# James Laxton

James Laxton is an American cinematographer who is best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Barry Jenkins, specifically his work on Jenkins' 2016 film Moonlight, for which he won an Independent Spirit Award and received an Academy Award nomination.

## Career

Laxton began at Florida State University, where he met Jenkins. They collaborated on numerous films, including the critically acclaimed 2016 film Moonlight. After graduating, Laxton entered the industry by assisting the camera department on features and shorts, including projects from directors such as David Nordstrom, David Parker, and Cole Schreiber.
In childhood, Laxton accompanied his mother, a noted costume designer, to film sets. He reported being inspired by the rhythm of chaos and calm on the movie set, which played a significant role in his decision to enter the industry.
Laxton's most critically acclaimed credit is the 2016 film Moonlight، directed by Barry Jenkins. The film explores themes of sexuality in a harsh urban environment. A relatively low budget of 1.5 million dollars forced Laxton to forgo equipment such as underwater camera gear and search for innovative cinematographic solutions.
If Beale Street Could Talk was also a Jenkins collaboration. The film features a tragic love story set in 1970s New York City, between Clementine "Tish" Rivers (played by KiKi Layne) and wood artist Alonzo "Fonny" Hunt (played by Stephan James). The two struggle against racism, sexual harassment and assault, and a false rape accusation. The film is based on a novel by James Baldwin, and uses a non-linear structure.
In discussing the success of the movie, which has been described as "trading docu-realism for crafted visual poetry of the highest level," Laxton and Jenkins accredited their years-long process of conversation and collaboration.

## Filmography
### Feature film

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 2008 | Medicine for Melancholy | Barry Jenkins | |
| 2010 | The Violent Kind | The Butcher Brothers | |
| 2010 | The Myth of the American Sleepover | David Robert Mitchell | |
| 2010 | Karma | Adivi Sesh | |
| 2010 | Sawdust City | David Nordstrom | |
| 2012 | California Solo | Marshall Lewy | |
| 2012 | For a Good Time, Call... | Jamie Travis | |
| 2012 | Leave Me Like You Found Me | Adele Romanski | With Jay Keitel |
| 2012 | The Murder of Hi Good | Lee Lynch | |
| 2013 | Bad Milo | Jacob Vaughan | |
| 2013 | The Moment | Jane Weinstock | |
| 2013 | Dealin' with Idiots | Jeff Garlin | |
| 2013 | Adult World | Scott Coffey | |
| 2014 | Camp X-Ray | Peter Sattler | |
| 2014 | Tusk | Kevin Smith | |
| 2016 | Yoga Hosers | Kevin Smith | |
| 2016 | Moonlight | Barry Jenkins | |
| 2017 | Anything | Timothy McNeil | |
| 2018 | If Beale Street Could Talk | Barry Jenkins | |
| 2024 | Mufasa: The Lion King | Barry Jenkins | |
| TBA | Los Valientes | Aurora Guerrero | Filming |

### Television

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 2011 | Futurestates | Barry Jenkins | Episode "Remigration" |
| 2013 | You and Your Fucking Coffee | Henry Phillips | Episodes "Election Day" and "Theater Lobby" |
| 2014 | Rubberhead | Dean Fleischer Camp | TV movie; Segment "Knickers" |
| 2016 | Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special | Jeremy Konner Riki Lindhome | TV short; With Samuel Brownfield |
| 2018 | Here and Now | Alan Ball | Episode "Eleven Eleven" |
| 2019 | Black Monday | Seth Rogen Evan Goldberg | Episode "365" |
| 2021 | The Underground Railroad | Barry Jenkins | Miniseries |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Title | Awards/Nominations |
| 2008 | Medicine for Melancholy | Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography |
| 2016 | Moonlight | Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – Academy Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – ASC Award for Outstanding Cinematography Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography Nominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography |
| 2018 | If Beale Street Could Talk | Nominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography |