Born in Idaho Springs, Colorado. A graduate of Colorado School of Mining, he entered films in 1911 as assistant cameraman for Thomas Ince and within a year became first cameraman. His illustrious career spanned the most important years of American film history, from its formative years through maturation. During the silent era he was the regular cinematographer of Reginald Barker and William S. Hart, among others, and after the arrival of sound he created memorable images for some of John Ford's most distinguished films, notably THE INFORMER (1935). Some of his other memorable films include SYLVIA SCARLETT (1936), THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1939) and THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945). Visit the Internet Movie Database for a detailed listing of his 151 film credits. In 1918 he was among the founding members of the A.S.C. During WW II he served as a Navy commander in Iceland and the Pacific. He collapsed and died on the set during the production of the hauntingly elaborate PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948). "One of the first great cameramen, whose early work for William S. Hart is nothing short of amazing: the harsh Western landscapes, at the same time uninvitingly barren and weirdly beautiful, shot with a remarkable realism, showing no signs of primitive equipment or the brief shooting schedules. [...] His work in sound is of equal proportions, but the most memorable was done - contrasting with his silents - in those which were vividly unnaturalistic (THE INFORMER; THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER). In this vein, and best of all, is his work in PORTRAIT OF JENNIE: August had photographed skyscapes scores of time, but never with such strange and terrifying beauty as in this ghostly love story; the clouds, alternatively languorously peaceful and powerfully storm-ridden, have so much presence that they take on a leading role in the film, seeming to control the destiny of the tragic love affair far below." [David J. Badder in Film Dope, No. 2, March 1973.]  Nominated for Cinematography (Black & White) 1939: GUNGA DIN  Nominated for Cinematography (Black & White) 1948: PORTRAIT OF JENNIE 2 nominations