biography
grew up in East Africa, where his father was the director of the Peace Corps, and later the director of the African Wildlife Foundation. His family spent much of their time with the abundant wildlife that thrived there during the 1960s and 1970s. Poole’s unique upbringing gave him an appreciation and curiosity of the natural world, a highly adventurous spirit, and a strong sense of self-reliance.
As a teenager, Poole’s relationship with National Geographic began when he worked with a film crew on a documentary about elephants. After completing a university degree in science, and working on films as a camera assistant, Poole’s first film as a cinematographer for National Geographic was about his sister, Dr. Joyce Poole, the renowned elephant zoologist.
Now, an Emmy Award winning Director of Photography, Poole films both people and wildlife. His extensive credit list includes documentaries for PBS NATURE and NOVA, BBC, over 30 films for Discovery Networks, and an additional 30 plus films for National Geographic Television.
His work on National Geographic’s Great Migrations took him to some of the African continent’s most remote locations. Whether tracking elephants in extreme desert environments of Mali, following wildebeest across the Serengeti, or traveling road-less regions of war-torn Sudan, Poole’s lifetime experience, and unfailing tenacity helped him to capture remarkable moments. For this he won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Cinematography.
Now working on the other side of the camera, Bob is a character in a new National Geographic film, War Elephants, which premiered in March of 2012, and won Best Documentary at the Sun Valley Film Festival. The show airs on National Geographic WILD on April 22, 2012. Recently, Bob was featured in stories for ABC Nightline and National Geographic Television, as well as interviews with Voice of America and NPR.
Bob’s passion for wildlife led to his involvement as a Board Member for the Gorongosa National Park Restoration Project. He is a Fellow with the Explorers Club and a speaker with National Geographic’s Speakers Bureau.