Dan Gibson

Dan Gibson (January 19, 1922 in Montreal – March 18, 2006) was a Canadian photographer, cinematographer and sound recordist. During the late 1940s, Dan Gibson took photographs and made nature films, including Audubon Wildlife Theatre. Gibson produced many films and television series through which he learned how to record wildlife sound. He pioneered techniques of recording, and also helped design equipment to optimize results, including the "Dan Gibson Parabolic Microphone". Some of his early recordings of the 1950s and 1960s were released on LP records, and started his Solitudes series, which was introduced in 1981. Gibson is well regarded for his contributions to the Friends of Algonquin Park, and his dedication to the Algonquin Park Residents Association. Having a lease of land in Algonquin Provincial Park gave Gibson and his family (wife: Helen, children: Mary-Jane or "Kirkie," Holly, Dan, and Gordon) a unique opportunity to connect with nature, and it certainly fueled his passion for the study, preservation and interaction with wildlife. In 1994, Gibson was awarded The Order of Canada for his environmental works. In 1997, he was awarded the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the Juno Awards ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2004, he released his first DVD, Natural Beauty, which was originally shot in High Definition.