---
name: "Timo Salminen"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/timo-salminen"
fi1m_id: "timo-salminen"
imdb_id: "nm0758742"
tmdb_id: 16769
wikidata_id: "Q330172"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "11 July 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-27T08:16:42.114659+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."
---

# Timo Salminen

## Identity

Timo Salminen

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/timo-salminen
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** timo-salminen
- **IMDb ID:** nm0758742
- **TMDB ID:** 16769
- **Wikidata ID:** Q330172
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timo_Salminen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q330172, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0758742/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16769

Cinematographer. Born 11 July 1952 in Helsinki, Finland.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 11 July 1952, Helsinki, Finland
- **Active:** 1988–present
- **Also known as:** Тимо Салминен
- **Frequently works with:** [Aki Kaurismäki](https://film.one/person/aki-kaurismaki.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (1), 2020s 83 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timo_Salminen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q330172, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0758742/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16769

## Streaming the US now

- **MUBI:** [*Fallen Leaves*](https://film.one/film/fallen-leaves.md) (83)

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

## Biography

Timo Salminen is a Finnish cinematographer born on 11 July 1952 in Helsinki. He has worked extensively with director Aki Kaurismäki since the early 1980s.

His credits include *Shadows in Paradise* (1986), *Ariel* (1988), *The Match Factory Girl* (1990), *Drifting Clouds* (1996), *The Man Without a Past* (2002), *Le Havre* (2011), *The Other Side of Hope* (2017) and *Fallen Leaves* (2023). He has received five Jussi Awards for Best Cinematography and two European Film Award nominations for the role.

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

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Fallen Leaves* (2023), Fi1m 83, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/fallen-leaves.md)
- *Ariel* (1988), Fi1m 80, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/ariel.md)

## Complete filmography (61)

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

- *Kill the Jockey* (2024), Director of Photography, Camera Operator
- *Eureka* (2024), Director of Photography
- *Fallen Leaves* (2023), Director of Photography — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/fallen-leaves.md)
- *Woman at Sea* (2023), Director of Photography
- *Romantic Guide to Lost Places* (2020), Director of Photography
- *Fishlove* (2020), Director of Photography
- *My Branch So Thin* (2018), Director of Photography
- *The Other Side of Hope* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Swagger* (2016), Director of Photography
- *Armpits* (2016), Director of Photography
- *Jauja* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Pause* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Bluesia Pieksämäen asemalla* (2013), Director of Photography
- *Historic Centre* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Tavern Man* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Le Havre* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Robert Mitchum Is Dead* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Rat Trap* (2011), Director of Photography
- *A Distant Neighborhood* (2010), Director of Photography
- *Backwood Philosopher* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Red Pearls of Love* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Lights in the Dusk* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Pelicanman* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Visions of Europe* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Bico* (2004), Director of Photography
- *Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet* (2002), Director of Photography
- *Dogs Have No Hell* (2002), Cinematography
- *The Man Without a Past* (2002), Director of Photography
- *The Classic* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Highway Society* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Juha* (1999), as Hotellipalvelija (uncredited) · Director of Photography
- *Vaiennut kylä* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Drifting Clouds* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Iron Horsemen* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Total Balalaika Show* (1994), Camera Operator
- *Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses* (1994), Director of Photography
- *Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatjana* (1994), Director of Photography
- *The Last Border* (1993), Director of Photography
- *The Prodigal Son* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Shit Happens* (1992), Director of Photography
- *La Vie de Bohème* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Amazon* (1990), Director of Photography
- *I Hired a Contract Killer* (1990), Director of Photography
- *The Match Factory Girl* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Paper Star* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Leningrad Cowboys Go America* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Cha Cha Cha* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Ariel* (1988), Director of Photography — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/ariel.md)
- *Hamlet Goes Business* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Tilinteko* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Shadows in Paradise* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Rocky VI* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Rosso* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Calamari Union* (1985), Director of Photography
- *The Clan: Tale of the Frogs* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Crime and Punishment* (1983), Director of Photography
- *The Worthless* (1982), Director of Photography
- *The Saimaa Gesture* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Yö meren rannalla* (1981), Assistant Camera
- *Viimeinen savotta* (1977), Assistant Camera
- *My Times*, Cinematography

## Awards

### Other awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- European Film Award for Best Cinematographer 2006: European Film Award for Best Cinematographer (nominated), for *Lights in the Dusk*
- European Film Award for Best Cinematographer 2002: European Film Award for Best Cinematographer (nominated), for *The Man Without a Past*

*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/timo-salminen