrett Rose | Netflix |
| colspan=2| RuPaul's Drag Race
| Michael Jacob Kerber, Jay Mack Arnette II, Jason Cooley, Pauline Edwards, Ade Oyebade, Mario Panagiotopoulos, Jon "Sarge" Schneider, Brett Smith and Justin Umphenour | VH1 |
| rowspan=7 style="text-align:center" | 2022 (74th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2022/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 12, 2022}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| align=center|"Fire in the Sky" | Danny Day, Michael Cheeseman and Simeon Houtman | Nat Geo |
| colspan="2"|The Amazing Race
| Josh Gitersonke, Joshua Argue, Kathryn Barrows, Marc Bennett, Denise Borders, Petr Cikhart, Dave D'Angelo, Chris Ellison, Adam Haisinger, Kevin R. Johnson, Daniel Long and Jeff Philips | CBS |
| colspan="2"|Deadliest Catch
| David Reichert, Bryan Miller, Kelvon Agee, Charlie Beck, Todd Stanley, Dave Arnold, Nathan Garofalos, Shane Moore, Randy Lee, Jacob Tawney, Sam Henderson, Carson Doyle and Antonio Baca |
| Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
| align=center| "HBCYou Band" | Michael Jacob Kerber |
| colspan=2| RuPaul's Drag Race
| Michael Jacob Kerber, Jay Mack Arnette II, Jason Cooley, Pauline Edwards, Mario Panagiotopoulos, Brett Smith, Jeremiah Smith, Justin Umphenour and Jon Schneider | VH1 |
| colspan=2| Survivor
| Scott Duncan, Peter Wery, Russ Fill, Christopher Barker, Granger Scholtz, Josh Bartel, Marc Bennett, Paulo Castillo, Rodney Chauvin, Chris Ellison, Glenn Louis Evans, David J. Frederick, Ben Gamble, Kevin B. Garrison, Nixon George, Matthias Hoffmann, Toby Hogan, Efrain "Mofi" Laguna, Jeff Phillips, Louis Powell, Erick G. Sarmiento, Dirk Steyn, John Tattersall, Holly Tompson, Paulo Velozo, Ryan Hermosura and Cullum Andrews | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2023 (75th) {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2023/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 13, 2023}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| align=center|"Do or Die" | Alastair McKevitt, Craig Hastings, Leighton Cox and Jason Bulley | FX |
| colspan="2"|The Amazing Race
| Joshua Gitersonke, Bryan T. Adams, Kathryn Barrows, Josh Bartel, Kurt Carpenter, David D'Angelo, Matthew Di Girolamo, Adam Haisinger, Robert Howsam, Kevin R. Johnson, Jay Kaufman, Ian Kerr, Daniel Long, Lucas Kenna Mertes, Ryan Shaw and Alan Weeks | CBS |
| Deadliest Catch
| align=center|"Call of a New Generation" | David Reichert, Charlie Beck, Bryan Miller, Todd Stanley, Shane Moore, Nathan Garofalos and David Arnold |
| Life Below Zero
| align=center|"The Pursuit" | Danny Day, Simeon Houtman, Jason Hubbell, Ben Mullin and Zach Vincent | Nat Geo |
| colspan="2"|Survivor
| Peter Wery, Scott Duncan, Russ Fill, George Andrews, Tim Barker, Marc Bennett, Paulo Castillo, Rodney Chauvin, Chris Ellison, Nixon George, Matthias Hoffmann, Toby Hogan, Derek Holt, Efrain "Mofi" Laguna, Ian Miller, Nico Nyoni, Paul Peddinghaus, Jeff Phillips, Nejc Poberaj, Daniel Powell, Louis Powell, Jovan Sales, Erick Sarmiento, Dirk Steyn, John Tattersall, Holly Thompson, Paulo Velozo, Cullum Andrews, Christopher Barker, Granger Scholtz, Nic Van Der Westhuizen and Dwight Winston | CBS |
| rowspan=6 style="text-align:center" | 2024 (76th) {{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2024/outstanding-cinematography-for-reality-programming|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date=July 19, 2024}} |
| style="background:#FAEB86;"
| align=center|"Bulletproof" | Charlie Beck, Michael Cheeseman, Danny Day and Pedro Delbrey | Nat Geo |
| colspan="2"|The Amazing Race
| Joshua Gitersonke, Bryan T. Adams, Kathryn Barrows, Kurt Carpenter, Petr Cikhart, Diego J. Contreras, David D'Angelo, Matthew Di Girolamo, Rob Gowler, Adam Haisinger, Jamie Holland, Kevin R. Johnson, Jay Kaufman, Ian Kerr, Tim Laks, Regan Letourneau, Danny Long, Lucas Kenna Mertes, Ryan Shaw, Alan Weeks, Stephen A. Coleman and Willie Shipp | CBS |
| colspan="2"|Survivor
| Peter Wery, Scott Duncan, Russ Fill, Tim Barker, Marc Bennett, Paulo Castillo, Rodney Chauvin, Chris Ellison, Ben Gamble, Nixon George, Marcus Hebbelmann, Derek Hoffmann, Matthias Hoffmann, Toby Hogan, Derek Holt, Efrain "Mofi" Laguna, Ian Miller, Nico Nyoni, Paul Peddinghaus, Nejc Poberaj, Louis Powell, Thomas Pretorius, Jovan Sales, Erick Sarmiento, Dirk Steyn, John Tattersall, Holly Thompson, Paulo Velozo, Cullum Andrews, Christopher Barker, Granger Scholtz, Nic Van Der Westhuizen and Dwight Winston | CBS |
| The Traitors
| align=center|"The Funeral" | Siggi Rosen-Rawlings and Matt Wright | Peacock |
| colspan="2"|Welcome to Wrexham
| Craig Hastings, Ed Edwards, James Melrose, Craig Murdoch, Verdy Oliver, Esther Vardy, Leighton Cox, Tom Reece, Gareth Roberts, Joe Clifford, Joby Newson, Mike Staniforth and Dillon Scheps | FX |
Programs with multiple awards
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
;7 wins
{{col-break}}
;5 wins
{{col-break}}
;2 wins
{{col-end}}
Programs with multiple nominations
Totals include nominations for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
;21 nominations
;19 nominations
;13 nominations
{{col-break}}
;10 nominations
;8 nominations
;7 nominations
;5 nominations
{{col-break}}
;4 nominations
;3 nominations
;2 nominations
{{col-end}}