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Contactguildf0rd572022-11-01T10:28:18-07:00

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About Sophie:

Sophie left Ireland at age 19 and moved to Tanzania to chase a dream of wildlife filmmaking. That was 30 years ago, where 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.

Instagram:

sophiedarlingtondop

Wildlife Cinematographer / DOP
Agent: @miradormgmt
Collective: @illuminatrix_dops
Communities: @wildlife.camerawomen @theicfc

Proper watercolour

Proper watercolour

Instagram folk, thank you for all your good algori

Instagram folk, thank you for all your good algorithms in difficult times. (It’s not easy is it?)

Wishing you all the best for the coming year.

And hoping - actively running at any kindness/goodness to be found in 2025 - sometimes hard to remember but there’s a lot out there; @doctorswithoutborders @sealegacy @chooselove @projectdrawdown @newfcommunity @speakersforschools @thewildlifetrusts @r.e.s.c.u.e @unwomen @gazasunbirds @chrisgpackham2 to name just a few

Reminded recently by @tobianoexpediciones of our t

Reminded recently by @tobianoexpediciones of our trip to film the Hooded Grebe in the high freshwater lakes of Patagonia, Argentina for @bbcone series The Mating Game.

These rare little floating meringue’s of a bird really can dance - which is what we were there to film.

@angelillogr & I had such a treat filming them with the Grebe Guardian team, Pablo, @pat_musang @ezequielmbrea and not to forget the genius ‘mink hunter’ & occasional camera assistant, Labrador Hobbes.

This trip remains one of my favourite filming trips ever, you can support the conservation of these critically endangered grebes through the important work of @avesargentinas & @programapatagonia

Delighted to have been asked by @ventete to be a p

Delighted to have been asked by @ventete to be a part of their new & award winning cycle helmet campaign, especially as photographed by the lighting maestro @dantobinsmith

@miradormgmt

Jan 2017, Cape Crozier - getting to grips with wor

Jan 2017, Cape Crozier - getting to grips with working in an Adelie penguin colony.

After a month the noise seemed a little less loud. The penguins usually paid me no heed, perfect for filming, however the odd passerby would occasionally check us out.

#penguin #adeliepenguin #antarctica

Not a stuffed toy #adeliepenguin #iphone

Not a stuffed toy

#adeliepenguin #iphone

Thanks to @lukeketteringham for these lovely pics

Thanks to @lukeketteringham for these lovely pics from @kendalmountainfestival last week - chatted about everything from how I got started to @natgeo #Queens

@miradormgmt

The weather this morning feels distinctly blowy. O

The weather this morning feels distinctly blowy. One of the hardest things when filming with a longlens - usually a @canonuk CN20, 50-1500mm - is keeping the image stable in squally conditions.

This is rush hour at the Cuverville gentoo colony on the Antarctic peninsula where we were filming for Our Planet II. The team would try & find a spot for me to get from the rib onto the rocks but if the wind was gusting too hard it was impossible…or if they started to head out before we could get on shore & set up!

#penguins #antarctica

“The modern frenzy of ‘everything, right now’ was pitted against the ‘probably nothing, ever’ of lying in wait. This luxury of spending a day waiting for the improbable.”

Recommended by @sophy_roberts ‘The Art of Patience’ by @sylvain.tesson

I’ve watched ‘The Velvet Queen’, the exquisite film made by @vincent_munier_photographer Marie Amiguet & Tesson, A LOT (And if you haven’t seen it do seek it out, it’s magnificent) …so I knew of the premise but this book takes you deeper into the landscape of Tibet & philosophy. Tesson comes across as funny & ridiculously smart - the perfect companion for an expedition. Like the film, this book will be rinsed.

The care and love that goes into the food & servic

The care and love that goes into the food & service at The Towpath Cafe stems from here - this lovely lot who make sitting next to a cold canal on a dark October evening the very best idea.
Thank you (and all those not in the photo) for a season of sublime and delicious grub and thank goodness for Tray days xxx

Congratulations to @natgeotv @wildstarfilms @vanes

Congratulations to @natgeotv @wildstarfilms @vanessa_berlowitz @chloesarosh @cleonep and the whole incredible Queens team.

Hugely proud to be a part of this groundbreaking & stunning series alongside fellow series DoP @justineevans02 & an extraordinarily talented crew. Let’s keep the momentum going, we need more diversity in our industry to tell interesting stories with greater reach.

@illuminatrix_dops #womenoflight @wildlife.camerawomen @women.in.wildlife @women_behind_the_camera @ladycameraguy

As recognised and nominated by their peers, this y

As recognised and nominated by their peers, this year’s inaugural Terra Mater Studios Field Craft Special Recognition Award goes to.....Sammy Munene!

There are some days which make you happy & yesterday was surely one. @sammywmunene dear friend, exemplary guide & specialist film driver was acknowledged by his peers at an emotional @wildscreenorg Pandas.

It was a huge honour to present this inaugural award on behalf of all his peers, many of whom were present last night - the standing ovation was such a moment!

There is no doubt in my mind that Sammy, and all the incredible field crew we get to collaborate with on location improve our films beyond measure, respect to @wildscreenorg for recognising the vital importance of this role. (& to @terramater for kindly allowing me to present it) Also seeing how he’s plastered all over the walls in a Bristol production house office is surely a good indicator of how much he contributes to award winning shows from Dynasties, Queens, Our Planet, Big Cat Diary to Night on Earth etc etc!

🙏 to all who champion Sammy (you know who you are but including @smgibbo @simon.blakeney @faimus_ @manuakatsa @byjamiemcpherson @markmacewen_dop @johnaitchison1 @tomwalkercam @jeandre_gerding )

Balanites aegyptiaca, classic silhouette

Balanites aegyptiaca, classic silhouette

I could spend all day looking up at these wonderfu

I could spend all day looking up at these wonderful creatures.

A week of enlightenment at @arvon__ with the brill

A week of enlightenment at @arvon__ with the brilliance of @sophy_roberts & @rorymcclean as well as an fascinating evening spent with @laurabeatty_writer

If you’re looking for writing inspiration I cannot recommend Arvon more highly, or the good folk it attracts.

#thehurst

Adélie penguin chick completely out for the count

Adélie penguin chick completely out for the count, fast asleep. Chicks in the colony would sometimes conk out if an adult was nearby & because it was very warm for a densely fluff covered body in the austral summer. Mainly though they were vigilant due to the ever present Skua’s who might munch them.

Part of a continuing theme, wishing that Disney had made hot water bottle merchandise inspired by teenage penguin chicks #penguin #summer

Three young cheetah siblings play in Liuwa, Zambia

Three young cheetah siblings play in Liuwa, Zambia from @bbcone #Dynasties

This was such a moment to witness - the 1st time w

This was such a moment to witness - the 1st time we saw one of the teenage cheetah, Shanatse & Chinzvi, hunting from the @bbc series #lifestories

We’d been shadowing the pair for a few weeks & knew they were getting closer to success & independence. There was such intensity in her eyes as she instinctively did what she had to.
Filming predation is a complicated thing. In the moment you often get lost in the technical aspects of capturing the behaviour & it’s only after when it sinks in. I’ve never been one to revel in it but this was a life skill mastered & resonated.

For @bbc ‘life story’ @kimwolhuter & I filmed

For @bbc ‘life story’ @kimwolhuter & I filmed a mother cheetah & her cubs in Zimbabwe. Kim had a very special relationship with this particular family which came about due to the mum needing veterinary attention. Kim helped nurse the mother gaining the confidence of the whole family & as result this wee one allowed Kim to put a radio collar on without being sedated. It was a Doctor Doolittle moment & one I’ll never forget. Produced by (not my son) @nickeaston_pointsshoots the sequence we all captured remains one of my favourites.

Final one of the three cheetah photos taken in The

Final one of the three cheetah photos taken in The Mara nearly 20 years ago!
A lone cub & Mum playing, cheetah females are, usually, solitary except when raising cubs. It’s a rare moment to see play with the females

#Cheetah #kenya

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