Sophie Darlington Welcomed as New ASC Member.
The director of photography and wildlife filmmaker has forged an impressive career in a demanding field, learning to capture both beauty and relatable character in her animal subjects.
As a child growing up in Ireland, Sophie Darlington was deeply moved by the 1966 filmBorn Free, the famed dramatic feature inspired by the lives of British conservationists George and Joy Adamson while raising an orphaned lioness they named Elsa. “It’s corny but true,” Darlington says today. “From that moment on, lions fascinated me. I was nine years old and at boarding school in the U.K. as my folks were working abroad. I don’t know if you remember the score, but John Barry’s Oscar-winning music still carries huge emotional weight.”
She also caught the travel bug at an early age: “Growing up, my brothers and I went on epic road trips with my parents, from the Western Isles of Scotland to Iran — from Tehran to Shiraz or Isfahan. These are places of extraordinary light, and capturing light is where my interest in photography started.”
At the age of 19, Darlington moved to Tanzania to chase her dream of wildlife filmmaking, but had trouble breaking into a field that seemed closed to her. Arriving in East Africa in her early twenties, she met eight-time Emmy winner and cinematographer Hugo van Lawick. Renowned for his long-term partnership with National Geographic and Jane Goodall, the Dutch filmmaker took Darlington on as an apprentice in the 1990s, and she spent several years learning the craft of natural history filmmaking out on the Serengeti Plains. “I started as Hugo’s camp manager and quickly moved on to helping make the films,” she says. “Once I got my hands on a camera, I spent several years under Serengeti skies learning the craft from Hugo and the generous, talented teams of camera people he worked alongside.”
Today, Darlington carries on van Lawick’s legacy of giving back: In addition to filming, she is actively and passionately involved in mentoring, public speaking and increasing diversity in wildlife filmmaking.
Thirty years ago, she was one of a handful of female filmmakers working in the wild. Today, she is a BAFTA Award winner who has held the door open for other women to follow in her footsteps. To that end, she is active in — and motivated by — the Illuminatrix collective of female cinematographers based in the U.K. and working internationally “for their unwavering support and immense talent. They’re a phenomenal group whose craft and communication constantly inspire me.”
Other inspirations working behind the camera include “Chivo (Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC] — The Tree of Life, of course,” she adds. “For his organic, handheld style, but, above all, his use of natural light — that’s where I’m happiest. Real light resonates deeply with me, given the nature of our filming, where the elements are always part of the story.”
Another key figure for her was “Owen Newman, one of the original wildlife cinematographers. His 1996 Natural World episode “Lions: Pride in Peril” was a master class in filming nature. When working with a non-speaking cast —which is, let’s face it, not prone to taking direction — capturing their emotion is hugely important and at the heart of what we do. Owen’s style made me care about his characters — something I continue to aspire to.”
Darlington is known for her ability to capture exceptionally emotional behavioral content with a strong focus on beauty, which she believes is the key to it all. She was one of the series directors of photography on National Geographic’s 2024 series Queens, which focused on female leadership in the natural world. She has also worked on feature films for Disney Nature and BBC Earth, as well as landmark series for, amongst others, Netflix, National Geographic and the BBC, including Dynasties I and II, Our Planet I and II, The Hunt, Planet Earth II and Life Story — all narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough.
“As the first dedicated natural history cinematographer invited to the ASC, I’d like to think it will impact not only me but also others in the genre,” she says. “This invitation sends such a positive message to the next wave of wildlife cinematographers striving for excellence in this field. Being a member of the Society has given me powers I didn’t have before, and I’m determined to use them for good. I want to open doors for mentoring opportunities and help increase diversity. Given the state of the planet right now, that could not be more important.”
You’ll find Darlington’s personal site here and her Instagram here.
The complete ASC membership roster can be found here.
