News
Keep informed on upcoming presentations, awards and other news.
Coming Soon!
2024
Very excited about this one! Had the opportunity to work alongside a legend in the industry to capture some truly amazing behaviour and aerial scenics. Even more ecstatic to once again have Sir David Attenborough narrating some of my footage. This series will showcase the advancements made in cutting edge camera technology since filming the first Mammals series.
Coming Soon!
December 2022
Two of the shows I have had the pleasure of working on over the past couple years were just announced in this Netflix release. Our Oceans and Our Living World. Really excited to see the final product after so much hard works from some extremely talented crews working in really difficult environments.
Showcase on alberta - some of our clips made the cut!
July 2021
We made the reel! Several of our aerial drone clips from various movies and television productions were selected for the Alberta Film Services reel to showcase the epic features, scenery and talent that has been created in Alberta over the last few years. I am humbled and proud to be part of such an amazing sequence and to get to work with our talented and hardworking local crews. It also helps that we have such unrivaled landscapes from deserts to mountains and prairies to offer as backdrops. If you ever wondered about filming in Alberta, this should definitely help the decision.
Speaker - Alberta Camera Club Alliance
June 2021
Join Darryl MacDonald as he reveals secrets of the underwater world with images and video captured in remote environments around the globe.
With over 25 years in the industry, Darryl has gone from darkroom to digital, always staying at the forefront of technology while maintaining a strong passion for creating powerful and unique images. Since the beginning of his career as an underwater cinematographer in the Cayman Islands Darryl's affinity for working in difficult environments combined with his technical background have assisted in safely putting the lens of his camera in some impossible locations. Supplementing publishers and production crews around the world, Darryl specializes in timelapse, aerial cinematography and underwater imaging. His photographs have been on display in galleries across the globe from the Louvre in Paris to Oman to New York City. Spending several years in the Middle East, Darryl also contributed regularly to travel and adventure publications in Dubai, Oman, South Africa and Spain. Previous and current clients have included BBC, IUCN, WWF, Oman Air, Outdoor UAE, The Discovery Channel, Calgary Flames, Calgary Stampede, City of Calgary, TSN, Environment Society of Oman, Arabian Whale Network, Gestalten and many others.
Award winning aerial drone image of the empty quarter from above captured by Darryl MacDonald
Finalist in the Natural World Big Picture Photography Competition
May, 2021
It was an honor this year to have another image chosen by the California Academy of Sciences as a finalist for the annual Big Picture Competition. With so many talented entrants from around the globe it’s definitely an accomplishment to be recognized by the judges again in this prestigious competition. This image was take in the empty quarter which is one of the largest deserts on the planet. It’s a difficult area to access and requires skilled drivers and proper off road equipment and supplies. I took this image near sunset in order to highlight the beautiful texture of the dunes shaped by the winds over time. The blue you see around the outside is calcium carbonate, gypsum, marl, or clay that were once the site of shallow lakes thousands of years ago. This is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have had the fortune to visit.
Winner Of The Celebrating Nature Photography Competition
January, 2021
This image placed first ahead of 23 000 entrants in the international celebrating Nature photography competition. This is an image of a humpback whale taken with permissions in Silver Banks off Dominican Republic. This is a mother with a calf that is just out of frame on the left side of the image. The calf was very curious and insistent on having a good look at our boat. Every time it managed to get past its mom she would cut in between. To capture this shot I leaned over the edge of the moving boat and used my elbow to create a wake to put the camera in and create the wave you see in the foreground. I used my Canon 5D Mark III in an Aquatica underwater housing.
were in the news!
December 2020
This year we had the pleasure of working closely with TSN to safely live stream the Jr World Hockey Championships which saw over 100 million views worldwide! I was surprised and delighted to get a shout out from veteran sports journalist and hockey hall of famer Terry Jones in several articles for the drone work we did for the games! Always a pleasure working with such a professional dedicated team.
“They’re simply spectacular”
Canadian AssOciation Of Wilderness Medicine Presentation
November, 2020
Join speaker Darryl and other outdoor leading medical experts from across Canada as he talks about the realities and difficulties of working in remote locations around the globe.
This year I had the opportunity to speak alongside some of my heroes in the medial industry at the annual CAWM conference. I spoke about preparation and working in extremely remote environments around the world and considerations for emergency preparedness.
Eye for the wild photography competition - judge
March, 2020
It’s that time of year again! I am excited to have been asked again to join the judges panel for the annual fundraising photography competition for one of my favorite non profit organizations! The Eye For The Wild Photography Competition is an annual fundraiser and call to all photographers that love nature. Funds raised from this competition help to provide much needed food, medical procedures and other necessities to injured animals before releasing them back into the wild. If you you love nature and have a camera they have some amazing prizes lined up from their generous sponsors and you’re be supporting a great cause, it’s a win win!
The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society was established in 1993 to provide professional care for wildlife rehabilitation. Each year we receive 2200+ injured and orphaned wild animals and respond to 10,000+ wildlife-related calls from the public. In addition, Calgary Wildlife provides motivational, skill-building experiences for volunteers and valuable outreach and education services in the community. Calgary Wildlife is a registered charity and the only wildlife hospital within the City of Calgary. Calgary Wildlife supports positive wildlife outcomes for Calgarians and Calgary’s wildlife
Professional Photographers of Canada - National Presentation
April, 2019
Join me for an evening with the Professional Photographers Society of Canada.
Join Darryl MacDonald for a night of exploring other niches of photography. Learn how he crosses boundaries using basic photography principles to take his lenses to some impossible places; from the remote South Georgia Island to the harsh environment of the Arabian dessert to the calm of the underwater world. It's all fun and games until you get into a tangle with a stingray or get coated with whale snot... Learn how Darryl applies basic photography principles to weave stories of conservation, further scientific studies and bring the mysteries of the underwater world to the general public.
Posted on Instagram Today
Shout out from National Geographic this morning!
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
Eye for the wild photography competition - judge
March, 2019
It’s that time of year again! I am excited to have been asked again this year to join the judges panel for the annual fundraising photography competition for one of my favorite non profit organizations! The Eye For The Wild Photography Competition is an annual fundraiser and call to all photographers that love nature. Funds raised from this competition help to provide much needed food, medical procedures and other necessities to injured animals before releasing them back into the wild. If you you love nature and have a camera they have some amazing prizes lined up from their generous sponsors and you’re be supporting a great cause, it’s a win win!
The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society was established in 1993 to provide professional care for wildlife rehabilitation. Each year we receive 2200+ injured and orphaned wild animals and respond to 10,000+ wildlife-related calls from the public. In addition, Calgary Wildlife provides motivational, skill-building experiences for volunteers and valuable outreach and education services in the community. Calgary Wildlife is a registered charity and the only wildlife hospital within the City of Calgary. Calgary Wildlife supports positive wildlife outcomes for Calgarians and Calgary’s wildlife
National Geographic Travel Photography Competition
April, 2019
This year I submitted 4 images to the National Geographic Travel competition and had 3 of those images selected as judges favorites as finalists. It’s always an honor to make the final selection especially in such a prestigious competition with so many talented photographers.
This image was taken on my last day on assignment on the Sub Antarctic Island of South Georgia. Overnight we have a wind shift that blew in all the ice chunks and brash ice you see in the background into shore. I woke up before sunrise to capture some photos before my departure. I had my camera on my tripod and gear on the ground when this juvenile fur seal came charging out of the water towards me, having spent several months living on the island I knew to be cautions but not afraid. As you can see from the photo, he was a little uncertain what to do once he arrived at my location so he just sat and stared for a while before giving in to this dramatic yawn and heading back to the ocean after loosing interest in me.