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Underwater
Cinematographer

Specializing in marine life, drone capture, VR, and gimbal work.

About Jeff Hester

Reach me on WhatsApp

I’m Jeff, an award-winning freelance wildlife cameraman and Local 600 camera operator specializing in underwater and aerial videography for documentaries and features.

From National Geographic to the BBC to Madison Square Garden Entertainment, I’ve worked with the best and biggest as a wildlife cinematographer to bring incredible imagery to the silver screen and beyond.

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My Equipment

As a seasoned wildlife cinematographer, I have acquired an extensive collection of equipment that I use for shoots or to film stock footage around the United States and Mexico.

Recent Work

With beginnings as a biologist and NOAA marine scientist, I developed a passion for telling ocean stories. I’ve now worked as a Director of Photography on all seven continents, from tropical reefs to ice and (most) everything in between.

BBC EARTH

THE
MATING GAME

To get a mate you need to stand out from the crowd. And sometimes that means putting on a spectacular performance. Filmed in 22 counties, it follows 80 unique species on how they pursue a mate, from the beginning of the courtship to how they overcome enormous obstacles in the race to win a partner.

Awarded "Excellence in Cinematography" by the Guild of Television Camera Professionals for the sequence on humpback whales. 

DISNEY+

WELCOME
TO EARTH

This Disney+ original series from National Geographic follows two-time Academy Award® nominee Will Smith on an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders and reveal its most hidden secrets. Throughout the six-part limited series, Will is guided by elite explorers on an awe-inspiring journey, getting up close and personal with some of the most thrilling spectacles on the planet — from volcanoes that roar in silence to deserts that move beyond our perception to animal swarms with minds of their own. Combining breathtaking cinematography with Will's boundless curiosity and enthusiasm, the blockbuster series is an exciting, multisensory ride through Earth’s most mind-bending portals.