Biography
Thorsten Thielow is a German cinematographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Born on 10 January 1979 in Tübingen, he left school at 16 to train in editing and cinematography. He began his career producing news films and documentaries for Südwestrundfunk before working extensively for ARD as an editor and camera operator, reporting from conflict zones including Iraq in 2003 and postings in Cairo, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro.
Since moving to the United States, Thielow has specialised in feature documentaries and vérité projects. His credits include Boys State (2020), The First Wave (2021), American Symphony (2023) and Girls State (2024). He also served as cinematographer on Teenage Wasteland (2025). Thielow has won a Primetime Emmy Award and was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022.
