He realised his first movies as a chief cinematographer with "Herzensdieb" (1909), the Titanic-Drama "In Nacht und Eis" (1912) and after a longer interruption by World War I where he was active as a cinematographer in the front line - followed "Die Pest in Florenz" (1919) and the two productions directed by Fritz Lang "Halbblut" (1919) and "Die Spinnen" (1919).