SED Inspire: Lindsay McCrae’s ‘My Penguin Year’
By Dr Phil Hoskin
Friday evening’s SEDInspire lecture was a memorable and inspiring occasion, as we welcomed Lindsay McCrae, one of the world’s leading wildlife cinematographers, to the Hirst Centre.
Following an introduction by Head of School, Oliver (SH), Lindsay shared the remarkable story of his journey from a nature-loving childhood in the Lake District to becoming a BAFTA-winning cameraman trusted by the world’s foremost broadcasters. With nearly two decades of experience filming wildlife across the globe, he gave pupils, parents and staff a fascinating insight into the patience, technical skill and resilience required to capture rare and intimate moments in the natural world.
The highlight of the evening was his account of filming emperor penguins for David Attenborough’s Dynasties. Lindsay spent almost a year in Antarctica as a solo camera operator, living and working in one of the harshest environments on Earth. He spoke candidly about the physical and emotional challenges of isolation, extreme cold and long periods away from family, as well as the privilege of observing one of nature’s most extraordinary survival stories at close quarters.
This experience later formed the basis of his acclaimed book, My Penguin Year, which brings to life the endurance of the emperor penguins and the fragile future they face in a changing climate.
Lindsay’s delivery was warm, eloquent and quietly captivating, supported by truly stunning images of penguins and the Antarctic landscape that left the audience in awe. His photographs and film sequences conveyed both the beauty and the brutality of life on the polar ice, reminding us how much dedication lies behind the natural history programmes we so often take for granted.
The evening was not only a celebration of filmmaking excellence, but also a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding and protecting the natural world. We are enormously grateful to Lindsay for sharing his experiences so generously and for giving the Sedbergh community such a rare glimpse behind the lens of world-class wildlife filmmaking.
