Matt Dinerstein, Photographer ‘The Bear’, Dies at 69
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- Matt Dinerstein died on May 1 in Chicago at age 69 after a 16‑year battle with brain cancer.
- Matt Dinerstein worked for more than two decades as a unit still photographer, contributing images to Season 1 of The Bear, NBC’s Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, ER, and Bravo’s Top Chef.
- Matt Dinerstein shot still photographs for feature films such as Masked and Anonymous (2003), The Lucky Ones (2008), The Merry Gentleman (2008), and Peacock (2010).
- Matt Dinerstein retired in 2023 after vision loss from radiation treatments related to his cancer.
- Matt Dinerstein spent his post‑retirement years skiing with a sighted guide for the visually impaired and participating in the Rise to Shine Inclusive Run & Walk supporting The Chicago Lighthouse.
- Matt Dinerstein is survived by his wife Angela, children Alec, Max, and Tess, his father Fred, and his brother David Dinerstein; a retrospective photo exhibition is planned for June in Chicago.
Why it matters: His death deprives TV productions of a seasoned unit photographer whose images helped define shows like The Bear and Chicago series, and it ends the advocacy of a visually‑impaired skier who supported inclusive events and animal shelters, leaving his family and creative community to mourn his loss.
