Charles Lagus BSC began his career in the 1950s and became closely associated with documentary filmmaking. He worked extensively for the BBC Natural History Unit, photographing wildlife and exploration programmes in some of the world's most remote locations.
His work took him across Africa, Asia, South America and other parts of the world, where he filmed animals and environments under demanding conditions. He became known for combining technical skill with a willingness to work in difficult and often hazardous locations.
Among his best-known work was his involvement with The World About Us, the BBC's long-running documentary series, and The Living Planet, the 1984 natural-history series presented by David Attenborough. He also worked on Life on Earth and other major BBC natural-history productions.
Lagus's career was not confined to wildlife. He worked on documentaries covering exploration, indigenous peoples and remote communities, bringing a strong observational approach to his cinematography.
He also contributed to feature and television productions, but it was his work as a documentary cinematographer that became the defining part of his career.