Director of Photography, "Hostile Planet"

David Reichert

David Reichert is one of National Geographic’s directors of photography on Hostile Planet, specifically the Oceans and Polar episodes.  Reichert specializes in filming underwater and is one of the most experienced cinematographers with large marine mammals.  A few of the species he has worked with include the following: blue whales, humpback whales, orcas, fin whales, sperm whales, sei whales, Bryde’s whales, narwhals, beluga whales, walruses, leopard seals, sealions and elephant seals.  His credits include Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Natures Great Events, The Hunt, Blue Planet II  and Galatee/Disney Nature’s Oceans, just to name a few.  He also produced and directed his own feature documentary One Mountain, based on the story of a big-mountain skier. Reichert has been nominated for eight Emmys for cinematography and won four.  He has also won a BAFTA for cinematography as well as best cinematography from the Paris Film Festival, Blue Ocean Film Festival and Japan Wildlife Film Festival. He lives in Los Angeles and is currently working on natural-history series for Plimsoll Productions, the BBC, Silverback Films and Offspring Films and is the director of photography for the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch and Bering Sea Gold.