Carissa Dorson is a Los Angeles-based director of photography, originally from Silver Spring, Maryland. She passionately lends her skills as a cinematographer to stories that are rife with vulnerability and human connection. Her most recent feature film is the sci-fi/drama, Things Will Be Different, which had its world premiere at SXSW 2024. She also lensed the documentary, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, premiering at Tribeca and on Netflix in June, 2024. 

Carissa began her career by carving out a niche for herself in LA’s comedy community, first filming sketch, which led to narrative projects helmed by comedians, such as the feature, It's a Party (Showtime) and short film, I Think She Likes You (Tribeca Film Festival). Her TV credits include A Little Late with Lilly Singh (NBC) and The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (AMC+). She has also worked as a camera operator on some of her favorite shows, including Hacks (HBO) and Better Things (FX). While Carissa has maintained a diverse portfolio, each venture reflects her love of unique voices and telling underrepresented stories.

Carissa is also a fine art photographer with an interest in portraiture. Her photography book, Conversations with Dad, was published in 2021 by Kehrer Verlag.