(Newser)
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Harris Savides, one of the most acclaimed cinematographers in modern American cinema, has died of brain cancer at the age of 55. Savides, who started out as a fashion photographer, started working in movies in the mid-90s and his gift for bringing an understated beauty to film made him one of Hollywood's most desired collaborators, the New York Times reports. He worked with directors including Sofia Coppola, Ridley Scott, David Fincher, and especially Gus Van Sant.
"A beautiful and incredibly amusing man, Harris taught me so much about the meaning of real beauty and the power of simplicity," director Mark Romanek tells the AP. "He expressed these essential notions in his life and in his work. I was blessed to know him." The last film Savides shot, Coppola's The Bling Ring, will be released next year. "Like everyone who met him, I loved Harris," Coppola said. "I learned so much about filmmaking from him and we have his beautiful work to remember him by. He was a great artist and a great man. He will always inspire those of us who worked with him to do our best."
