In Loving Memory of ADRIAN WARREN (20 JULY 1949 - 5 JUNE 2011)

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1Sir David AttenboroughI have never known a man more determined than Adrian. The first time I met him he was sitting in a tiny shoe-box of an office in BBC London doing a very routine job in I think Schools Television. He had asked if we might meet. ‘How do I get into the Natural history Unit,’ he asked. I told him what I could and said it would not be easy. He looked me straight in the eye. ‘I will get there,’ he said. There was something about the way he spoke those words – coolly and quietly – that was unforgettable.
I didn’t see him again for several years. I had gone to Borneo to make a film about life in the forest canopy. I was told that a new member of the Unit had organised it. It was of course Adrian.
I looked apprehensively at the huge branch a hundred feet up above that I was supposed to get onto – and expressed my doubts.
Once again, that look. ‘I will get you there,’ he said. And of course he did.
He took me chasing tornadoes across Oklahoma. He even took us all into the stratosphere, tumbling about, weightless, in one of NASA’s experimental aeroplanes. As we staggered away from the trip, somewhat queasy and glad to be back on the ground – he – and he alone as far as I can recall – persuaded the pilot to let him go on a second trip the following day – so that he could enjoy it himself.
Needless to say, he chafed in the BBC with its fussiness and bureaucracy. He would have chafed anywhere, I guess, if he did not make the rules. He was a maverick. The most determined of mavericks. And mavericks like him are invaluable and precious and life-enhancing.
The world is poorer now that he has left it.
2Jim YostI am greatly saddened to hear of Adrian’s condition. I consider him a wonderful friend and consider this a great loss, not only for me personally, but for the world as well.
3Will CrossWords cannot express the sense of loss and l will not waffle but Adrian is
going to be greatly missed.
4Jonathan Webbwe are very saddened to hear of your terrible loss. Adrian has been in our thoughts constantly over the last few months.

Adrian was one of the true greats in our field and an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed.
5Bryan GulliverI am so deeply saddened to learn that you have lost your life-partner in such an untimely way, and that the world has now lost one of the all-time greats in aerial photography. You have both been so very successful as a team and I have always admired your many publications enormously, I learned much myself by studying Adrian’s work, which he now leaves to posterity as a major contribution to the global historic record.

With my deepest condolences
6Gary BrindleVery sad about this news, and also adding my thoughts of support to Dae and
Luke. In the short time that I knew Adrian I was aware of what a warm caring
person he was. He fought with all his strength and I am also relieved that
he is no longer suffering,
Best wishes to all of his family and relatives
7Denny RowlandThis is indeed a great shock as I was unaware of his condition. Adrian was a true pro shooter in every respect from his skills with a stills camera to when he got behind a movie camera. The world has lost a great talent and a true gentlemen. I am so so sorry for you. I do hope that when the grief has passed, you will be able to continue with Last Refuge in the way that I’m sure he would have wanted.
8Kevin AllenThat is very sad news, my heart goes out to you and Luke. The world has lost a talented man and you a loving husband, it is a very sad day indeed.
I wish you and Adrian’s family happier times in the future.
9Soames SUMMERHAYAdrian burned with a bright light and the world is less because of his passing.
10Derek and Margaret EdwardsWe were so deeply saddened to hear the news of Adrian’s passing, so very soon after learning how very serious his condition had become.

Adrian has made such an outstanding contribution to life and he will always be remembered with deep affection by those who had the privilege of knowing him and enjoying his friendship..

We will miss Adrian very much and send our deepest sympathy to Dae, Luke and Adrian’s family at this very sad time.
11Peter & Louise BirdA gentle and kind man who we will miss greatly. I loved talking with him about his adventures across the world. He had life written all over his face and had the most wonderful smile. Our love to you Dae and Luke be strong xxxx
12Bob BewleyAdrian??s skill will live on through you, Luke and his work; he was an inspiration to so many and although we only talked on the phone about a recent project in Jordan, he also made me feel very welcome ??? encouraging me to fly down to your own airstrip. We are all thinking of you at this tragic time.
13Jim et Muriel FletcherNous avons eu la chance de faire ensemble un petit bout du chemin de la vie et nous en sommes heureux. Adrian, o?_ que tu te trouves en ce moment, repose en paix !
14Sebastian HeinemannMay your soul fly high into the blissful sky where it will find eternal peace. I pray to you, Dae and my little Prince, I love you all. God bless.
15Richard MatthewsI’ve known Adrian for many years and our friendship dates back to when we worked in the BBC. I was fortunate enough to have worked on a number of programmes with Adrian. He was someone I greatly admired for his enthusiasm, determination and zest for life. For me Adrian was a free spirit, a person who believed in his own ability, a person who put ideas into action. When we decided to leave Bristol 8 years ago and move to Cape Town I was truly touched when Adrian drove all the way to Bristol just to say goodbye. It was pure Adrian and showed he valued our friendship highly.
16Neil RettigHow can I start, Adrian was a very special man, perhaps his greatest virtues were his tenacity, his unstoppable drive, his focused determination.

To Adrian, Failure, even the thought of it, was never an option. If someone wanted the best out of Adrian they would mention the word impossible, WHICH was the magic word, and the fuel to drive Adrian into his dogged determination to get the job done, any job. Adrian thrived on gritty, hard work.


I was lucky enough to work with Adrian Warren in the ???Hay?? days of Natural History film making, the days when long sessions in the field were the norm, and to come back with the goods; the wildlife behavior, the new discoveries; nothing was easy, and in the film days, before playback options, you had to hope and pray that the cameras and lenses were in working order.

My first film with Adrian was for the BBC series: ???Wildlife on one??. It was called the?? Orinoco Hog,?? all about the life and environment of the Capybara. We worked for months in Venezuela on the llanos, a place very dear to Adrian. Up at 6:00 am working all day back for a quick dinner, then out in the evening to film frogs finally sleeping about midnight??_ Adrian was a working machine, we played hard as well!!!! I remember driving 100 miles across the Llanos to find a remote caf? that had roast chicken and cold beer. Adrian also knew when to let the crew have a break??_??_??_??_??_??_??_. just before mutiny!!!

Our teamwork seemed to pay off and I was soon working with the BBC and Adrian on new and exciting big Natural History projects. We teamed up to work on several films for the Living Planet; this was the start of a very long and excellent collaboration to work together in tropical rainforests all over the world. Adrian, loving the big challenge was always thinking of ways to move the camera in the forest. Vertical, and horizontal. Found my climbing skills and almost foolish daring a good meshing with his motives.

This was the development of rope and cable tracking systems that I still use to this day and have helped pull millions of viewers into the majesty of the forest.

I clearly remember the fist crude system we set up at La Selva reserve in Costa Rica.. We used a climbing rope and pulled it tight high in the canopy. With luck and perhaps little more we rode on that system in a climbing harness to film tracking shots for the first time. This was the start. We survived to try it in many other locations, including Rwanda.

We had so many other experiences in the field,;??_??_. like the time an elderly man fell off a cliff in Costa Rica and Adrian and I carried him out of the Rainforest for miles, we traded off with the semi conscious man until we could get him to a waiting ride to the clinic, or the time while a huge ephyphite crashed down on the head of a botanist knocking her out, and Adrian doing his best to help her. Maybe the times we spent living and sleeping in a tree hide to attempt filming the Sumatran Rhino. Using a jerry can for a toilet, and staying in the hide three days at a time.. Or the days in Malaya??s pulling huge blood soaked leeches off our legs and feet. None of this shocked or stopped Adrian, he could handle just about anything.

Adrian had a passion for the great apes, and spent many of his years working to document and help save the Mountain Gorilla.

I worked with Adrian on two films about the Mountain Gorilla, one for the The Natural world, for the BBC, and a second shot on the IMAX format, working with him on these projects influenced my outlook on world wide conservation efforts and opened a huge window to understanding Africa.

The IMAX gorilla film was a huge endeavor, a large budget with lots of stress, and to top it off ended in the crew and the film being caught up in the start of a war that ended up killing 800.000 people.

The Rwanda war experience was the most dangerous thing we faced together, after Rwanda I did not work much more with Adrian, but he pursued his passions, and his love of gorillas.

I have to say that Adrian Warren was a mentor of sorts for me, when I think of work ethic I ALWAYS think about this man, he was tough as nails, but also had a heart of gold, and was sympathetic to the people he loved, and wanted to do his best to move people to conserve the Natural World. I will miss him,


Adrian Warren moved mountains.
17Mark PercivalI am so sorry to hear your news. Here at the RSPB we only had the pleasure of Adrian’s company in more recent times but it struck me immediately that Adrian was one of life’s free spirits and one of those people that just gets on with the challenges that are put in our way. Clearly he faced this most recent challenge with great dignity, determination and, I have to say, a degree of good humour. Despite your tragic loss you must be very proud and as a man who lived life to the fullest (a lesson to us all) in time you will have many happy memories to soften the anguish.
18Alexa-Sascha LewinYou inspired with your passion for life and adventure. Your stunning films will live on forever. But to me, your legacy lies with your kindness, sincerity, humanity and graciousness. These made you the man that so many loved. I still can’t grasp that you’re gone. And I know that your infectious vitality still lives on in your three sons. My heart is with Dae and your three boys, and I am so very, very sorry for their loss. Dae, please know that we are always here for you.

All my love,
Alexa
19Brad RisterI am deeply saddened by the news of Adrian’s passing. There are some people who are so full of life and passion that you can only imagine them living on forever. Adrian will continue to live on in the memories of those blessed enough to have known him. His films will continue to touch generations to come and share with them his love and passion for the natural world. Adrian, you truly are an inspiration for us all.
20Lee EversoleYou inspired so many and always sided with the cause worth saving, a consummate professional. You were a man of quiet dignity and honor, and those whom you touched never forget your charm and your humanity. In the end is a new beginning in this evolving cycle of life. A beautiful soul. I will look for you, my friend. Om namah shivaya.
21Sophie and Juan KervynYour deep sadness is our, Dae, even if we haven’t met together yet. We met Adrian in Kigali and he left his stuff at home during his “interview” with the gorillas … We shared a lot of african evenings. He is staying with us for ever, it can’t be other …
22Yan HeydlaufMy deepest condolences??_
I am so glad that I had the chance to know him??_ He had always a model role for me, sharing the same passion of flying and aerial photography!
The few moments I did spend with him were so intense of warm feelings and happiness??_
I will miss him terribly too??_
23David SpearsWe spent many happy hours together in planes and cars, our adventures are unforgettable. I miss Adrian so much, a light has gone out.
24John KellyMy friendship with Adrian goes back over thirty years to BBC days and “The Living Planet”. In those days and thereafter meeting Adrian was always filled with anticipation and expectation that was never disappointed as to projects, creative ideas or just the conversation. I used to call him ‘action man’ as I was never quite sure to what lengths or extreme either physically or with the technology he would go to in order to get a shot, reach a location or simply persuade a contributor to do something they would never in a thousand years expect to do. People use the word ‘professional’ loosely these days. However Adrian was that and much more, highly talented, resourceful, creative and very skilled across most if not all aspects and facets of his work. In this respect it was a privilege to have known him and enjoyed and shared his company. He has given so many good memories that together with his work will stand as a testament to the extraordinary and talented man he was and indeed is, as he will never really leave us. Tone and I will always fondly remember a very lovely day spent with Adrian, you, Luke and your family at ‘Batch Farm’ on the occasion of the “England” book launch where one could see how complete life was for Adrian with you. Tone and my thoughts are with you and Luke at this difficult time and whilst I know you will have many friends to give you support please do contact us if we can be of help or just to talk.
25Leo DickinsonMy happiest memory was searching out Adrian and Steve Groves when they were filming in Namibia some years ago. Both were tanned, fit and following a herd of elephants on foot and of course from the air. Everyone was smiling in that hot desert landscape. It was a happy time and will remain locked in my consciousness.
26Ed WhitingSome people just make the world a better place and he was one of them. I am better to have known him and will not forget him.
27MIKE RICHARDSDriving up to the fins of bombs and mortars sticking out of the sand in northern Kenya, a broad smile on his face; Being exhausted to the point of literal collapse at the base of Mount Shaba after our climb to the top to film vultures. Flying with him the length of the Kenyan rift valley in a Cessna with him cleaning the lens on the wing by hanging onto the strut as we fly; Hanging on ropes that he puts in the canopy of the rain forest to his platforms that he built on a branch.
There was always an element of danger, excitement discovery and achievement that seemed to him to be the normal way of exploring the natural world through film making.
This is the Adrian I am sure so many of us knew and remember. When I was with him I always seemed to be a little behind him , maybe level on occasions, but never in front : He had such drive determination and confidence that there was never any doubt that our quest would be executed with unfailing professionalism.

Adrian was a man of extraordinary, wide ranging and far reaching projects and experiences. There must be many of us who have known him for parts of his life as he has come into our worlds. But I cant claim to have been part of his world all the time . I know we lived doors away in Surrey, age about 10 , but we didn??t meet then , unless he was one of the gang that tried to ambush me on my bike , sending me scurrying home!
It was years later at the BBC that we met and set off to Venezeula in 1984. It was here in South America that so much of his life was connected and this trip was a small part of the forest world that he was always excited by. We were filming birds then it was the first time the wire-tailed manakin display had been filmed , and very well done it was too ! This trip although remote in a way, had nothing of the adventure that accompanied Adrian where ever he went.
My most memorable expedition with him was to the remote Indonesian Island of Halmahera to film a bird that was thought to be extinct and had only very recently been rediscovered. This was in 1985 , and Wallace??s standard wing was waiting for Adrian to climb a 40 meter tree and build a platform so I could film the display at dawn. I will always remember the calm way he taught me how to climb a rope , and was amazed at his ability. As a result of the this trip we both became ill after encountering a constant barrage of mosquitoes .The expedition was part of a programme recently aired by Nat Geo , called ???Where Cameramen Dare.??
There are other huge areas of his life that I was not part, as his great passion of parachuting for example was some thing I never saw him do. I??m glad as in those days he sometimes wore it onto the plane home !
His film credits are amazing as he encompassed so many of the disciplines and formats and worked on programmes that he really felt could make a difference .
I should have known when I visited him and Dae in Somerset that there would be something exciting on the go , I suppose I could guessed that he would have his plane parked in the field next door ! I mean how many people can arrange that !
But then to realise the ambition of what is really an aerial map of British landmarks by using the plane whenever they could was extraordinary. ???Last Refuge?? is a testament in its self to all that he stood for.
It was a pleasure to know this man , he gave me such inspiration and help in the earlier years of my career, laughing at ???The Goon Show?? as we came into PNG , a voice from behind us said ???get all your laughing over before we land ??? as there was a curfew in Port Moresby at the time !
I??m sad for the void that we now all face.
28Mandy DickinsonI am so sorry Dai to hear of Adrians passing. It is such a shock to take in. He certainly lived his life to the full and achieved so much. My love to you and Luke at this very sad time.
29Dave BlackhamI had lost count of the years I had known Adrian, over 30 I think, Adrian had always been so much of an inspiration in all he did, above all his smile was infectious, Im upset and fear for the void thats left for his family and for every one that knew him, but every time I think of him makes me smile for the inspiration he gave in life and thats how I shall remember him.
30Peter McKenzieI first met Adrian when we went on a trip to Venezuela. At the time Adrian was filming for the BBC Natural History Unit. We kept in regular contact afterwards.

Adrian was a very good man to have as a companion on an expedition. He was a man of action, more than that, he possessed a deep intellect, great insight and a wonderful skill in communication. I shall always remember him for these qualities. Meanwhile, my thought are for Dae and Luke.
31Johan & Sylvia WahlWe will miss our dear friend and his fascinating stories from travels all over the world. Our sincere condolences and love to Dae, Luke and family.
32Donald & Mary Anne SilvermanIn loving memory of Adrian Warren. We will always remember his kindness and love.
33Grant BehrmanI was deeply saddened to learn of Adrian’s passing. He was a great friend, an extraordinary filmmaker and a deeply sensitive person who always thought in terms of other people’s interests. He was a tremendous force for good and we are poorer for not having him amongst us anymore. Yet his spirit lives on in those that were fortunate enough to know him. Dae you and the family are in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.
34Ian RedmondI’m so sorry to hear this, Dae. I knew Adrian was ill, but had no idea it was so serious. Adrian was one of the most alive people I have ever known and I will always think of him like that. He achieved so much and opened so many people’s eyes to wonders and sights no-one had seen before. What an amazing legacy he leaves!
35Sally VaughnI steeped myself in Adrian’s website soon after his passing, wanting to will him back to life magically somehow using the sheer momentum of his career achievements, exploits and honors. What a life he led and how much he packed in.

For all his derring-do and rugged toughness, he was a gentleman and a gentle man. He was also exceedingly competent, wickedly clever and refreshingly authentic. His wit charmed, and was delivered with an impish smile and twinkle in the eye–a winning, boyish quality that is echoed and lives on in Lukey.

I like to think his life force for good has been released into the universe at large now, helping shepherd it in a positive direction. May you rest in peace, Adrian (at least, as much peace as an eternal adventurous spirit will tolerate). Love and best wishes to Dae and Luke.
36Jean HartleyI wouldn??t be in the film business at all if it had not been for Adrian. I first met him in June 1986, exactly 25 years ago. My husband had just had a brain tumour removed in London, and was recovering in his sister??s pub in Devon ??? a lovely little place called The Badger??s Holt ???and was receiving punishing blasts of radiotherapy daily at a hospital in Exeter. We had both flown from Nairobi to sort out this medical challenge which still haunts me, especially now that Adrian has succumbed to the same thing.
That was the beginning. In August 1988 I decided to form a company to specialise in helping wildlife film crews, as there was no-one else doing it. I launched Viewfinders at the Wildscreen festival in 1988, and clearly remember Adrian saying ???I??m a bit worried you might not get enough work??. He didn??t get that quite right??_ We remained friends and kept in touch from then on, and I assisted him whenever he was in East Africa ??? the birdwatching film that started it all in 1986, then the Great Rift, four films on mountain gorillas in Rwanda, one in the Ngorongoro crater, one on snakes, and several times passing through to Madagascar. He brought his sons to stay, and when in England I visited him in Wedmore, then several times at Batch Farm.
Adrian was quite a private person, not one to brag about his achievements. His interest in nature started as a very small child in a neighbour??s little flat in London. He described the flat as smelling of mothballs, and a little old lady called Miss Kitchin smelling of pee and lavender, who told him endless things about the natural world ??? birds, insects, mammals, amphibians, fish, everything. He was fascinated, and spent hours with Miss Kitchin, absorbing her knowledge. Later the family moved to Somerset, where he and his sister were able to explore the countryside and all its wonders. At the age of 8 he watched Zoo Quest wanted to be David Attenborough. Adrian was an adventurer, always challenging himself (and whoever was with him) to scale new heights, discover new places, meet new people. This curiosity took him to Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil, Central America, Madagascar, New Guinea, and all over Africa. He thought nothing of scaling precarious ropes into the canopy, or jumping out of aeroplanes, abseiling to inaccessible caves or climbing vertical cliffs ??? I know, I climbed one cliff with him.
During all these years, Adrian was not only a good friend; he was a source of inspiration and advice. Sometimes when I encountered a problem ??? whether it were a difficult director, an unethical producer, an dishonest conservationist, an eccentric scientist, a spoilt presenter, or even an apparently insurmountable bit of bureaucracy or television politics, Adrian always had a way of getting straight to the heart of it. With his whacky sense of humour, he steered me through more than one potential crisis. He made more than 50 films, and won nearly as many awards. His contribution to wildlife films was significant; the part he played in my life was much more than that. I shall miss him.
37Martin HammondAdrian was a breath of fresh air on every occasion. I have been so fortunate to have worked with him over many years and to have benefitted from his knowledge and enthusiasm. He was our natural choice for Kodak??s new product development testing including flying over Stonehenge, the Bristol Balloon Festival, capturing the images from fireballs in the Somerset countryside in addition to the wildlife scenes and capturing the beauty of the flowers in his lovely garden. Every occasion at work or socially was a joy. His wicked smile and glances spoke a thousand words never to be forgotten. His unsung support for others must also be mentioned. He was always kind and patient with the students and emerging filmmakers he lectured to at Wildscreen, Jackson Hole and the Kodak Stop by Shoot Film training courses. He willingly passed on his knowledge gained from so many varied projects. He literally ???dropped in?? to my sons?? school fete in a free fall stunt some 20 years ago and the smiles from the children he thrilled are still with me. It was a privilege to spend time with him and I wish for more. My love to Dae and Lukey in these difficult times and beyond.
38Wolfgang KnoepflerAdrian was one of my heroes in natural history film making. A pioneer in the field that became a master. He will be greatly missed and my love goes to his family and I wish them strength to go through these hard times. May his soul rest in peace. Lala salama.
39Sian and NandinWe had only just met Adrian and regret we have lost the opportunity to know him better. We were struck by his humility and gentleness knowing his great achievements and the fantastic adventures he had undertaken.

Our love, deepest condolences and thoughts go out to Dae and Luke – we are always here for you.

40Wa;lker/Roman NathalieHey Adrian,
I was talking about you to my husband Stef not less than a week ago, in a 6 seated plane, coming back from Lizard Island, Australia. I told him how great pilot you were, how we had such a good time with you,Dae and Dad, and the crazy “Gravity Zero” experience you gave us, diving straight down with your plane…I told him how inspiring you had been in my life, how I feel like a important piece of the puzzle is missing tonight…Gone travelling again! You’ll be in my heart, always, as a very very special person. You gave so many beautiful things to the world, so as you could capture its beauty.
Dear Dae, Dear family, beautiful family…I’m thinking and sharing soooooooooo much with you in that difficult time. I just wish I could hold you all in my arms and be with you. All my family is here with me deeply sharing with you. We’re there, all around the world, for you…
With all our love, truly,
Nathalie, Stefan, Jarrah and Lily Mae
41Jason HawkesJust heard this terribly sad news.

I never go to meet Adrian but have seen loads of his amazing work over the years. From an outsiders point of view he certainly lived a pretty epic life.

My best wishes go to Dae and the rest of his family.

Jason
42Hugh MaynardEvery decade or two the BBC NHU finds a producer who pushes the boundaries, one who goes where previous producers have not ventured. Adrian was just such one, and he led from the front.

He loved rain forests, one of the most difficult of environments in which to work and get results. He was the first BBC producer to get us up into those huge trees. I shall never forget an unbelievable free climb he made two hundred feet up into a magnificent silk cotton tree.

Adrian was also a terrific parachutist and pilot, and produced the most innovative episode in the Living Planet series, the one on air, the atmosphere, and flight. He wanted David to do a piece to camera from a high altitude balloon and then for David to jump out of the balloon and do a free fall sync piece to camera. The idea went no further than the discussion stage much to Adrian’s puzzlement! The early stirrings of BBC Health and Safety from the men in grey suits.

Then there was a parachuting film in Venuzuela in which one of the group broke her leg, I am amazed more legs, arms or whatever weren’t broken on that one, we got off lightly. Somehow Adrian had got that one past the grey suits.

There was another South American film; when checking on a pile of gear I came across a parachute. ‘Anything you think you perhaps should tell me Adrian?’ I asked. ‘Oh you never know,’ he said, ‘It might come in handy.’ It did, we did some aerial filming from a Cessna with the door off and when we had finished he said, ‘Right, see you down there,’ and exited the plane at 3000ft.

Other films followed where serious attempts were made with gliders and parafans. Anything to do with the air, anything that was new and pushing the boundaries.

Africa featured large of course, and why spend shedloads of money on helicopters when we could do a three day walk up a volcano?! On another occasion we used a chopper and for some reason convinced the pilot to spend the night in the bush illegally, out of radio contact and unannounced in the neighbouring country. Adrian could be quite persuasive. I also remember on another trip a serious confrontation with Burundian soldiers who had had a drink or six late one night on a deserted road during a curfew. Never a dull moment with Adrian. Not sure how we managed to wriggle out of that one. Then there was the incident with the Land Rover(?) which ended up with me flat on my back for a few months. The men in grey suits were not amused.

I have never worked harder than when working with Adrian, if we weren’t physically shattered at the end of a long day trying to push each other to the limit, then somehow we felt we hadn’t done a proper day’s work. To work with Adrian was exciting, exhilarating, totally involving, never a dull moment. But above all it was a privilege.
43Jon and Carol MortenWe were so so sorry to hear the news of Adrians’ passing, our thoughts go out to you Dae,Luke and the rest of Adrian’s family. Cherish all the wonderful memories you have, and I know you have lots. They will help you get through this difficult time.
love Carol & John.
44Penny BeestonAdrian was such a regular fixture in the natural history landscape, and such a familiar face when I worked at Partridge Films, that I was so shocked to hear the news. I don’t think we ever actually worked directly on the same film, just on the same series, occasionally sharing a bit of office space, and mostly I remember having some really good chats! Always inventive and enthusiastic. A great inspiration.
I am so sorry, Dae and the family, at the speed that this has happened, and how fast life can change. My thoughts are with you.
45JacquesThank you Dae for having contacted me last month, in France, in order to talk to Adrian. His words are still in my mind and I was not imagining that he was already preparing?? the long journey.

We met?? in Rwanda in 1986 or 87, when he was preparing the film on gorillas.. and from then, he came back on a regular basis with his crew and equipment.. inspiring progressively all my family with short stories, reviewing with my daughters Marie and Nathalie the first shots taken in the misty forests..

And then Madagascar, the same man with other crews to film the Siffakas in the south..
Magic relationship with this man I had by inadvertence crossed paths with, before knowing him, from the forests of Ecuador to the deserts of Kenya..

Short times shared, paragliding with him from the top of hills in Rwanda, sometime at full moon, since Adrian was too busy during the day..
Just good to have him, at home for a night, a meal or a brief discussion, back from miles in the bush..

Somebody, like a brother, and definitively better than a brother. Somebody we could easily meet at?? Batch Farm, with Dae and the sons, and spend some days together, paragliding long hours on the south coasts, flying over hills to pay a visit to the grave of Lawrence of Arabia..or just to discuss issues on indigenous or prehistorical populations..

A man who has deeply influenced?? my family and myself, and will continue to do so.
Safe wind to you, dear Adrian and please take care of us…
46Marie RomanThank you Adrian for the African friendship and the visions of your lens. I didn’t know as a child, but when you came into our lives, you gave the first inspirational spin to what is now my work also.

You came to work of course, but you also spent time with us sharing our lives, camping, eating, laughing, flying, always giving us surprising perspectives on a natural world we thought we knew.

Adrian, I know you live on…in our hearts certainly, but I feel the freedom of your soul soaring over this Earth that so fascinated you.

I keep the best from you, my childhood memories…and all the rest, I release with a smile knowing that the winds whisper your name to the four corners of the earth.

To Dae and the family, all my love, thank you for giving us an opportunity to express our feelings.
47Henry HigginsWhat a journey: from a meeting in Peru through Venezuela, Switzerland and Winscombe all the way, sadly, to the caring hospice. At least I could say my final goodbye, but there is no justice in this final hammer-blow to a rich and wonderful life. All my love to Dai and Luke and Ollie and Sean.
48David SummerfieldAmidst the pain and loss of a wonderful person, take comfort from all whose life he touched. Our association was not as long as many but in a short period of time you both made Pauline and I very welcome. We will cherish his memory and celebrate his life.
49Roland WackI got to know Adrian when looking for a camera wing mount. Many emails later I met Adrian for a few hours and very quickly I felt a connection in my heart that I have not experienced before.
Was it his gentleness, the enthusiasm or his excitment for capturing nature – I dont know. I think he was able to see beauty and to me it seemed that he had not only capture it with cameras but had also absorbed it. Thus making Adrian a person reflecting strength and harmony. Even though we just shared a few moments in time I feel that I have just lost a good friend. It is hard to believe that we can not discuss our matters anymore – I miss you Adrian.




50Charlotte and Richard HarrisAdrian was a very special man – so creative, gentle, kind and giving. He had a beautiful smile, laugh and sense of humor. Our hearts go out to you, Dae and Luke. We are thinking of you.

Love, Charlotte and Richard Harris
51Pauline SharifAdrian was one of the very best friends of my brother, Hilary King. Their friendship began when they were children. Adrian lived close by to us in Cobham, Surrey, and both he and Hilary went to the same prep school. As children, they were always out in the woods and fields, observing wild life and collecting specimens together as they developed their lifelong passion for the natural world. They were around 10 years old when they both started experimenting with photography. They were always adventurous. In 1969, aged 20, they went out on a sugar boat to Guyana to collect specimens for the British Museum of Natural History.

Their subsequent careers (my brother in medicine and Adrian in filming and photography of the natural world) took them in different directions all over the world but they remained in touch. When my brother retired, both Adrian and Dae gave him a great deal of assistance and encouragement in re-starting his interest in photography ??? a hobby he found very exciting.

When my brother died in 2007, Adrian was there at the funeral in France, giving support to his family. Then, despite, I am sure, his very busy schedule, he helped me in preparing and placing obituaries of my brother. He was a true and loyal friend, and I know my brother admired him deeply.

Dae, you have prepared a wonderful memorial page for Adrian: so many touching photos of him with Luke, the inspirational poetry, and now the gathering number of amazing tributes from friends and colleagues. I am sure that all this, together with the repository of Adrian??s work, will be a wonderful resource for little Luke as he grows up and learns what a fine man his father was.

My thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.

Pauline Sharif (from Tehran)
52Keith ScholeyAdrian was a wonderful mentor for me at the start of my television career. I clearly remember when I first met him as he was the complete role model; a young impossibly good looking producer who constantly strove to film new things and to make films better than anyone had before. Even then he was a trail blazer being one of the first to film in the jungle canopy, or from a range of crazy flying machines and certainly the first to put David Attenborough in NASA??s zero gravity ???vomit comet??! Adrian always strove for perfection, whether it be the quality of the pictures, the editing or the sound track and he certainly taught me to never accept second best. However, I think that the key to Adrian was his huge passion for the natural world and his zest for adventure. He really was ???Indiana Jones??! Any outing with Adrian, whether it be up a volcano or a visit to the BBC canteen was always an adventure. I have yet to meet anyone else who could match his enthusiasm for a challenge. It is the adventurer in Adrian that made him such an outstanding filmmaker and a totally outstanding person.
Adrian was also hugely kind and selfless and pulled me through many bad times at the start of my career for which I will always be grateful. I will always be glad to remember all the things he taught me and the many adventures we shared, and glad too that we came out of all of them unscathed!
53Sophie ColeI first met and worked with Adrian 18 years ago, and feel so fortunate not only to have experience working with a real-life action man (!) but also to have remained his friend afterwards. I have fantastic memories of many wonderful times that I will treasure. Huge condolences and lots of love to Dae and all the boys – we will miss him so much.
54Lesley GrayFrom: Lesley Gray

I am almost certain that I knew Adrian longer than any of his many friends who have contributed to this rich and diverse ???history?? of his life. Our mums were ???best friends?? until the day mine died; his sister Nicol was my first friend and Adrian followed ??? a little blond angel ??? for a while, at least! Adrian was my parents?? godson and brought them a great deal of pleasure. He and I always stayed in touch, but because I??ve lived in the US for many years, I had missed out on much of his recent life. All these heartfelt tributes from friends and colleagues have enabled me to catch up on Adrians??s life and to be in awe of, but not surprised at his amazing accomplishments. His love of nature began at an early age. He would seek out creepy-crawlies in the woods during our family picnics and began to collect them. On one occasion, while staying with his family when my parents were traveling, he claimed to have lost a snake in the house. Whether it was true, or whether he just wanted to torment what he probably thought were two silly girls and a mother putting on a brave face, I never knew. I did, however, learn to love frogs and toads ??? a fascination that still endures while gardening.

Adrian has left all the things he loved way too soon ??? but most of all his beautiful Dae and sons Sean, Oliver and Luke. May they all be comforted by the memories of the special life they shared.

Lesley
55Isabelle BERNERT(I’am Isabelle the Marie and Nathalie Roman’s mother the ex wife of Jacques Roman.). I received the notice by Jacques who send me the very sad new. I prefer to write in french the following message because it’s easyer for me… I apologise for my bad english!
Je suis en train de pleurer un ami que j’aime et de me rebeller encore une fois contre l’injustice de la mort de ceux qu’on aime et que l’on ne voudrait jamais voir mourir….Au Rwanda,avec ma famille, j’ai eu la chance de cotoyer un homme d’exception mais si accessible ?? tous, un artiste merveilleux, un peintre de la nature, faune et flore confondues…
Maintenant, Adrian est parti sur une autre route et j’ai envie de penser qu’il continuera ?? regarder la vie ?? sa mani?re….
Bon vent Adrian, je penserai ?? toi comme je le fais depuis longtemps!
Dae, I’m so sorry but it’s impossible for me to come at the memorial service: I live in Reunion island.I think everywhere in th world somebody will think to you, Dae, Adrian and your son.
Lots of love
Isabelle
56Brian LeithI first met Adrian when he worked on ‘Living Planet’ – producing the unforgettable ‘AIR’ programme. This was potentially a complete dud, but Adrian took David to the most amazing and extreme points of contact with our atmosphere, and produced what for me was the best and most dramatic episode of the lot. Adrian was a true adventurer-turned-filmmaker – from the old school. Our lives – and programmes – were all the richer for his presence.
57Hilary MacEwenAlastair and I were so sorry to hear the sad news about Adrian. We had both known him for several years. Adrian was a very talented cameraman and producer as well as being an IAWF committee member. He will be very sadly missed. Our thoughts and love go to Dae, Sean, Oliver and Luke.
58sharontwilightfilms@yahoo.co.ukI am shocked to hear you are gone – as I said on location on Golden Brown – as you dangled on a rope into a mine shaft for the best filmic angle. You are the bravest man I have ever known. Rest in Peace. Sharon Sheehan
59Jeremy HogarthI just heard the news, sad news indeed. Adrian and I talked a few times and hoped to work together one day on a film that was worth working on. And now we won’t, and it will be my loss. My thoughts go to his family, he was one of the good ones – jeremy (Melbourne, Australia)
60Veronika Lenarz, Convention on Migratory SpeciesAdrian was highly recommended to us to produce a documentary on the Year of the Gorilla 2009. He travelled to the Virunga Mountains to meet George Schaller, fifty years after the world renowned conservationist commenced his studies on gorillas. George Schaller gave a remarkable statement and paid tribute to these charismatic and awe-inspiring creatures. He also acknowledged the essential role of good films that raise awareness among the public of the need to conserve these highly endangered species. In this statement, Adrian??s commitment and enthusiasm to contribute to the protection of gorillas as an artist became present.

At the International Gorilla Symposium in Frankfurt in June 2009, government representatives and scientists from Africa and other regions of the world followed Adrian??s spectacular flight across the Virunga Mountains to one of the last remaining refuges of the mountain gorillas. It will be a longstanding legacy, documenting the treasures of a disappearing world. We regret this terrible loss.
61Thomas VeltreHaving known Adrian at various film festivals and symposia for nearly 20 years, it was a great thrill for me to finally get to work in the field with him. In January 2009 he shot the mountain gorilla segment of ???Nature??s Greatest Defender,?? — my film on the life and work of George Schaller. It was amazing to be in Rwanda with Adrian ??? he seemed to know everyone, and was greeted with such joy and enthusiasm by so many people that you??d think they were discovering a long-lost relative.

His intense dedication and high standards have always been an inspiration to me, and the opportunity to work with him on a species with which he has been associated for so many years was an illuminating experience.

Our last day together in the field was particularly moving. We were interviewing Dr. Schaller on the exact date 50 years from the start of his historic mountain gorilla study, and Adrian was almost trembling with excitement when George autographed a half-century old picture of himself with a very special dedication from one gorilla enthusiast to another. Few people could have appreciated that moment more than Adrian, and I was glad to have shared it with him.

We also share in the experience of being ???late in life?? fathers of young boys, and I can think of no better example of an energetic, enthusiastic and loving father than Adrian. Having witnessed Adrian??s dedication to his son Luke, I vow to cherish every moment I have with my son Paul.

In a sense, a piece of Adrian will always be with us. Fly high, old friend…
62Michael PittsReading the tributes to Adrian Warren has made me realise just how very fortunate I have been to have actually met and worked for him. Never together in the field or, as on that particular assignment, a marine lake in Palau to film jellyfish for the Natural History unit. But the memories that will never leave me from our first meeting in his tiny office so many moons ago were his eagerness, his intense interest in the subject and most of all the unconcealed disappointment that he himself could’nt accompany me to swim in the lake and see the Jellyfish for himself.

Adrian was a special person – the kind that you rarely meet in life. He had many skills and attributes and on the subsequent occasions I met him, I always thought he was the sort of person you would want with you in a lifeboat many miles from land !

Wherever you are Adrian, you are not forgotten. You have left an indelible mark on so many peoples lives,and those that knew you will always remember what an outstanding man you were.

My thoughts and sympathy are with Dae and the boys.

63Elke von Linde, GermanyMaybe all your friends here on this page were lucky to know you much longer and better than I did, but my tears about your leaving us between the sun exploding and the total full moon eclipse, which was appropriate to you, came from the bottom of my heart, like loosing an old dearest friend.
When I met you almost one year ago, instantly I knew that not only my children’s project was blessed with your loving support and work for it but I in my old days have found a role model on all levels and by all means.Your gentle and loving being, your modesty touched my soul deeply.
You will always have a very special place in my heart
Dearest Dae and you, Luke and elder sons, feel embraced with all my empathy and love.
And there is one wish that goes out to all of you friends.
Let us support Dae and Luke all together in all possible ways.
elke

64Henry DaviesThe most exciting man I ever met, I can’t believe you’ve gone.
Words can hardly do you justice; Your passion, vision, wisdom and heart will live on in your beautiful family, your most treasured posession.
65David and Avril ShepherdSo terribly sorry to hear about Adrian.
Although we hadn’t seen each other for many years, we have wonderful memories of his company when we were gorilla watching in Rwanda.
Adrian was a terrific guy and we shall all miss him so very much.
David and Avril
66Ron and Ulla PerrySo sad to hear about Adrian. We met Adrian when he was but 25 years old when he came to Caracas on one of his expeditions to Venezuela. He stayed a while with us and the whole family became very fond of him. We shall always remember him.
67Richard Kirby and Pip CrosleyAs wildlife cameraman our paths rarely crossed, but you can’t spend 30 years making wildlife films without in some way, at some point being inspired or influenced by Adrian Warren. Adrian was one of the original band of wildlife film making pioneers. He was an inspiration to many, me included, who grew up watching those extraordinary natural history films and series made by the BBC back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Everything we watched had never been seen before on television and the job of making these films was left to the lucky few. Visionaries like Adrian. His mission seemed to be to find new ways to explore our planet through film and this he did with great enthusiasm, good humour and great skill to the very end. He will be sorely missed by all who’s lives he touched.
68Graham CliffordI only met Adrian in the course of his flying ambitions so have only grazed the surface of his remarkable life. As all have said here, he was kind, generous, resolute and strong with a drive for perfection in all he did. Sally and I send our love to Dae and Luke for their future.
69Brenda MarksAdrian was a great photographer and a lovely gentle man, he will be missed by many
70Christopher SomervilleJane and I got to know Adrian, Dae and Lukey through our mutual friends Joy and Alan Buchanan, and we made friends then and subsequently, visiting Adrian and Dae (always full of plans, always uplifting) and trailing Lukey as he zipped like a firework around house and garden. I was lucky enough to be asked to collaborate with Adrian and Dae on their book ‘The Living Coast’, a project brought to thrilling life by the beauty and insight of their aerial photographs.
Hospitality, an elliptical humour, a quiet charisma, forcefulness contending with gentleness, and a deep response to nature’s form and shapes – that’s how I picture Adrian, leaning forward with one hand around Lukey and the other sorting through bugs and beetles brought in from the garden. A lovely man, with a very loving set-up around him.
71The Air Traffic Controllers at BristolWhenever he could, he would fly G-ASXZ on Christmas Day to enjoy the quiet skies over Somerset and to wish us all a Happy Christmas over the radio….. A consummate professional who’s cheerful tones will be sadly missed.
72Chris LivemoreI met Adrian just over a year ago after being introduced to him by the Royal Geographical Society to help with a filming project in Venezuela about Mount Roraima.

Adrian saved the project by stepping in at the last moment to replace another cameraman. His passion, enthusiasm and intelligence always shone through and I feel absolutely privileged and honoured to have worked with and known such a wonderful man.

Reading through the tributes you can see how many people have been touched by Adrian’s generosity and kindness. He will be missed greatly.
73John CleareWe shall miss Adrian’s company, his advice and his enthusiam. He was a true artist – his aerial pictures are the finest I have ever seen. He bought to this difficult idiom a rare understanding of landform and light, of seasons and weather – of history even. He took the eye of a great landscape photographer to the skies.
The images that resulted will be a worthy memorial and an inspiration to all of us who admire his work. I can only wish that we had met and become friends earlier – He, Dae and I were planning to ride out to Great Yews on our mountain bikes when he was taken ill. But he’ll be with us, I’m sure, when finally we reach that magical wood.
74Mark KnightsI was really shocked and sorry to hear of Adrian’s passing.
To me it was the end of an era.
Adrian was constant.
His charm, humour and professionalism as well as his added need to push the envelope to gain that extra moment of awe, separated him from others.
He was a wonderful story teller, a joker, a listener, a carer and a friend.
He remembered others and would always make the effort to improve our time here.
One time, after I was made redundant Adrian rang me at home to offer his support. A very lovely gesture.
He then revealed to me that he was standing on the edge of Angel Falls on his satellite phone.
He knew this was a place I loved, and knew that this would bring me out of my doldrums.
This memory makes me happy to this day.
Thank you Adrian. You are my ‘Up!’
Dae and Adrian thank you for all the fun times.
Ying-Tong-Iddle-I-Po
Love and light to Dae, Lukey, and the boys.
A lot of people are thinking of you.
I shall treasure you always.
75Neil HipkissMy Memories of Adrian Warren ??? Hero, colleague and friend
In the late 1980??s I worked as an assistant dubbing mixer in BBC Bristol. Adrian worked on the best of the best of BBC Bristol??s wildlife programmes and I remember him sitting in the dubbing theatre in Studio D whilst I was a gram swinger. I was in awe of Adrian and very nervous indeed to be in the presence of such an icon in the TV industry.
I didn??t meet Adrian again until several years later, when he called me and asked if I would tracklay a programme, which he had just filmed in Venezuala. Once again that feeling came back, my stomach twisted and I trembled with excitement to have the honour of working with the master once again.
That was a changing point in my life, from then Adrian became a friend. Adrian would always drop by when he was in Bristol to say hello. A call now and then to see if things were ok.
Careers moved on and I move to Cornwall. One winter weekend a few years ago Adrian, Dae and their young son paid us a visit at our B&B and we had a wonderful weekend.
About a week after their visit, one Sunday morning, I heard the roar of a cesna flying over our house. Not a usual sound where I live, so it stuck in my mind as odd. Then about 3 days later a parcel arrived on our doorstep with aerial photos of Looe and our house. Yes the plane flying over was Adrian??s – he had been out for a Sunday jaunt! The photos he took of Looe have pride of place above the fireplace in our B&B. When guests ask I say ???my friend took those?? then I run to the book case and grab his book to show them more of his fantastic photos.
I feel very lucky indeed to have known Adrian Warren ??? a real true hero and a friend.
Neil and Ella Hipkiss, Jonathan, Matthew and James.
76Brian RidoutI first met Adrian in 1968 when I answered and advertisement in the Times for a zoo keeper to join an animal collecting expedition heading for Surinam and Guyana. This expedition was organised and led by a freelance journalist and would-be explorer who was living in Cobham and when news of it filtered through to Adrian he, with typical determination, knocked on every door in the village until he found the right house. I do not think that there were many people who could resist Adrian??s natural charm and he assisted at the local vets surgery on Saturday mornings, so his request to join the expedition for as long as college holidays would allow, was gratefully accepted. Adrian joined us in Georgetown at the beginning of July that year. Georgetown was a dangerous place for the unwary and Adrian was only 18, but he had travelled alone and I never saw him show any signs of nervousness or fear then or latter.

By the time that Adrian arrived the expedition had fragmented because of inept leadership and the two of us, together with a carpenter from Birkenhead and a secretary from Reigate, went into the interior to stay with a dubious American army deserter, stunt pilot and murderer, by the name of John Forbes. Adrian and I flew in together with a bush pilot called Henry Fitts, and when the latter heard that it was my 22 birthday he made a diversion and flew us around under Kaieteur falls. It was a beautiful morning and the little aircraft flitted through the rainbow filled spray, its tiny shadow, cast on the river below, showing how small we were compared with the mighty falls and gorge. This was the moment, Adrian always claimed, when he knew that he had to be a bush pilot with his own plane.

Forbes lived in a bark and corrugated iron structure called Forbes Jungle Pad, which he ran as a ???shop?? for diamond prospectors called ???pork knockers??. The area was entirely lawless, but no one attempted to rob the Jungle Pad after John shot an intruder and buried him at the end of the runway. The intention was to dig up the skull and nail it above the door as a warning, but he was dissuaded by Valerie (the secretary) with whom he was now cohabiting. All of these events made a rather unusual introduction into the adult world for Adrian and me??

The two of us spent most of our time searching for wildlife or panning for gold in a nearby stream, whilst the others consumed vast quantities of rum. We became friendly with an old Negro pork knocker called Richy Alvin who had a camp deep in the forest. The arrangement was that we would assist with his diamond prospecting in the morning by attempting to shovel half a hillside through his sluice, and in the afternoons he would come with us searching for reptiles and amphibians. We used to lie in our hammocks having long conversations about life and I am sure that Adrian??s love of the forest started with those cool early mornings when the jungle came alive around us.

We met occasionally during the next few years. I was now working at the Natural History Museum and Adrian had finished a degree in Zoology and joined the BBC. He had become interested in the Tepui of Venezuela and had reached the base of Mt Roraima from the Guyana side, but in 1974 we decided on a joint expedition to investigate the ecology of Roraima and Ayantepui. Adrian attacked this project with his usual indomitable enthusiasm and energy. He always had the confidence and ability to charm important people and soon we even had a ??1000 contribution from the Royal Society! The expedition was a success and the Tepui became a great favourite for the remainder of his life.

My fondest memory of him will always be the night we first reached the top of Roraima and managed to half erect a tent that was lashed to various rocks. We had taken a packet of coconut pudding with us a s a celebratory treat but we could not persuade the water to boil and had to eat it as a tepid sweet goo. For some reason this struck us as hysterically funny.

Good bye Adrian ??? there are some people who make a difference to the lives of those around them and the world is a sadder place for me now that you are no longer here.
77Chris and Jan BridgeDear Dae, Luke, Sean, and Oliver,

The sad news that Adrian had passed away on June 5th hit me like a bullet. His fight was over. It seemed not that long ago we were talking together??_ time flies. Our thoughts are with you and we offer our strength to cope.

When we first met in Swansea in 2007 at our Earth from the air street gallery, I remember a devoted Dad and happy family man. Every time we met from then on, you were always such a dedicated happy family unit. Adrian was also obviously proud of your own photographic work and creative skills and determined that you were recognised for your own art and not hidden by his immense talent.
This talent a love for nature, wildlife and landscapes allowed him to do many wonderful daring things with many adventures. Luckily, examples of his work will be enduring for all to see. In photos, films and with the Last Refuge??s own beautiful publications.

His inventions that allowed him to capture still and moving aerial images whilst piloting his own fixed wing plane were remarkably clever??_.and importantly, as he reminded me, approved by the FAA.

He was a brave, creative, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, determined and a caringly kind man, who I enjoyed meeting with talking to and who could be a great listener.

Importantly for us, my wife Jan and I were privileged to work with Adrian and Dae. It was on our street gallery Britain from the air. Back in 2005 his aerial work was introduced to Jan. It completed the missing link and our plan to create Britain from the air was on its way, collaborating with other aerial photographers. Adrian was so thrilled when we announced the partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, as he was a fellow, he knew this would widen the audience to his work, it was a perfect link to education.

His aerial work will continue to inspire the millions of visitors to our Street Galleries and the readers of his books but sadly, they will not realise the enthusiasm and adventurer ???s glint in the eye that was behind the camera.

Adrian is at his own last refuge in the sky and we are missing him.
With love to you and Luke and to Sean and Oliver where I am sure his influence will live on.
Chris and Jan Bridge and all the team at wecommunic8.
Castle Ashby





78John WatersI first met Adrian when I was on a short term research contract at the Natural History Unit in 1980. ‘The Living Planet’ had just started production – a follow-up series to David Attenborough’s hugely successful ‘Life on Earth’. Adrian was about to lead a filming expedition for the rainforest programme and on top of the pile of exciting looking clutter on his desk was a small camera – a 5 inch cube of metal with a lens at one end … I’d never seen anything like it. Adrian explained that it was a ‘gun’ camera he’d just acquired from the RAF – it was mounted on the wings of fighter aircraft next to the guns to film target practice or the real thing such as during the Battle of Britain. Adrian was planning to lower it at speed from high in the rainforest canopy to track alongside giant winged seeds that rotate like mini helicopters as they drift down through the layers of the forest. This was just one of the many innovations that Adrian developed to explore the spatial dimensions of the forest and to bring it to life for the viewer as never before. Nowadays we take for granted tracking shots, cable dollies and jib moves but Adrian was there first.
Although our filming paths never crossed we stayed in touch especially after we moved to Somerset and found that he’d moved to Batch Farm only 3 miles away as the crow flies. Over coffee we’d swap stories of recent filming trips, projects in the pipeline, and innovations such as the gimbled wing mount he was developing for his Cessna. For many years, Adrian was an active and highly valued member of the IAWF Committee – his experience in production and camerawork … both sides of the fence as it were …. proved extremely helpful.
On a personal level he was a really good listener – and a good responder too … he was always positive and encouraging and inspired me to keep plugging away when work was scarce. Reading the many moving tributes has made me realise even move how lucky I was to have known him and to have as a friend one of the most admired, respected, and loved pioneers of wildlife film-making.
Whilst our memories are with Adrian, our thoughts are now with his inspirational and exceptional partner Dae and lovely Lukey and Sean and Oliver.
79phill ansticeMy deepest and sincerest condolences to all of Adrian’s family and friends.
80David Halford (speech at the Memorial Service)Party games are not something I would necessarily have associated with Adrian, but his ???Waorani blowpipe challenge?? on one of Elizabeth and my first visits to Batch Farm proved memorable. Having mastered the art of darting a favourite cushion, we were given a hands-on lesson as to how Amazon rainforest tribes had hunted for centuries. As we extracted several misdirected darts buried deep in the woodwork of the stairs, it became clear what a potent weapon it was. When I started testing the sharpness of a dart, he mentioned casually that he would not advise it, as the darts were curare-tipped, so still potentially fatal. However, it was said with his characteristic mischievous smile that left you uncertain as to whether it was an elaborate leg-pull. There was always a sense of quiet anarchy about him, and I never found out the truth.

I met Adrian long after many of you here today, while on a fortnight??s Earthwatch trip to the Berenty Reserve in South-Eastern Madagascar in 1995, where he was filming ring-tailed lemurs and Verraux??s sifakas. A man who had lived and breathed natural history from an early age, he granted this non-scientist a brief but fascinating insight into a world I had mostly viewed through a television screen.

Adrian was never a man to blow his own trumpet, and stories often had to be wormed out of him. As I got to know him better, a picture of the ???ultimate action hero??, (a description he would of course have hated) began to emerge. Casual questions about skydiving??s effect on his ears eventually produced the information that his eardrums had ???only?? burst twice in 2,000 jumps.

On one of his numerous trips to Venezuela he was mugged at night by a taxi driver and his accomplice, half way up the lonely road between Caracas Airport and the city. Instead of getting out cautiously, grateful to be alive, after handing over his cash, Adrian refused to get out until all his bags had been offloaded too. Not content with saving his life and equipment, he returned to the airport the next day, reported the incident to the police, and then found the taxi drivers waiting for their next victim. He was able to show where their weapon was hidden, and both men were arrested.

Over the years we met his boys Sean and Oliver, and other members of his family, including his late mother. At the end of one rather bibulous evening with her, and well past midnight, Adrian suddenly remembered that she should have been delivered hours earlier back to the local care home where she was staying. Driving and alcohol regulations were thrown to the wind as she was thrown into the car, and she was sneaked up to bed through a back door.

Adrian??s chance meeting with Dae in 1995 in a Bristol restaurant, while looking for someone to do a Thai translation of his ???Nightmares of Nature?? films, was to change both their lives. She was finishing her doctorate in inorganic chemistry at Bristol University, and so any extra income was welcome. This led on to voiceover work and a dinner invitation ??_ and the rest is history. They launched Last Refuge a few years later, while Luke became their most significant production achievement in January 2005.

With more time in the U.K., Adrian applied his wide-ranging talents to photographing and writing about this country, teaching Dae to take high quality aerial photographs while he skilfully flew their Cessna 182 out of ???Panborough International??, the little grass airstrip down the road from Batch Farm. Their first results appeared in a series of large format paperbacks, written by Adrian, designed by Dae and published by Myriad. This gave them the confidence to go into publishing on their own account. Their ???England?? book was first up, both in a large, and later a very successful small, format, with Adrian creating the text and Dae doing the design and production.

After flights over the Celtic fringes of Britain had produced a mass of further stunning photographs, Adrian very trustingly asked me and Elizabeth to write the accompanying text ??? a chronological history of Britain, for what became their second mini-book of aerial views.

Meanwhile, not content with publishing their own material, he and Dae became midwives to various other projects from friends, including Audrey Colson??s book ???Land?? on the dispossession from their ancestral lands of tribal peoples in Guyana, and David & Madeleine Spears?? ???Unseen Creatures??. In addition, they generously hosted the photography of various friends on their Last Refuge website.

Adrian flew countless hours in light aircraft, having obtained his Private Pilot??s Licence through the RAF nearly 40 years ago. A commercial pilot??s licence followed in the late 1990s. One of his rare flying errors was to let me take over the controls of the Cessna while circumventing Glastonbury Tor. Such was my concentration that I failed to see Adrian pulling a face at Elizabeth in the back while mouthing: ???We??re going down, we??re going down??, before smoothly resuming control, and side-slipping elegantly past high-tension cables onto the Panborough grass airstrip. Yes, a small part of me wanted to be Adrian, but my rational self fortunately told me that I could never cut it.

He flew solo sorties out over the wild waters of the Pentland Firth to photograph prehistoric sites on Orkney and Shetland, while other trips took him across the Atlantic from Morocco to the Canaries, over mountains in Rwanda, and of course latterly around the tepuis of Venezuela. He was not just a pilot but a true aviator, very much in the spirit of pioneers such as Sir Alan Cobham and Amy Johnson, or great French aviators such as Antoine de St.-Exup?ry (author of ???Le Petit Prince??.) The poem ???High Flight?? – written by John Magee, a young American serving in the Royal Air Force in 1941, who was killed soon afterwards in a mid-air collision – reflects extremely well the visceral exhilaration of this type of flying.

Adrian brought a meticulous focus, energy and an uncompromising professionalism to each commission he accepted, both the filming and, where appropriate, the flying. He was also highly literate and, most impressively, was both persuasively articulate in print, and on and off the lecture platform, on a wide range of topics, often beyond the immediate areas of his academic and professional expertise.

Adrian??s first and last field trips were to the North-Eastern corner of South America, to the Guyanese and Venezuelan border area characterised by spectacular tepuis ??? dramatic sandstone table-top mountains up to 1,300 metres high that are the survivors of millions of years of erosion. He returned there several times during the past 40 years, producing first a tourist map of the area, before starting his planned major work on the tepuis. Because of all his other commitments it has been a long time gestating, but by late-April this year he had produced a very complete first draft. I very much hope that, between friends and family, a way can be found to publish it in a form of which he would have approved, as a memorial to all his work in this area over four decades.

Through Adrian my education about natural history continued down the years, either when discussing his trips, or by his producing a slow worm at the lunch table, and by proxy when encouraging his apprentice naturalist, Luke, to take us to see the garden??s spiders. My most vivid recent memory of Adrian is from a crisp, clear afternoon this January on the Somerset Levels, sharing the experience of watching huge flocks of starlings, some hundreds of thousands strong, swirling in great skeins against the dusk sky, before sinking as one to their nocturnal roosts.

I received the news of Adrian??s death while on a military airfield in Turkey. Looking down, my eye was caught by a small, bright yellow butterfly, which alighted momentarily in front of me. It occurred to me that, by chance, I was watching two of the things ??? alongside his family ??? that had given Adrian most pleasure in life, flying and the natural world, two worlds that without him will certainly be the poorer.

Today we celebrate the life of someone who was full of passion and energy, an irreplaceable friend to all of us here today, and to many who couldn??t make it. He will remain a huge influence on many lives for years to come, not least upon those of Dae, and his sons Oliver, Sean and Luke.

When I asked him a few weeks ago, while there still seemed a chance of his surviving his ordeal, what he would do when he recovered, he didn??t hesitate. He immediately replied that he would take Luke and Dae to Africa, to see something of what had so inspired him over the years. I can only hope that, metaphorically if not metaphysically, they will know that he will be accompanying them on that journey, when they choose to make it.
81Suzanne, Amanda and Sophie Beard (read at Memorial Service by Peter Beard)???Memories of Our Adventurous Uncle??.

We were all so very saddened to hear of the loss of a wonderful man who led an amazing life. A man, as Mum??s brother, we were proud to call Our Uncle.

Compared to Adrian, most people only live half a life, trapped in the every day and not pursuing their dreams. Adrian on the other hand did not seem to feel the boundaries of convention which restrain the rest of us. To us, as kids, he seemed fearless, adventurous beyond our comprehension, at once both passionate and ambitiousin the pursuit of his love of filming nature. . . . . . a real man of action.

We were proud to call him Uncle, but realize from reading all the amazing tributes to his life left by colleagues and life-long friends alike,that weknew only part of this amazing man; we have had only a glimpse into his life. We wish we had known him better and spent more time with him, Dae and Luke in recent years and thatwill always be a great regret.

The side of Adrian that we knew was the Adrian ???Off-Duty??, at home with his boys and Dae and on frequent visits to Surrey to visit Mum and our Granny during the many years she lived with us. In particular we were close when Ollie, Sean and three of us were young and spent lots of time together.

He will forever live vividly in our memories, a few of which we would like to share with you. . . . .

We remember Adrian ???The Entertainer??. . . . . . .

We would all sit around the kitchen table and Adrian would tell us silly stories about this and that. He had us all in absolute hysterics until our stomachs ached and we were falling about on the floor. There was a tape he played us which we guess was a recording he made of his beloved Rwandan gorillas. It wasn??t the normal footage you??d expect … just the sounds of those big beasts continuously and obscenely breaking wind! It was hilarious, and just Adrian??s kind of humour! We seem to remember he loved a whoopee cushion and fake poo too! The boys?? Christmas stockings were always full of practical jokes and things to make us laugh.

Aside from all the laughter and silliness, we were all in awe of Adrian??s stories about his adventures all around the world. Our eyes would widen at the thought of his close encounters with lions, snakes and civil war!He was like someone from out of the movies – maybe a kind of cross between Crocodile Dundee and Indiana Jones! We had never met anyone like him; and almost certainly never will again.


We remember Adrian ???The Devoted Son and Family Man?? . . . .

We remember Adrian (and Dae too) would drive backwards and forwards across the country to spend as much time as possible with our Granny during the years she was living with us, and declining in health. He had a very caring nature and showed his love and devotion for his mum by remembering her from the most remote of locations across the world. Against the odds, he would somehow seem to manage to find a satellite phone or a way to send flowers.He also had a wonderful manner with Granny, mercilessly pulling her leg, teasing her and making her chuckleeven through her suffering.

Adrian was of course also a parent himself to three wonderful sons, our cousins, of whom we know he was extremely proud. We grew up alongside Sean and Ollie and spent a lot of time together. We have many happy memories of those years like weekends down at Adrian??s when all us 5 cousins would sleep in a row like sardines in the den at the house in Winscombe . . . . and some embarrassing ones like the photo of us all being bathed together!


And of course we remember Adrian ???The Action Man??

We remember Adrian putting his monkey, tree climbing skills to use in our garden by scaling a huge, tall tree that needed trimming, without safety ropes. Little did we know this was child??s play compared to his antics in the jungle.

As a child growing up, with his Indiana Jones like persona, Adrian??s life seemed to be one big adventure. From South American jungles, wading through swamps to find giant anacondas, to living up a platform for days on end in Africa filming rhinos,his fearlessness was awe inspiring. What man would spend hour upon hour in the middle of the ocean, submerged in a cage in the hope of capturing footage of a great white? And, we can safely say he was the only person we know to have eaten monkey brains!

Adrian not only scampered up cliffs and trees like a mountain goat, he also loved jumping out of planes/hot air balloons or off the side of mountains. Some would say he was a thrill seeker; growing up we just thought he was very, very cool.

The youngest of us nieces, Sophie, recalls:

???One day down in Somerset Adrian asked us if we wanted to go paragliding with him in tandem. With fear and excitement we all set off bound for a hill Adrian thought would be a good spot. Both my sisters, it turned out, were too big to go tandem, so I was the lucky one, aged only 7! Not ever having done something like this before I was pretty scared, but Adrian??s charm and cheeky twinkling eyes told me there was nothing to fear. Running off the side of a hill and taking to the air was a new experience for me, and floating down to earth was something I will never forget. Thank you Adrian for giving me the chance to experience it.??


Adrian, you will forever live on in our hearts and memories. We are so incredibly proud to have known you and will never forget the times we spent together. You have left such an incredible legacy in your awesome boys and of course your inspirational library of work.

All our love and thoughts are with you all – especially Dae, the boys and Mum -, today as you join together to pay tribute to Our Adventurous Uncle.
82Glad to Know You, Poem by J S Flood, tribute from Dae, read by Joy Buchanan at Memorial ServiceHow can I be glad again when you have died?
How do I pick up the pieces again?
What joy is there in life
That is not changed for me by your absence?
For the moment at least, you are truly gone from me.

A thrush is singing, and playing children yell;
The rose I was given is still unfolding;
A card comes from an old friend.

How can I be glad? I am glad that you lived,
That you gave me so much,
That you were who you were.
I am glad that you were unique, that
Though I shall not find your like again
Your specialness will never be taken away.

The smell of new bread wafts into the street;
Commuters travel home from work on shining rails;
A warm cat blinks and contracts on a window ledge.

I am glad for all you taught me to appreciate,
I am glad for the memories of love I still treasure,
Glad of the things you left behind for me,
All we shared, activities to remember you by;
I am glad for all that you are and were,
And I promise, I promise, – I shall treasure you always.
83Lesley TreloarAdrian, meeting you on the set of Golden Brown was a wonderful gift, what a truly an exceptional man you were. Knowing you albeit for such a few years was the greatest gift.
I will always treasure your endless encouragement and enthusiasm for my photography, but most of all your friendship will be deeply missed. Fly high dear friend, always in my heart.
84Jennifer PateI was so honoured to meet Adrian. To me, and the other participants on the Lost World Project, Adrian was a hero, untouchable, yet there he was, sitting and laughing with us, sharing his wisdom and passion for the place we were together, Mount Roraima.

I will never forget Adrian’s dedication and his determination to be with us regardless of his poor health. He was an inspiration but he was also real. Adrian did leave us part way through the expedition, but he was there when we got back, delighting in our stories and excitement about this place he had long loved.

To me, Adrian was full of time but he was also timeless. When he was with you he was 100% there. He listened and gave reasoned advice, always looking you straight in the eye. Yet he was also timeless. Adrian seemed to always have that cheeky glint in his eye that young boys get when they are about to embark on an adventure (even if it is just out into their own backyard)! Adrian was a constant, a leader, and a truly remarkable addition to any project he took part in. He will be missed, more than he ever could imagine.
85Sophie DarlingtonAdrian was filming Africa’s Great Rift in the 80’s when we first met, as usual, he was thinking up some fantastic new angles for the series, with a para fan if I remember rightly.
It was a privilege and a joy to have known him and my sincere condolences to his family.
86Ikin SeniaA brilliant man, a trusted friend who I admired and adored.

My mentor, my role model and my savior in so many ways.

You are, and will always be my hero

Goodbye??_You are now free??_
87Roseline C. BeudelsTu ?tais un homme merveilleux. Tu ?tais mon ami. Merci pour tout.
88Andrew Buchanan (speech at the Memorial Service)I first worked with Adrian at the BBC Natural History Unit, then at IMAX, and finally at Partridge Films, so he was my colleague and friend for 30 years. It was a privilege to take part in his memorial service today by speaking about his life and career.

“Among wildlife filmmakers, Adrian was a true silverback ??? I was proud to be his colleague and honoured to be his friend.

50 or so films, thousands of beautiful photographs, articles, scripts, books, lectures – Adrian leaves a wonderful legacy.

Add two pilot??s licences, 2,000 parachute jumps, high-tech wing mounts, paragliding, scuba diving, expeditions ??? how did he ever find time to do all this?

Those of us who are lucky enough to have worked with Adrian know how, and why. He was driven by a deep desire to do the very best, and his determination pulled those of us around him along, even when he was pushing the limits. And he always led from the front.

Who could persuade an entire crew to be strapped to parachutists, and dropped onto the top of a Venezuelan table-mountain. Adrian!

Who, with little more than a climbing rope and harness, got those amazing tracking shots through the rainforest canopy? Adrian!

Who on earth would set out to prove it was possible to freefall from 14,000 ft ??? with an IMAX camera? Adrian!

And who got me to make a speech, in correct diplomatic French, in the Rwandan parliament? Yes, it was Adrian!

I was fortunate to work with Adrian, and I was also fortunate NOT to be on some of his jungle filming trips. He coped, no he thrived, when the going was tough. Stifling heat, high humidity and huge leeches didn??t deter him ??? though his crews sometimes longed for a more comfortable life. I??m also very happy that I wasn??t with him when he and the cameraman had to drink a traditional tribal brew. The recipe is simple – crush palm nuts, add water and put in a big pot; get tribe??s oldest woman to chew more nuts and spit them into the pot. Leave to ferment, then share with friends. A week later, Bristol Royal Infirmary??s Pathology lab was looking at some very unusual specimens.

So why did we allow ourselves to be pulled along by him? Because we knew that whatever he wanted us to do was going to be worthwhile. And the tributes from around the world that have been flooding in since his death show how many people enjoyed following Adrian on his exciting ride.

He believed in using television and film to tell people about the beauty of the natural world ??? and about its fragility in an age dominated by humans. He showed us rare birds and dancing sifakas; he took us on journeys with elephants and wildebeest; he told us stories about vampires, wild pandas and mountain gorillas.

Adrian cared about people too ??? his long association with and concern for the Waorani tribe is just one example. I remember discussing with him the problems that arise when mountain gorillas and humans have to share the same land. On balance, he??d side with the gorillas, but he had deep sympathy and understanding for the farmers who needed to feed their families.

When preparing this address, I looked at the companies Adrian had worked with:

ABC, BBC, Devillier Donegan, Discovery, IMAX, National Geographic, ORF, Partridge, WGBH, WNET, ZDF – a roll call of the best in natural history programmes. And the awards and praise Adrian received for his films tell us he was among the best of the best.

As television, and the wildlife programmes on it, began to change, Adrian embarked on a new adventure, publishing. This combined his love of flying and photography, and allowed him to build a business that fitted with his family life. We??ve all seen those wonderful books and photos ??? their beauty and quality a testament to Adrian and Dae??s commitment to excellence.

He was however modest about his achievements ??? I bet few of us knew he discovered a new species of tree frog, Hyla warreni, that he??d won a Primetime Emmy, or that there??s a character based on him in a play about the famous explorer Colonel Fawcett. He also had the gift of listening ??? of giving his attention to you. So he inspired close friendships, many of which have lasted for decades.

Adrian was truly multi-talented – his films and his photography are a constant reminder of this. He used his skills as producer, writer, cameraman, photographer and publisher so well, telling us about the planet we share, showing us amazing creatures and places. And his passion for wildlife and conservation always shone through.

He was bursting with life and full of energy. He was brave and tough, and he showed these qualities right to the very end.

Adrian was determined to give his best, and to get us to do the same. And that??s the Adrian we will always remember ??? a good friend and great colleague who achieved wonderful things.”
89Noel DonnellonI first met Adrian at the Hotel Regina, Gisenyi, Rwanda in 2003, along with Eamonn Gearon and Sean Clauson.

We were filming a documentary on the life of Rosamond Carr and as I was going to film Mountain Gorillas for the first time, Rosamond said we “simply must meet Adrian” who she declared was “probably the best wildlife photographer working today”.

Adrian was filming aerial footage over the Virunga Volcanos and over the weeks we met him many times, having lunch at the Regina, along with the resident foul-mouthed Francophone African Grey parrot and a rather nasty feral cat.

I had known Adrian’s work since I was a teenager and remember vividly the photograph of him filming from one side of the “cable car” system and Neil Rettig on the other, descending from the rainforest canopy.

We kept in constant touch over the years, keeping each other informed of our various adventures and projects.I will miss him so much, he truly was a hero of mine. Only someone so wonderful could truly capture the beauty of this planet.

Every time I look “UP” at the sky or down at this planet from the air, I will think of Adrian.
All the creatures on this Earth will miss him.

Love & Peace to Dae, Luke, Sean & Oliver
90Major General (Retd) Joseph G SinghIt was an honour and privilege to know and to work with Adrian.I first met him when he was a 22 year old pioneering explorer on the 1971 Roraima Expedition in Guyana and we remained close friends since. His last e-mail to me on Sep 08 2009 had to do with planning a scientific trip with Dr Phillipe Kok to the summit of Mt Weissipu. He was a fantastic human being and from our conversations and e-mail exchanges I knew he was deeply attached to his wife Dae and their son Lukey. My sympathy on his untimely passing but let us treasure the memories.
Sincerely
Joe
91Gina Strazzabosco-Hayn (Rosen Publishing)I had the pleasure of meeting Adrian at the London Book Fair three years ago after publishing a number of his stunning close-up photos of the microscopic creatures living in our bodies and homes in a series of children’s books called Tiny Invaders. In our half-hour meeting I learned about Adrian’s incredible, adventure-filled life, his beautiful wife, and his adored and adorable son. We agreed that Adrian’s enormous library of extraordinary wildlife photos would make an excellent foundation on which to build new series of children’s books. Although Adrian is no longer here to share the excitement of yet another new adventure, publishing these books is something we still plan to do. We send our deepest regrets to Adrian’s family.
92Mark SlemmingsI just stumbled on this and am very sad to have read of Adrian’s death. I met Adrian for the first time through the IAWF and Wildscreen back in 2003. Unfortunately I did not know Adrian well, but after our first meeting clearly remember thinking what an nice, down-to-earth man. Shortly afterwards I then discovered what an impressive life is was leading. The most understated people often achieve so much during their life times.
93Bronwen GwillimTo Dae,
Very very moved to look at the pictures of Adrian on your website, a man Ive never met and knew nothing about until today, but who obviously brought huge joy to you, your family and many many people around the world. Im so sorry that such a good and clever man should die so young. My thoughts go to you and your beautiful child.
94Peter DormanDae,

I only just heard the sad news of Adrian’s death. Though we knew he was unwell, it seemed that the treatment had been going well. This outcome is quite shocking.

Though I didn’t know you and Adrian all that well (I only met him a couple of times, once at your house, in the context of one of his later visits to Guyana) our short acquaintance was fascinating and, for me at least, very educational. Apart from the photographic aspects of what he did, he passed on a number of hints and tips regarding the etiquette of working in Guyana which have since stood me in good stead.

At a time when prospects for the indigenous inhabits of the Guyanese interior look increasingly bleak, Adrian’s knowledge and skills will be missed.

It was a privilege and a pleasure to have known and worked with him.

Barbara and I are thinking of you and your family.



95Karen AngelAdrian and I had corresponded for over five years about Jimmie Angel and Venezuelan exploration before we met in Berkeley, California in May 2009. He was in town for the premier of Pixar Studio’s animated movie “UP.”
He was helping me with images for a paper I am writing, in cooperation with Pixar Studios, that compares the geology, flora, fauna, and characters in “UP” with the same in the Jimmie Angel story.

There were other Venezuelan related projects we wanted to do in the future.

I always counted on Adrian to provide me with accurate information about exploration in Venezuela, projects, and people. He was kind and he was fair.

Adrian died young with many projects still to be completed leaving a family and life that he loved.

I will always miss him.

Karen Angel
Jimmie Angel Historical Project
U.S.A.
96anna udineWhen the place I was working for, back in 2007, had wanted some Ariel Photography done to show the buildings progression, I searched around online and found Adrian. But until Dae and Adrian emailed with instructions on how to access the photos online at lastrefuge, I had no idea of his absolute brilliance. He kept in touch with a few emails since, with info on where he had been and what he had been up to, the mail always warm and with a generous insight into this wonderful man; who I never got a chance to meet. He was a catalyst in my career change and in doing what I felt was and is in my heart. Bless you Adrian for being so true to your self, you remain a strong inspiration in my life.
97Alan MooreI was lucky enough to get the job of re-spraying G-ASXZ late 2009. I first meet Adrian when I went to the small grass strip to view the aircraft. With a cool, calm manor he insisted on perfection and keeping the aircraft totally original. During the course of the work Adrian visited many times and I got to know him as a friend more than a customer, we talked a lot about our children and life in general. I felt a huge amount of respect for Adrian and his unique way of seeing life. Adrian brought G-ASXZ back for engineering work in the months after and late 2010 we worked together on the aircraft taking two days to complete a difficult job. That night I met him in a quiet corner of the bar, for personal reasons I was going through a difficult period of life which I had been struggling with for some time. We sat and talked for a while and although at this point Adrian was ill, the calming heartfelt words of wisdom he gave helped me immensely. I will forever remember Adrian, the warm caring, calm, professional. Reading these tributes makes me realise more than ever how honoured I was to have met him, heaven has gained an angel. My thoughts go out to Adrian??s family.
98Maurizio FantatoI was fortunate enough to have met Adrian in 1973 in Venezuela when I was able to accompany him for some part of the expedition to the Angels Falls and then later on to Morrocoy, while he was working for the local appeal of the WWF. I was only a teenager then but I was struck by his professionalism, passion for life and work, dedication, commitment and above all his warmth and humanity. Having met Adrian proved inspirational and life-changing. I remained in contact with him on and off throughout his life, and met him last in May 2009 with Dae and his new family. I only just heard the news today and I am still too grief stricken to put together something coherent. His memories will be with me for the rest of my life, and with all his friends and those whom he met across many, many countries. His work is a perennial testament to all what he loved and believed. May you rest in peace dear friend, we are today a little poorer, yet immensely grateful for such beautiful life and hugely privileged to have met you. God bless you and your family.
99Cameron Hansen2001 – I had just returned to Bristol after a six-month adventure shooting travel and landscape photography throughout south east Asia. With high hopes and big dreams of being a travel photographer I found Adrian (of all places) in the yellow pages offering a professional scanning service through his Last Refuge company. I called and after a brief discussion of who I was (a no-body in the business) he kindly invited me into his home where I met his lovely partner Dae and there began my future as a professional photographer. That chance call changed my life??_ I will always remember Adrian being so enthusiastic about my slides and the awful video that I shot in Cambodia. How he managed to keep his eyes open one night til 2am watching my amateurish video of the Angkor temples is a testament to Adrian or red wine! As many people have mentioned, when in his company, he was there 100% and had I known who he really was and what he had already accomplished I probably would never have called. But that was Adrian, one to never broast of his incredible achievements. One of the last things he ever said to me was I have an eye. With this I left the UK, pursued my dream and never looked back. Adrian and Dae kept me updated of their amazing journey bringing those wonderful books to life and one can only hope Last Refuge will carry on??_ On the 5th of June 2011 the world lost a magnificent man, may he rest in peace. My thoughts and heart go out to you Dae, Luke & family.
100Peter FriendDear Dae,
I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear about Adrian’s death. I very much value my memories of visiting and staying with the three of you, My New Naturalist on “Scotland” has just got to the Page Proof stage, with many of your excellent pictures included. What a marvellous memorial to a truly remarkable man, and to your family. I send you and Luke my best love and wishes. Peter
101Andrew J Wilton Myriad BooksSuch sad news to hear of Adrian’s death. Adrian and Dae contributed greatly to Myriad Books producing nine titles in our From Above range of books. Adrian was a great photographer,Enthusiastic and extremely entertaining.Our thoughts and sympathy are with you Dae and Luke at this difficult time.
102Frank KennedyVery sad that you have gone. from a fellow artist
103steve brockettI came across this site last night , trawling through the net for aerial photography to inspire me .
I was flying a couple of weeks ago, above the desert landscape just north of the Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain, and there to my suprise on this site were Adrians brilliant photographs of the same extraordinary forms that I had turned
my camera to days before.I felt I could share that sense of discovery and excitment that these images evoke in a
direct way, and then to read that Adrian had died in June.
Reading some of the tributes I have obviously missed out on contacting an amazing man, and reading the personal
memories of friends and contacts, leave me with the impression that this was a man who would have been happy to
discuss and pass on some of his advice and experience with a learner,like me .a rare thing!
I hope Lastrefuge.co.uk carries on …its an inspiration
104Alan GriffithsVery Shocked. Nobody told me. I was cameraman on the Wildfilm Oral History Interview in Adrians home with Jean Hartley a couple of years ago.I am the same age as Adrian was. He was a pleasure to work with. My Condolences.Alan Griffiths. Bristol Broadcast Engineering .
105Lloyd Brinavery shocked and saddened, had been hoping for the best and afraid to make contact fearing this. I met Adrian in 2009, a really nice guy who enjoyed what he did and was at the top of his game. My condolences to his family and close friends this is a big loss.
106BrendanAfter looking for ariel photography info and finding your website I have been given the opportunity to give it a try, Looking a shots of Adrian’s work is an insperation and i will try to make mine just as good – very doubtful i can.

Great work Mr Warren, and thank you for displaying trully wonderful shots Im sure your up there getting the best Ariel shot of all time—- your family
107Jim YostI first met Adrian on a shoot with the BBC, covering the Waorani in Ecuador. Our common interests drew us to work on several projects together as friends covering more than 25 years. Adrian had the very unique ability to produce the finest professional photographic documentaries without sacrificing his gentle character. He was so respectful, unobtrusive and kind that his human subjects never objected to being filmed. How I will miss his camaraderie – sharing rice and beans in an Ecuadorian town, manioc and bananas in the Amazon rainforest or wine and steak in the city. His commitment to preserving what is beautiful in this world stands as an inspiration for all of us.
108Greg CummingsI knew Adrian through his work for the gorillas. His film Gorillas in the Midst of Man is one of the most beautiful ever made about the big fellahs. I also remember him as the only filmmaker who ever made good a promise to send copies of his work back to the rangers working in the field, going one step farther and had the narration translated into Kinyarwanda. He will long be remembered on the misty slopes of Virunga, for the stunning images he brought to the world of this and so many of the world’s other dwindling wildernesses.
109Hamish MitchellSad to hear of Adrian’s passing. Met him just once about 4yrs ago while flying in the Scottish Highlands, but came away with that buzz from meeting a passionate and skillful man. My condolences.
110Wendy KellerHow can a few words show the importance of a friendship begun in the early 80’s founded on our love of the natural world.

His incredible support over the last 10 years in my on going

fight with cancer till he tragically had the disease –

The loss and importance of our friendship is irreplaceable

we shared so many of life’s ups and downs and above all laughter and love of life and our natural world.

You left the party far too early Adrian but you will never leave our hearts.
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