Director of photography Robert Arnold is an accomplished cinematographer who is equally at home working with high art, drama and VFX productions.
From studio to independent productions, Arnold is admired for his skill with lighting diverse skin tones and his warm, collaborative approach to filmmaking.
Most recently, Arnold has been shooting commercials, short films, documentaries and television series. In 2018-19 he operated B Cam/Steadicam on ABC’s Grown•ish, staring Yara Shahidi, for Mark Doering-Powell, ASC. Previously he operated B Cam/Steadicam for his long time friend and cinematographer Tommy Maddox on the Netflix Original Series titled “Huge in France” starring French comedian Gad Elmaleh.
In 2018, Arnold lensed a spec commercial for director Monty Marsh who is a part of the Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP), a joint venture between the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA).
A member of the International Cinematographers Guild I.A.T.S.E. Local 600, Arnold’s past credits include serving as a camera operator on The Walking Dead and Chicago P.D., working alongside his mentor cinematographer Rohn Schmidt, whom he met on The Chicago Code. Arnold also worked as on films and television series, such as: La La Land, Furious 7, Scandal, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Big Little Lies. On Big Little Lies, Arnold collaborated closely with director Jean-Marc Vallée, OC to compose the series’ beautiful frames, designing shots and occasionally lensing second unit.
Having been a professional filmmaker for more than 14 years, Arnold’s passion for cinematography began with his admiration for films photographed by Matthew Libatique, ASC; Ernest Dickerson, ASC; Wally Pfister, ASC; Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC, ACS.
This led him to cultivate his craft for cinematography at Columbia College Chicago where he received his Bachelors of Arts in Cinematography, as well as at the prestigious American Film Institute where he was awarded a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Cinematography. While balancing his undergraduate studies, Arnold’s ambition led to an electrician apprenticeship on Fox Searchlight’s Roll Bounce with James Muro as the cinematographer. Two years later, Arnold joined Chicago’s I.A.T.S.E. Studio Mechanics Local 476.
The young cinephile would further his occupation becoming a grip/electrician on features, television series and commercials between Chicago and New Mexico. Arnold cites world renowned cinematographers John Simmons, ASC; Geary McLeod, ASC; Rohn Schmidt; Amir Mokri; Dave Perkal, ASC; and Yves Bélanger, CSC as his mentors.
Arnold is based in Los Angeles, with Chicago being his hometown.