Biography

This Emmy Award winning cinematographer began his visual arts career over thirty years ago as a still photographer, and has evolved into a very effective cinematographer. Through training under the direction of master photographer Dean Collins and five-time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Allen Daviau (ASC), McKee mastered the art of capturing life through still and moving images. Holding factory certification, he served as a trainer and demo artist for both Fast Media and Pinnacle Systems for their post-production and live broadcast products.

Desiring to share his creative acuity and achievements, McKee became an educator, teaching in the areas of photography and lighting (basic and advanced). With a soft spot for youth, he has spent the past several years teaching cinematography at filmmaking camps sponsored by Crosswind Productions, a non-profit organization designed to mentor young filmmakers.

Through years of teaching and training in the field, McKee has honed his skill as a visual communicator and set himself apart from his colleagues. Early in his career, his knack for setting moods and manipulating emotions through lighting and composition gained the attention of major publications and earned him the opportunity to serve as technical lighting adviser on photo shoots for National Geographic Magazine.

During the past two decades, McKee has expanded his area of expertise, using the motion in television, film and video as his creative medium of choice. One of his most invaluable assets during filming is his intense awareness of the power that lie in camera angles and subtle camera movement, and he uses both to create images that dance on the senses and move the emotions of audiences throughout the globe. McKee also understands the tools that technology of today offers to the world of cinematic and visual expression. His ability to combine all of the aspects of this medium sets him apart as an exceptionally effective visual communicator.

McKee is no stranger to talent as he has worked with the likes of Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Woody Harrelson, Danny Trejo, Owen Wilson, Antonio Banderas, and many others. McKee's television credits include productions for PBS, The Discovery Channel, TNN, and The Outlaw Music Channel. He worked as Producer and Director of Photography on the popular FOX 26 series, Bailamos, which consistently received six times as many viewers as other programs in its time slot. McKee has worked on several documentaries, including a piece chronicling the life of serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. and another centered around guitar legend Sam "Lightnin" Hopkins. He has served as Director of Photography on a number of motion pictures, including Through the Valley, In the Mirror Dimly, Escape of the Wild Thing and Suicide Notes.

For over a decade, McKee has written and been interviewed for technical articles published in several film and video trade publications and websites.
- IMDb mini biography by: Larry McKee