Light is not just a technical tool — it is the language of cinema.
Max Lemnij is a Bucharest-based Cinematographer and Director of Photography with over 35 years of professional experience in film, television and advertising. His work spans hundreds of commercials, music videos, short films and branded content productions across Romania, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.
Max's defining strength is his mastery of cinematic lighting — the ability to shape atmosphere, emotion and narrative through light alone. Whether it's a single source illuminating an actor's face or a complex tabletop setup with Phantom Flex high-speed cameras, his approach is always driven by what the image needs to say.
He is recognised as the first Romanian professional in tabletop and high-speed/slow-motion cinematography, and the first Romanian DoP invited to film such productions internationally — in India, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Bulgaria, France and Italy.
Years of Experience
Countries Filmed In
Global Brands
Romanian Tabletop DoP Abroad
A Career Built on Light & Craft
From Romanian television to international advertising productions on three continents, Max Lemnij has remained constant in one pursuit: the perfect image.
Television & Early Career
Max began in Romanian television as DoP at Prima TV, working alongside directors Titus Muntean and Vali Hotea. He filmed the musical feature film "Moștenirea" and the live New Year's Eve broadcast "Revelion 1998–1999".
Advertising & Acclaimed Directors
Through Castel Films, Max became DoP for Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Bogdan Naumovici and Tudor Giurgiu. With Naumovici he created iconic commercials that entered Romanian cultural memory: "Laser, frate!", "Batman Batman!", "Cât e halatu'?"
Tabletop & High-Speed Pioneer
From 2003, Max became Romania's first specialist in tabletop and high-speed/slow-motion cinematography — mastering the lighting of liquids, food and products at thousands of frames per second, using cameras like the Phantom Flex.
International Productions
Since 2009, invited by foreign producers to shoot in India (3 times), Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Bulgaria, France and Italy — as both DoP and Director. The first Romanian to film tabletop commercials internationally.
Notable Collaborations
Over 35 years, Max has worked alongside some of the most respected names in Romanian and international film and advertising.
Film & TV Directors
Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Ruxandra Ghițescu, Tudor Giurgiu, Florin Șerban, Andrei Cohn, Titus Muntean, Vali Hotea
Advertising Directors
Bogdan Naumovici, Henri Bassil, Ovidiu Bose Paștina, Radu Bărbulescu, Gus Olafsson, Tom Wilson, Can Ulkay, Howard Guard, Ram Baruch, Olivier Legan, Anton Groves, Iulian Moga, Spike, Hypno and others
Advertising Agencies
McCann Erickson Bucharest, McCann Erickson Bangalore, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy & Mather, Grey, Publicis, DraftFCB, Y&R, Graffiti BBDO and many more
Clients & Brands
A selection of global and local brands Max Lemnij has worked with across commercials and branded content.
Vodafone • Coca-Cola • Pepsi • Pizza Hut • KFC • Danone • Müller • Dr. Oetker • Staropramen • Bergenbier • Ursus • Ciuc • Hochland • Lidl • Carrefour • Leroy Merlin • Dedeman • Altex • Orange • Telekom • OMV • Rompetrol • Dorna • Gerovital • Always • Lenor • Cif Domestos • Banca Transilvania • Olympus • Maggi • Scandia • Caroli • Agricola • Cotnari • Râureni • Al Marai Saudi Arabia • ETI Turkey • Ülker Turkey • Britannia Biscuits India • Dada Kazakhstan • Solnechniy Kazakhstan • C2 Vietnam • Devin Bulgaria
See the Images. Feel the Light.
See the Images. Feel the Light.
35 years of cinematic images in one reel. A personal selection of the frames Max is most proud of — from tabletop slow-motion to dramatic narrative lighting.
