Photo: Steve Granitz © WireImage.com

Born in California, USA. Cinematographer who began as a camero operator and visual effects photographer in the late 1970s. After working at ILM on the visual effects for such films as STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979), THE EMPRIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) and RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983), Elswit began working in television and he won a 1986 Daytime Emmy® for "The War Between the Classes" episode of the "CBS Schoolbreak Special". His feature film cinematography credits include THE END OF AUGUST and WALTZ ACROSS TEXAS (both 1982), SUMMERSPELL (1983), THE SURE THING, MOVING VIOLATIONS and DESERT HEARTS (all 1985), TRICK OR TREAT (1986), AMAZING GRACE AND CHUCK (1987), RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART II (1988), HOW I GOT INTO COLLEGE and HEART OF DIXIE (both 1989), BAD INFLUENCE (1990), THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE and WATERLAND (both 1992), A DANGEROUS WOMAN (1993), THE RIVER WILD (1994), SYDNEY, THE PALLBEARER and BOYS (all 1996), BOOGIE NIGHTS and TOMORROW NEVER DIES (both 1997), RICHARD LESTER! (1998), 8MM and MAGNOLIA (both 1999), BOUNCE (2000), HEIST (2001), IMPOSTOR, PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE and BEHIND THE RED DOOR (all 2002), GIGLI and RUNAWAY JURY (both 2003), GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK and SYRIANA (both 2005), AMERICAN DREAMZ (2006), MICHAEL CLAYTON and THERE WILL BE BLOOD (ASC Award) (both 2007), REDBELT (2008), and THE BURNING PLAIN and DUPLICITY (both scheduled for release in 2009).  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 2005: GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK  Best Achievement in Cinematography 2007: THERE WILL BE BLOOD 2 nominations, 1 Award