Vittorio Storaro was born in Rome on 24th June 1940. His father, a projectionist at  Lux Film Studio, taught him to love cinema and, since he was a child, encouraged him to dedicate himself to photography. At sixteen years of age the young Vittorio appeared to be bound to become a cameraman. After his diploma, thanks to a special permission due to his young age, he was admitted to the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia where he took his degree in 1960.
At twenty-one years of age he works at his first movie as a cameraman. In 1969 he performs the direction of photography for the movie “Giovinezza, Giovinezza” directed by Franco Rossi. In 1964 he had already worked at Bernardo Bertolucci’s first movie, “Prima della rivoluzione”, starting an on-going co-operation with him for all his following movies: ”La strategia del ragno“ (1970), ”Il conformista“ (1970), ”Ultimo tango a Parigi“ (1972), ”Novecento“ (1976), and "L´ultimo imperatore“ (1987) for which he is awarded the Oscar.
Among relevant co-operation we should underline the one with Francis Ford Coppola: ”Apocalypse Now“ (1979) for which he wins another Oscar award; "One from the Heart" (1982), "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" (1988).
Storaro wins his third Oscar award for Best Photography with the movie ”Reds“ (1981) directed by Warren Beatty. Among other awards: the David di Donatello for ”L´ultimo imperatore“, three Nastri d’Argento and an award for Best Technique at Cannes (1998). 
He also worked with Dario Argento (”L´uccello dalle piume di cristallo“), Giuseppe Patroni Griffi (in the RAI TV live broadcasting of the opera ”La traviata“), Giuliano Montaldo (”Giordano Bruno“), Salvatore Samperi and Luca Ronconi.