Famous American Cinematographers

Todd Fisher is an American cinematographer, director, producer, and actor. The son of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Todd played a major role in carrying on the legacy of his parents by serving important positions in the Debbie Reynolds Hotel & Casino and Debbie Reynolds Management Company, Inc. In 2013, he became the CEO of the Hollywood Motion Picture Museum.

Best known for his over two-decade-long stint as a Turner Classic Movies host, Robert Osborne also gained fame for his penning The Official History of the Academy Awards and the National Film Book Award-winning 50 Golden Years of Oscar. A qualified journalist, he also wrote columns for The Hollywood Reporter.

Zack Snyder is an American filmmaker who specializes in making superhero and comic book films, such as 300, Man of Steel, and Justice League. His style of filmmaking has inspired a lot of young directors all over the world. Away from the film industry, Zack plays an important role in the lives of his children, four of whom he adopted.

Adam Wingard is an American filmmaker. A multi-talented personality, Wingard has worked as a director, editor, screenwriter, actor, cinematographer, and composer on several projects. Adam Wingard is best known for directing the 2007 horror film Pop Skull, which won the Best Feature Film award and the Jury award at the Indianapolis International Film Festival and Boston Underground Film Festival respectively.

Alexandra Pelosi is an American documentary filmmaker, journalist, and writer. Many of her documentary films including Journeys with George, which she made from her recordings of George W. Bush's presidential campaign, have earned her critical acclaim. Alexandra Pelosi has also contributed immensely to NBC News where she worked as a field producer for a decade.

Caleb Deschanel is an American film and television director and cinematographer. In 2000, he won the American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for his work in the epic historical revisionist war film, The Patriot. Deschanel has also played an important role in shaping the careers of his daughters, Zooey and Emily Deschanel.

Lloyd Kaufman is an American film producer, director, actor, and screenwriter. Kaufman is credited with co-founding Troma Entertainment film studio along with producer Michael Herz. Kaufman is also credited with directing many successful films like Tromeo and Juliet and The Toxic Avenger. As an actor, he played important roles in films, such as The Transfiguration.

Eleanor Coppola is an American artist, documentary filmmaker, and writer. The wife of Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor has often been credited for the success of her husband. Eleanor Coppola is also credited with founding an organization called Circle of Memory which aims at commemorating loved ones. She also manages the Rubicon Estate Winery which is owned by her family.

Jeremy Saulnier is an American cinematographer, film director, and screenwriter. He is credited with writing and directing critically acclaimed films, such as Blue Ruin which holds an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2015, Jeremy Saulnier was honored at the Film Independent Spirit Awards with a John Cassavetes Award nomination.

Patrick McDermott was an American cameraman who has been missing since June 30, 2005. McDermott, who was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Olivia Newton-John for nine years, disappeared from a fishing charter boat off the coast of Los Angeles. His disappearance has given rise to many theories, including McDermott faking his own death to start life afresh in Mexico.

Robert Frank was a Swiss documentary filmmaker and photographer best remembered for his photographic book The Americans which earned him comparisons with the likes of Tocqueville. An acclaimed photographer, Robert Frank won many prestigious awards, such as Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography in 1996 and the Edward MacDowell Medal in 2002.

Conrad Hall was a cinematographer best remembered for working in films, such as In Cold Blood, American Beauty, and Cool Hand Luke. In 2003, he was named among the most influential cinematographers in history. One of the most celebrated and decorated cinematographers, Conrad Hall won many prestigious awards including three Academy Awards and three British Academy Film Awards.

Sean Stone is an actor, filmmaker, and TV host. He gained massive popularity for hosting the RT America show Watching the Hawks with Tyrel Ventura and Tabetha Wallace. The son of an actor father, he was introduced to show business as a child. After establishing himself as an actor, he made his directorial debut with the film Graystone. 

Robert Richardson is a prominent cinematographer who has won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography three times. He often collaborates with the directors Errol Morris, Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese. He attended the AFI Conservatory before beginning his career as a camera operator. Over the years, he evolved into one of the most successful cinematographers in Hollywood. 

John Schwartzman is a cinematographer best known for his work in the movies Jurassic World and The Amazing Spider-Man. He studied at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and began his career in the 1980s. He has been nominated for an Academy Award. Actors/musicians Jason and Robert Schwartzman are his siblings. 

Wally Pfister is a cinematographer and director. He started working as a production assistant after high school and eventually became a successful cinematographer. He often collaborates with acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan and the two men have worked together in films like Memento and Inception. He won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Inception.  

Bill Tilghman was a gunfighter, career lawman, and politician in Kansas and Oklahoma. He was active during the late 19th century and became a legendary figure after he single-handedly captured the notorious bandit Bill Doolin and killed many members of his gang. He became a politician later in his career and served as an Oklahoma state senator. 

Robert Elswit is a cinematographer best known for his work on the historical drama film, Good Night, and Good Luck and the epic period drama film, There Will Be Blood. The latter earned him an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Beginning his career as a  visual effects camera operator, he went on to become a highly influential cinematographer. 

Matthew Libatique is a cinematographer. He studied at California State University and later trained in cinematography at AFI Conservatory. He began his career with music videos and branched out into films as well. He often collaborates with director Darren Aronofsky. He received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography for his work in the horror film Black Swan.   

Haskell Wexler was an American cinematographer, film director, and producer. In a survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild, Wexler was named among the ten most influential cinematographers in history. One of the most decorated cinematographers, Haskell Wexler received several prestigious awards including two Academy Awards in five nominations. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Herschell Gordon Lewis was a filmmaker who specialized in the horror genre. He is credited with creating the "splatter" subgenre of horror films, for which he is often referred to as the "Godfather of Gore." He studied journalism at Northwestern University and held a few other jobs before venturing into cinema. He was also a published author of several books. 

Born in Italy, Mauro Fiore later moved to the US with his family. The cinematographer is best known for his Academy Award-winning work in the blockbuster hit Avatar and is part of the American Society of Cinematographers. The father of three is married to costume designer Christine Vollmer.

Rodrigo Prieto is a Mexican cinematographer who is a member of both the Mexican Society of Cinematographers and the American Society of Cinematographers. He has closely worked with acclaimed directors like Martin Scorsese and Alejandro González Iñárritu. He is the recipient of numerous awards and nominations, including three Academy Award nominations and three BAFTA Award nominations. 

Ernest R. Dickerson is a director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He received his training at the Tisch School of the Arts, where Spike Lee was a classmate. The two worked together on Lee's 1983 master's degree thesis student film. As a director, Dickerson is best known for horror and action movies. He is a recipient of an NAACP Image Award. 

Larry Fong is a cinematographer. He developed an early interest in photography and film as a school student. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design and began his career filming music videos. He soon proceeded to shoot  TV pilots, commercials, and shorts. Eventually, he forayed into films as well. He is also an accomplished magician. 

Gordon Hugh Willis Jr. was an American film director and cinematographer. He is best remembered for his photographic work in films, such as The Godfather series and Annie Hall. Willis is credited with defining the cinematic look of the '70s. He was named among the ten most influential cinematographers in a 2003 survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild.

Gregg Toland was a cinematographer known for employing innovative techniques in his work. Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives are counted among his best works. He won two Academy Awards from seven nominations. He is considered one of the top ten most influential cinematographers in the history of film. 

Remembered for his contribution to the development of American New Wave films, László Kovács was a Hungary-born American cinematographer, known for his work on films like Easy Rider, and Five Easy Pieces. Recipient of three Lifetime Achievement Awards, he had worked with many reputed directors and was a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Cinematographers

Dean Cundey is a cinematographer and film director. He began his career with a series of low-budget films and eventually got noticed by mainstream filmmakers. He often collaborates with John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis. He specializes in the horror genre though he also works in family/comedy movies. He won the 1999 Society of Camera Operators President's Award. 

André Weinfeld is a TV and film producer, cinematographer, director, screenwriter, journalist, and photographer. In addition to covering the rock and roll and pop scenes of the 1960s and 1970s, André Weinfeld also worked as a war correspondent, covering wars such as the Six-Day War, Vietnam War, and the Yom Kippur War.

Paul Strand was an American filmmaker and photographer who helped transform photography into an art form along with other modernist photographers like Edward Weston and Alfred Stieglitz. He is also credited with co-founding the Photo League in the 1930s. During his illustrious career that spanned 60 years, Paul Strand covered several subjects and genres throughout Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Cinematographer and producer John Toll is best known for his Academy Award-winning work in Legends of the Fall and Braveheart. His other major works include The Thin Red Line. He is part of the American Society of Cinematographers and is married to Academy Award-winning make-up artist Lois Burwell.

Shane Hurlbut is an American cinematographer best known for his work in films like Drumline. Hurlbut is one of the most critically acclaimed cinematographers of the current generation. His photographic work in his debut film, The Rat Pack, earned him a nomination from the American Society of Cinematographers, making him the youngest cinematographer to have been nominated by the ASC.

Harold Rosson was a cinematographer who was active during the early and classical Hollywood cinema. He had an extensive career spanning over five decades. He began working during the silent era and easily transitioned to the talkies era. He is best known for his work on the fantasy film The Wizard of Oz and the musical Singin' in the Rain. 

Director Edwin S. Porter, best known for films such as The Life of An American Fireman and The Great Train Robbery, revolutionized filmmaking with his pioneering technique of cross-cutting in editing. He had previously been a tailor and had served the US Navy, before being hired by the Edison Company.

Anna Foerster is a cinematographer and director. She began her career in the 1990s as a second unit cinematographer. She often collaborates with director Roland Emmerich and has worked with him on several films. Independence Day and Godzilla are among her best-known works as a cinematographer. She made her directorial debut with the horror film Underworld: Blood Wars. 

Carl Boenish was a freefall cinematographer. He filmed the first jumps from El Capitan using ram-air parachutes in 1978. He was involved in the development and popularization of BASE jumping as a recreational activity and is considered the father of modern BASE jumping. He also served as a cinematographer on the John Frankenheimer parachuting film classic The Gypsy Moths. 

Matthew VanDyke is a former journalist, documentary filmmaker, and revolutionary. He joined the Libyan Civil War as a rebel fighter and was taken a prisoner of war. He managed to escape and campaigned for Libya’s freedom. He later traveled to Syria and created the documentary 7 Days in Syria. He has also briefly worked as a war correspondent. 

Prominent environmentalist and world-class mountaineer, David Brower became aware of the environmental issues through his proximity to nature, eventually joining Sierra Club, serving it in different capacities over a long period before establishing several organizations of his own. Author of three autobiographies, he fought to keep dams out of the Grand Canyon and was thrice nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.  

Photographer Helen Levitt is remembered as one of the most celebrated street photographers of her time. Her works, depicting New York City, were later published as A Way of Seeing: Photographs of New York. Her subjects were mostly underprivileged children. She had also been a cinematographer for documentary films.

Documentary filmmaker Les Blank is best remembered for his detailed portraits of musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie. While he initially wished to be an author, he later made films such as The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins. He also worked on films on other cultural topics, such as food.

One of the most celebrated cinematographers from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Charles Lang spent most of his illustrious career working at Paramount Pictures. He introduced a distinctive style of lighting in A Farewell to Arms, which was later adopted by most Paramount films. The film also won him an Oscar.