diff --git a/cogl/cogl-matrix.c b/cogl/cogl-matrix.c
index 4ceece7d2..7941bb649 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-matrix.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-matrix.c
@@ -2051,3 +2051,65 @@ cogl_matrix_is_identity (const CoglMatrix *matrix)
   else
     return memcmp (matrix, identity, sizeof (float) * 16) == 0;
 }
+
+void
+cogl_matrix_look_at (CoglMatrix *matrix,
+                     float eye_position_x,
+                     float eye_position_y,
+                     float eye_position_z,
+                     float object_x,
+                     float object_y,
+                     float object_z,
+                     float world_up_x,
+                     float world_up_y,
+                     float world_up_z)
+{
+  CoglMatrix tmp;
+  CoglVector3 forward;
+  CoglVector3 side;
+  CoglVector3 up;
+
+  /* Get a unit viewing direction vector */
+  cogl_vector3_init (&forward,
+                     object_x - eye_position_x,
+                     object_y - eye_position_y,
+                     object_z - eye_position_z);
+  cogl_vector3_normalize (&forward);
+
+  cogl_vector3_init (&up, world_up_x, world_up_y, world_up_z);
+
+  /* Take the sideways direction as being perpendicular to the viewing
+   * direction and the word up vector. */
+  cogl_vector3_cross_product (&side, &forward, &up);
+  cogl_vector3_normalize (&side);
+
+  /* Now we have unit sideways and forward-direction vectors calculate
+   * a new mutually perpendicular up vector. */
+  cogl_vector3_cross_product (&up, &side, &forward);
+
+  tmp.xx = side.x;
+  tmp.yx = side.y;
+  tmp.zx = side.z;
+  tmp.wx = 0;
+
+  tmp.xy = up.x;
+  tmp.yy = up.y;
+  tmp.zy = up.z;
+  tmp.wy = 0;
+
+  tmp.xz = -forward.x;
+  tmp.yz = -forward.y;
+  tmp.zz = -forward.z;
+  tmp.wz = 0;
+
+  tmp.xw = 0;
+  tmp.yw = 0;
+  tmp.zw = 0;
+  tmp.ww = 1;
+
+  cogl_matrix_translate (&tmp, -eye_position_x, -eye_position_y, -eye_position_z);
+
+  tmp.flags = (MAT_FLAG_GENERAL_3D | MAT_DIRTY_TYPE | MAT_DIRTY_INVERSE);
+
+  cogl_matrix_multiply (matrix, matrix, &tmp);
+}
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-matrix.h b/cogl/cogl-matrix.h
index a2c238544..14e92a3bd 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-matrix.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-matrix.h
@@ -193,6 +193,62 @@ cogl_matrix_scale (CoglMatrix *matrix,
 		   float sy,
 		   float sz);
 
+#define cogl_matrix_look_at cogl_matrix_look_at_EXP
+/**
+ * cogl_matrix_look_at:
+ * @matrix: A 4x4 transformation matrix
+ * @eye_position_x: The X coordinate to look from
+ * @eye_position_y: The Y coordinate to look from
+ * @eye_position_z: The Z coordinate to look from
+ * @object_x: The X coordinate of the object to look at
+ * @object_y: The Y coordinate of the object to look at
+ * @object_z: The Z coordinate of the object to look at
+ * @world_up_x: The X component of the world's up direction vector
+ * @world_up_y: The Y component of the world's up direction vector
+ * @world_up_z: The Z component of the world's up direction vector
+ *
+ * Applies a view transform @matrix that positions the camera at
+ * the coordinate (@eye_position_x, @eye_position_y, @eye_position_z)
+ * looking towards an object at the coordinate (@object_x, @object_y,
+ * @object_z). The top of the camera is aligned to the given world up
+ * vector, which is normally simply (0, 1, 0) to map up to the
+ * positive direction of the y axis.
+ *
+ * Because there is a lot of missleading documentation online for
+ * gluLookAt regarding the up vector we want to try and be a bit
+ * clearer here.
+ *
+ * The up vector should simply be relative to your world coordinates
+ * and does not need to change as you move the eye and object
+ * positions.  Many online sources may claim that the up vector needs
+ * to be perpendicular to the vector between the eye and object
+ * position (partly because the man page is somewhat missleading) but
+ * that is not necessary for this function.
+ *
+ * <note>You should never look directly along the world-up
+ * vector.</note>
+ *
+ * <note>It is assumed you are using a typical projection matrix where
+ * your origin maps to the center of your viewport.</note>
+ *
+ * <note>Almost always when you use this function it should be the first
+ * transform applied to a new modelview transform</note>
+ *
+ * Since: 1.8
+ * Stability: unstable
+ */
+void
+cogl_matrix_look_at (CoglMatrix *matrix,
+                     float eye_position_x,
+                     float eye_position_y,
+                     float eye_position_z,
+                     float object_x,
+                     float object_y,
+                     float object_z,
+                     float world_up_x,
+                     float world_up_y,
+                     float world_up_z);
+
 /**
  * cogl_matrix_frustum:
  * @matrix: A 4x4 transformation matrix
diff --git a/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt b/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
index 6c0809c69..35f4d63ef 100644
--- a/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ cogl_matrix_free
 cogl_matrix_frustum
 cogl_matrix_ortho
 cogl_matrix_perspective
+cogl_matrix_look_at
 cogl_matrix_multiply
 cogl_matrix_rotate
 cogl_matrix_translate