By this time, Kemper had developed contacts and several cinematographers offered him work as an assistant cameraman. Apprenticing with Arthur J. Ornitz, Kemper worked on such films as the ballet version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1966), "Charly" (1968) and "Me, Natalie" (1969). John Cassavetes hired him as standby cinematographer for "Husbands" (1970) and when noted Italian cinematographer Aldo Tonti dropped out, Kemper stepped in. Remaining based in the East, the cinematographer worked on a couple of films before Hollywood finally beckoned. His first feature shot on studio soundstages was "The Last of the Red Hot Lovers" (1972). Proving adept at both dramatic and comedic material, Kemper remained active for the better part of the next three decades, shooting such seminal films as "The Candidate" (1972), with its documentary-like hand-held shots, "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), with its gritty, urban look, and "Slapshot" (1977), with its quick cuts and washed-out images. He has a stated preference for comedies and his work on such films as "The Jerk" (1979), "The Four Seasons" (1981), "Crazy People" (1990), "Beethoven" (1992) and "Jingle All the Way" (1996) has assisted in making those films appreciable by moviegoers. After serving as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) from 1993 to 1996, Kemper was honored with the 1998 ASC Lifetime Achievement Award.