CINEMATOGRAPHER
CRAIG BARKER
Behind the lens
With a career spanning more than 300 commercials, music videos, and films, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Universal Studios, Disney, Warner Bros., Amazon, Walmart, L'Oréal Paris, Gucci, Acura, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz. Along the way, I’ve worked with an extraordinary roster of talent, from Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts and comedic legend John Cleese of Monty Python, to Sean Astin—beloved for The Lord of the Rings, Rudy, and The Goonies. My projects have also featured Grey’s Anatomy stars Kate Walsh and Ellen Pompeo, Jane Seymour, William Shatner, Kristin Davis of Sex and the City, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley.
In the music world, I’ve had the honor of crafting visuals for some of the most celebrated names in entertainment, including Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg, ten-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan, twenty-time Grammy winner Pat Metheny, rock legend Alice Cooper, and Peter Cetera.
My work has earned recognition through Clio Awards, honors from the New York Film Festival, and the Ad Club Award, with features in publications such as Billboard, Daily Variety, Markee, and The New York Times.
Driven by a lifelong love for music, fine art, photography, and fiction writing, I bring a cinematic sensibility to every project. Years of experience shooting on film have infused my digital work with a textured, timeless quality—ensuring each frame carries both craft and soul.
310 733 9839 craig@craigbarkercinematographer.com
A Cinematographer’s Journey: Vision and Humanity
As a Cinematographer, I see my role as more than shaping images through a lens—it is the fusion of artistry, leadership, and collaboration that gives each project its soul. At the heart of my work lies a deeply personal relationship with the Director. This connection transcends the professional, growing into a partnership built on trust, emotional support, and a shared vision. Over the course of a project, I often find myself engaging in meaningful conversations that encourage, inspire, and solidify the creative bond between us.
Filmmaking is, at its core, a collective pursuit. I am unwavering in my commitment to cultivating an atmosphere on set that is vibrant, focused, and supportive. When the crew feels energized and the environment is calm, actors thrive—delivering performances that are alive with authenticity. This harmony allows the Director and cast to create freely, unencumbered by distractions, and with a heightened sense of artistic flow.
My approach is anchored in precision and preparation. Meticulous pre-production planning and a relentless attention to detail ensure that every shot serves the story. Lighting is crafted not only to be visually powerful but also to maximize efficiency, so time on set becomes a seamless extension of the storytelling process rather than a battle against the clock.
I am equally attuned to the demands of the business side of filmmaking. Balancing budgets, meeting tight deadlines, and delivering with speed and professionalism are responsibilities I embrace fully. Having helmed cinematography on hundreds of productions—many featuring celebrity talent with daily fees exceeding half a million dollars—I understand the gravity of delivering excellence both creatively and operationally.
Above all, my work is driven by humanity, not just technique. While I honor the craft and technical mastery of cinematography, it is the emotion, vision, and soul of a filmmaker’s story that guide my hands. Cinema, to me, is a transformative journey—and there is no greater privilege than collaborating with passionate storytellers to bring their visions vividly to life.
My Creative Influences
We are stardust. The very elements forged in ancient stars make up the 30 trillion living cells that form us, standing beneath a sky of a billion more. In moments of stillness, I feel how strange and miraculous this existence truly is—where, as quantum physics suggests, reality itself may not even exist until we witness it.
My art is born from this wonder. It carries the wisdom of Alan Watts, the raw truth of Bukowski, the dreamlike unease of Gregory Crewdson, and the surreal brushstrokes of David Lynch. I draw from the voices of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, and Edith Piaf—artists who transform pain and beauty into melody—and from Damien Hirst and Francis Bacon, who show how art can provoke, unsettle, and reveal the rawness of being alive. Yet, I also hold close the quiet grace of van Gogh, who reminds us that art can whisper, gently offering meaning rather than demanding it.
And through it all, I see the world through the soulful presence of dogs—their boundless energy, quiet wisdom, and unwavering spirit—a reminder that life’s truest moments are often its simplest.
For me, art is not meant to explain life, but to open a door. Art that is too literal leaves no room for the soul to enter. True art breathes, inviting the viewer to step inside, to see not just the world, but themselves within it.
Some Favorite films
EO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrBeSQbdXmw
A Ghost Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vb0F_CN83E
The Florida Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwQ-NH1rRT4
Ida https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JIXxo8qUn0
“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it's your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.” -Charles Bukowski
Gear
ARRI MINI LF ARRI MINI ARRI AMIRA ZEISS SUPREME PRIMES SET + 22 OTHER LENSES 17 MONITORS
COMPLETE WIRELESS PACKAGES AND ALL CAMERA SUPPORT LOADED 5 TON LIGHTING AND GRIP TRUCK
40+ LED LIGHTS TIED TO CONTROL BOARD 30+ HMI LIGHTS INCLUDING 18K AND M SERIES ARRI
POWER + DISTRO PACKAGE AND GENERATORS PRODUCTION/CAMERA VAN
ASC MENTORSHIP MEMBER
