Carlo Di Palma, the great Italian cinematographer who came to prominence working with Michelangelo Antonioni and was notable as Woody Allen's director of photography (DP) for 11 of his films including Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Deconstructing Harry (1997), died of natural causes on July 9 in Rome. He was 79.

He was born on April 17, 1925 in Rome. Di Palma's interest in film and photography came to fruition after World War II, where he spent a few years as a film assistant, then worked as an assistant cameraman with the celebrated cinematographer of post-war Italian neo-realism, Gianni Di Venanzo.

By the mid-'50s, he became a DP and after years of hard work, Di Palma gained critical recognition for his sharp use of foggy grays and whites in The Long Night Of '43 (1960). He achieved even more acclaim when he hooked up with Antonioni and worked on two key films in the '60s, the technicolor Red Desert (1964) and the kinetic pop thriller Blow-Up (1966). Di Palma's stunning use of colors and deep-focus shots in both films were nothing short of dazzling, and he made his mark as one of the most respected cinematographers of the decade.

Di Palma's work in the ensuing years didn't quite reach the highs that he achieved in the '60s, but there were still quality productions that had his stamp of professionalism: Bernardo Bertolucci's Tragedy Of A Ridiculous Man (1981) and Antonioni's Identification Of A Woman (1982) were two such standouts. Later in the '80s, Di Palma began a decade long collaboration with Woody Allen. As his DP, he added a touch of European grace and pristine hues to Allen's films. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Radio Days (1987), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Bullets Over Broadway (1994), and Deconstructing Harry (1997) were all the better for Di Palma's lyrical camera work.

For his body of work, Di Palma was honored with a Golden Lion by the Venice Film Festival in 1995, and the Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema from the European Film Awards in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Adriana; and a daughter, Valentina.

by Michael T. Toole