Thin films of CdS and CdTe with vertical nanostructure morphology were obtained by RF sputtering and sublimation from a vapor effusion source, respectively, both methods were combined with the glancing angle deposition technique at low temperatures of approximately 100 °C. Scanning electron microscopy showed porous nanocolumn structures. The CdS thin film exhibited a hexagonal structure with preferential plane orientation (002) under compressive stress and a crystallite size of approximately 45 nm. The CdTe film showed a cubic Zinc-Blende structure with an expansive lattice of the unit cell and with preferential plane orientation (111). The size of the crystallites in CdTe was approximately 56 nm. The bandgap energy of the CdS and CdTe thin films was 2.47 eV and 2.51 eV, respectively. The refractive index was 2.5 for CdS and 3.5 for CdTe, respectively.