Richard H . Kline Richard " Dick " Howard Kline , ASC is an Academy Award - nominated cinematographer whose credits include , and on which he has authored an article about his involvement , that was published in the " American Cinematographer " magazine . He had previously worked with that film ' s director , Robert Wise , on the 1971 science fiction classic , , and it was Wise who brought him in as the director of photography in March 1978 , thereby replacing Bruce Logan , who hitherto held the position . ( " " , p . 186 ) The film also featured Kermit Murdock , Garry Walberg , Bart La Rue and Michael Pataki in the cast . Years later , in 2001 , Kline was interviewed on his contributions for the DVD release of . Career outside " Star Trek " . Born in Los Angeles , California , Kline applied for a position as an assistant cameraman at Columbia Pictures soon after graduating high school in 1943 . He ended up as a slate boy for the 1944 film " Cover Girl " but became an assistant cameraman until he entered the Navy in 1944 . After being discharged in 1946 , he returned to Columbia , where he continued working as an assistant cameraman . In 1948 , unable to find work in Hollywood , he left for Paris and attended the Sorbonne ( also known as the University of Paris ) , where he studied Fine Art and Art History . He returned to Hollywood in 1951 ( now a married man ) and again started working at Columbia , first as a camera assistant and then as a camera operator . Among the films he worked on during this time were 1960 ' s " A Raisin in the Sun " ( featuring John Fiedler ) , 1962 ' s " Birdman of Alcatraz " ( which featured Whit Bissell in the cast ) and 1963 ' s " The Pink Panther " . Kline ' s first work as a cinematographer was the NBC series " Mr . Novak " , whose cast included actors Vince Howard and Bill Zuckert . While working on " Chamber of Horrors " – a TV pilot that was being reworked as a feature film – Kline was hired to become the director of photography on the 1967 musical " Camelot " , for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination . His subsequent cinematography credits include 1968 ' s " The Boston Strangler " ( featuring Jeff Corey , Sally Kellerman , and William Marshall ) and " Hang ' Em High " ( which had Mark Lenard in a small role , as well as Paul Sorenson and Bil Zuckert ) , 1971 ' s " Kotch " ( featuring Biff Elliot and Ellen Geer ) , 1972 ' s " Black Gun " ( starring William Campbell and Bernie Casey ) , 1973 ' s " Soylent Green " ( starring Whit Bissell , Roy Jenson , Celia Lovsky , Brock Peters , and Leigh Taylor - Young ) and " Battle for the Planet of the Apes " ( featuring France Nuyen , Paul Williams , David Gerrold and music by Leonard Rosenman ) , and 1976 ' s remake of " King Kong " ( featuring Rene Auberjonois , Corbin Bernsen , Ed Lauter , Joe Piscopo and Garry Walberg ) . His work on the latter film earned Kline his second Academy Award nomination . Since his second Oscar nomination , Kline has directed photography on such films as 1978 ' s " Who ' ll Stop the Rain " ( starring David Opatoshu , Gail Strickland , and Anthony Zerbe ) 1981 ' s " Lovespell " ( starring Kate Mulgrew ) and " Body Heat " , 1984 ' s " All of Me " ( featuring Michael Ensign and Richard Libertini ) , 1985 ' s " The Man with One Red Shoe " ( featuring Gerrit Graham and David L . Lander ) , 1988 ' s " My Stepmother Is an Alien " ( featuring Tony Jay and Suzie Plakson ) , 1990 ' s " Downtown " ( featuring Roger Aaron Brown , Ron Canada , David Clennon , and 1991 ' s " Double Impact " . His most recent film was 1997 ' s " Meet Wally Sparks " , which featured David Ogden Stiers ( who also appeared in " The Man with One Red Shoe " ) and George D . Wallace . In 2006 , Kline received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers ( ASC ) , of which he has been a member since 1967 . In total , Kline has assisted and operated on more than 200 feature films and was the cinematographer on 46 more films . Other " Trek " connections . Additional films on which Kline has worked with other " Star Trek " alumni include :