---
name: "Frederick Elmes"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/frederick-elmes"
fi1m_id: "frederick-elmes"
imdb_id: "nm0005695"
tmdb_id: 4434
wikidata_id: "Q1452873"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "4 November 1946"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_over: 12
updated: "2026-10-05T03:00:13.553695+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Frederick Elmes

## Identity

Frederick Elmes

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/frederick-elmes
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** frederick-elmes
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005695
- **TMDB ID:** 4434
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1452873
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Elmes, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1452873, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005695/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4434

Cinematographer. Born 4 November 1946 in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 4 November 1946, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, USA
- **Active:** 1974–2016
- **Also known as:** Fred Elmes, Fredrick Elmes
- **Frequently works with:** [David Lynch](https://film.one/person/david-lynch.md), [Ang Lee](https://film.one/person/ang-lee.md), [James Schamus](https://film.one/person/james-schamus.md), [Laura Dern](https://film.one/person/laura-dern.md), [Sigurjón Sighvatsson](https://film.one/person/sigurjon-sighvatsson.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 83 (3), 1980s 64 (2), 1990s 82 (2), 2000s 78 (2), 2010s 83 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 75 across 11 titles
- **Score spread:** 8 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Crime 4, Romance 3, Thriller 3, Mystery 2, Science Fiction 2
- **Screen time:** 20 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $377m across 9 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Elmes, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1452873, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005695/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4434

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Olive Kitteridge*](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md) (84), [*Eraserhead*](https://film.one/film/eraserhead.md) (84), [*The Night Of*](https://film.one/tv/the-night-of.md) (81)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Blue Velvet*](https://film.one/film/blue-velvet.md) (88)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Synecdoche, New York*](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Frederick Elmes, ASC (born 4 November 1946) is an American cinematographer. He studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, attended the American Film Institute, graduating in 1972, and completed the graduate film programme at New York University in 1975.

He is a frequent collaborator with directors David Lynch, on films including *Eraserhead* (1977), *Blue Velvet* (1986) and *Wild at Heart* (1990), and Jim Jarmusch. He has also worked with Ang Lee on *The Ice Storm* (1997) and other projects. Elmes joined the American Society of Cinematographers in 1993. He won Independent Spirit Awards for Best Cinematography for *Wild at Heart* and *Night on Earth* (1991), and a Primetime Emmy Award for *The Night Of* (2016).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, theasc.com.*

## On Fi1m (12)

- *Paterson* (2016), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/paterson.md)
- *The Night Of* (2016), Fi1m 81, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-night-of.md)
- *Olive Kitteridge* (2014), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Fi1m 84, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *Hulk* (2003), Fi1m 72, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/hulk.md)
- *The Ice Storm* (1997), Fi1m 85, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ice-storm.md)
- *Wild at Heart* (1990), Fi1m 78, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-at-heart.md)
- *Moonwalker* (1988), Fi1m 40, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/moonwalker.md)
- *Blue Velvet* (1986), Fi1m 88, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/blue-velvet.md)
- *Eraserhead* (1977), Fi1m 84, Special Effects, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/eraserhead.md)
- *The Killing of a Chinese Bookie* (1976), Fi1m 78, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-of-a-chinese-bookie.md)
- *A Woman Under the Influence* (1974), Fi1m 86, Assistant Camera — [page](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md)

## Complete filmography (63)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *I Know Catherine, the Log Lady* (2026), Director of Photography
- *Father Mother Sister Brother* (2025), Director of Photography
- *Hunters* (2020), series, Director of Photography
- *The Jesus Rolls* (2019), Director of Photography
- *The Dead Don't Die* (2019), Director of Photography
- *Hair* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Wilson* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Paterson* (2016), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/paterson.md)
- *The Night Of* (2016), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-night-of.md)
- *Olive Kitteridge* (2014), series, Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md)
- *Horns* (2013), Director of Photography
- *A Late Quartet* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Brothers* (2009), Director of Photography
- *A Dog Year* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Bride Wars* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *The Namesake* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Broken Flowers* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart* (2004), Actor
- *Kinsey* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Coffee and Cigarettes* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Hulk* (2003), Director of Photography — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/hulk.md)
- *Trapped* (2002), Director of Photography
- *Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet* (2002), Director of Photography
- *Storytelling* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Chain of Fools* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Chosen* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Ride with the Devil* (1999), Director of Photography
- *The Wedding* (1998), Director of Photography
- *The Ice Storm* (1997), Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ice-storm.md)
- *In the Gloaming* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Coffee and Cigarettes III* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Reckless* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Trial by Jury* (1994), Director of Photography
- *The Saint of Fort Washington* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Night on Earth* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Hollywood Mavericks* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Cold Dog Soup* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Wild at Heart* (1990), Director of Photography — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-at-heart.md)
- *Moonwalker* (1988), Director of Photography — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/moonwalker.md)
- *The Cowboy and the Frenchman* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Permanent Record* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Aria* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Heaven* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold* (1986), Camera Technician, Director of Photography
- *River's Edge* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Blue Velvet* (1986), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/blue-velvet.md)
- *Real Genius* (1985), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Broken Rainbow* (1985), Cinematography
- *Dune* (1984), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Red Dawn* (1984), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Citizen: The Political Life of Allard K. Lowenstein* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Valley Girl* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Modern Romance* (1981), Camera Operator
- *Eraserhead* (1977), Director of Photography, Special Effects — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/eraserhead.md)
- *Young Lady Chatterley* (1977), Camera Operator
- *In the Region of Ice* (1976), Additional Photography
- *The Killing of a Chinese Bookie* (1976), Camera Operator — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-of-a-chinese-bookie.md)
- *A Woman Under the Influence* (1974), Assistant Camera — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md)
- *The Amputee* (1974), Director of Photography
- *Invasion of the Blood Farmers* (1972), Assistant Camera
- *Street Scenes 1970* (1970), Director of Photography, Director, Camera Operator

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Sitges Film Festival Best cinematography 1986: Sitges Film Festival Best cinematography (won), for *Blue Velvet*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/frederick-elmes