---
name: "Russell Carpenter"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/russell-carpenter"
fi1m_id: "russell-carpenter"
imdb_id: "nm0005665"
tmdb_id: 8523
wikidata_id: "Q497075"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "9 December 1950"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_over: 10
updated: "2026-10-05T11:32:44.932247+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."
---

# Russell Carpenter

## Identity

Russell Carpenter

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/russell-carpenter
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** russell-carpenter
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005665
- **TMDB ID:** 8523
- **Wikidata ID:** Q497075
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Carpenter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q497075, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005665/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8523

Cinematographer. Born 9 December 1950 in Van Nuys, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 9 December 1950, Van Nuys, California, USA
- **Active:** 1994–present
- **Also known as:** Russell Paul Carpenter, Russ Carpenter
- **Frequently works with:** [James Cameron](https://film.one/person/james-cameron.md), [Jon Landau](https://film.one/person/jon-landau.md), [Amanda Silver](https://film.one/person/amanda-silver.md), [Cameron Diaz](https://film.one/person/cameron-diaz.md), [Drew Barrymore](https://film.one/person/drew-barrymore.md), [John August](https://film.one/person/john-august.md), [Kate Winslet](https://film.one/person/kate-winslet.md), [Leonard Goldberg](https://film.one/person/leonard-goldberg.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 76 (2), 2000s 53 (4), 2010s 67 (1), 2020s 62 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 62 to 58 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 4 under 60
- **Genres:** Action 6, Adventure 6, Comedy 4, Fantasy 3, Romance 3, Science Fiction 3
- **Screen time:** 23 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $8,925m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Carpenter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q497075, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005665/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8523

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Avatar: The Way of Water*](https://film.one/film/avatar-the-way-of-water.md) (68), [*Ant-Man*](https://film.one/film/ant-man.md) (67), [*Avatar: Fire and Ash*](https://film.one/film/avatar-fire-and-ash.md) (58)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Charlie's Angels*](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels.md) (68), [*Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle*](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels-full-throttle.md) (50)
- **Paramount+:** [*Titanic*](https://film.one/film/titanic.md) (84)
- **Tubi:** [*The Ugly Truth*](https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth.md) (39)

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

## Biography

Russell Carpenter, ASC is an American cinematographer. He was born on 9 December 1950 in Van Nuys, California, and studied at San Diego State University.

He is known for his long collaboration with director James Cameron. Their work together includes *True Lies* (1994) and *Titanic* (1997), for which Carpenter received the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. He later shot *Avatar: The Way of Water* (2022) and *Avatar: Fire and Ash* (2025).

Other credits include *Charlie's Angels* (2000), *Ant-Man* (2015) and *xXx: Return of Xander Cage* (2017). In 2018 he received the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, russellcarpenter.com.*

## On Fi1m (10)

- *Avatar: Fire and Ash* (2025), Fi1m 58, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/avatar-fire-and-ash.md)
- *Avatar: The Way of Water* (2022), Fi1m 68, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/avatar-the-way-of-water.md)
- *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness* (2022), Fi1m 60, Additional Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness.md)
- *Ant-Man* (2015), Fi1m 67, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/ant-man.md)
- *The Ugly Truth* (2009), Fi1m 39, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth.md)
- *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* (2003), Fi1m 50, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels-full-throttle.md)
- *Shallow Hal* (2001), Fi1m 55, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/shallow-hal.md)
- *Charlie's Angels* (2000), Fi1m 68, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels.md)
- *Titanic* (1997), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/titanic.md)
- *True Lies* (1994), Fi1m 68, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/true-lies.md)

## Complete filmography (46)

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

- *Avatar: Fire and Ash* (2025), Director of Photography — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/avatar-fire-and-ash.md)
- *Avatar: The Way of Water* (2022), Director of Photography — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/avatar-the-way-of-water.md)
- *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness* (2022), Additional Director of Photography — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness.md)
- *Noelle* (2019), Director of Photography
- *xXx: Return of Xander Cage* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Better Off Single* (2016), Executive Producer
- *Parched* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Ant-Man* (2015), Director of Photography — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/ant-man.md)
- *Return to Sender* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Beyond the Reach* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Jobs* (2013), Director of Photography
- *This Means War* (2012), Director of Photography
- *George Harrison: Living in the Material World* (2011), series, Director of Photography
- *A Little Bit of Heaven* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Killers* (2010), Director of Photography
- *The Ugly Truth* (2009), Director of Photography — Fi1m 39, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth.md)
- *21* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Awake* (2007), Director of Photography
- *Lucifer* (2007), Director of Photography
- *Monster-in-Law* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Noel* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* (2003), Director of Photography — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels-full-throttle.md)
- *Shallow Hal* (2001), Director of Photography — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/shallow-hal.md)
- *Charlie's Angels* (2000), Director of Photography — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/charlies-angels.md)
- *The Negotiator* (1998), Director of Photography
- *Titanic* (1997), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/titanic.md)
- *Ghosts* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Money Talks* (1997), Director of Photography
- *The Indian in the Cupboard* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman* (1994), Director of Photography
- *True Lies* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/true-lies.md)
- *Hard Target* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Pet Sematary II* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Solar Crisis* (1992), Director of Photography
- *The Lawnmower Man* (1992), Director of Photography
- *The Perfect Weapon* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Death Warrant* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Puppetmaster* (1989), Additional Photography
- *The Wizard of Speed and Time* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Cameron's Closet* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Critters 2* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Lady in White* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Critters* (1986), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *The Lemon Grove Incident* (1985), Cinematography
- *Sole Survivor* (1984), Director of Photography
- *The Last Resort*, Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 1998: Best Cinematography (won), for *Titanic*

*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/russell-carpenter