In 2004, he shot Lu Chuan's Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, for which he received the Best Cinematography nomination at the 25th Golden Rooster Awards and received the Best Cinematography at the 41st Golden Horse Awards.
[2] In 2009, Cao went on to serve as cinematographer for City of Life and Death, his second collaboration with director Lu Chuan.
In 2015, he was selected as cinematographer for the 3D adventure action film Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe, his third collaborated with director Lu Chuan.
In March 2011, Cao Yu began dating actress Yao Chen after they met in Color Me Love.
On July 15, 2013, their son, nicknamed Xiao Tudou (Chinese: 小土豆; lit.