Frederick Elmes, ASC (born November 4, 1946) is an American cinematographer, known for his association with the independent film movement, having worked mostly with directors David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch.
Born in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, Elmes studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, then attended the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, graduating in 1972. He enrolled in the Graduate Film Program at New York University's Department of Film and Television and graduated in 1975.
At the American Film Institute, Elmes met aspiring film director David Lynch, who hired him for Eraserhead (1977).
Elmes has been a member of the American Society of Cinematographers since 1993.