Bradford Young is a highly acclaimed American cinematographer known for his exceptional work in feature films. His impressive filmography as a director of photography includes notable titles such as "White Lies, Black Sheep" (2007), "Pariah" (2011), "Restless City" (2011), "Middle of Nowhere" (2012), "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" (2013), "Mother of George" (2013), and "Arrival" (2016).
In January 2017, Young made history by becoming the first African-American cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award for his outstanding cinematography in "Arrival." He broke a long-standing gap since 1998 when Remi Adefarasin received a nomination for "Elizabeth," making him the first person of color to be recognized in the Academy Award cinematography category. Young has been a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) since 2015, further highlighting his industry recognition.
Young's exceptional talent and skill have garnered numerous accolades throughout his career. Recently, his film "Super. Humans." received the Grand Prix for Film at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. The film, produced for the U.K.'s Channel 4 coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, also won several Gold and Silver awards, including Gold for Film Craft: Direction. Additionally, Young's commercial work for renowned brands like Nike, Apple, Givenchy, the NBA, Samsung, and Ketel One has been highly praised.
In 2020, Young was honored with a D&AD Graphite pencil for his cinematography in Lacoste's emotionally captivating campaign, "The Crocodile Inside," directed by Megaforce. His exceptional work continued to be recognized in 2019 when he won a D&AD Wood Pencil for his cinematography in the Spike Jonze-directed short film "The New Normal" for MedMen. Moreover, Young served as the cinematographer for the acclaimed branded film "Corazon" directed by John Hillcoat for Montefiore Health Systems, which received prestigious accolades including a Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Health & Wellness and a Grand Clio for Branded Entertainment.
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