At Close Range with National Geographic

Anyone who's ever harbored romantic notions of becoming a wildlife photographer may reconsider after watching this profile of highly acclaimed National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, which begins with his honest confession: "This is either the best job in the world or the worst." Sartore has endured wretched conditions, exotic and potentially deadly illness, and close proximity to dangerous animals in order to capture some of the most amazing images to ever grace the pages of the world's best-known wildlife magazine. Sartore loves his job to the point of obsession (he'll stop anything he's doing to shoot in unique lighting conditions), but his constant globetrotting comes at a high price: a devoted family man, Sartore's work takes him away from his supportive wife and two loving children for weeks or even months at a time, and in scenes that are almost heartbreakingly private, we witness the toll this takes on everyone involved. We also see the well-earned fruit of Sartore's labor: hundreds of astonishing photographs that speak volumes about the man's gift for creating the perfect image—sometimes by accident, but mostly through sheer tenacity and the eye of a genuine artist (Sartore cites Audubon's wildlife illustrations as a primary influence). In addition, the program visits the Washington, D.C. offices of National Geographic, where viewers are made privy to just how intensely demanding the magazine's photo editors can be: Sartore (who had yet to switch to digital cameras when this film was made) has earned their deepest respect and admiration, but they can also be brutally frank when assessing his work. While aspiring photographers may lament the lack of technical detail here (although we frequently see Sartore's impressive arsenal of Nikon equipment), this is a fine introduction to the rigors of wildlife photography—a demanding profession that only a handful of shutterbugs have truly mastered. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Shannon)