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Our Photo Expeditions offer immersive instruction
Over the 40+ years of our history, the quality of our veteran staff and their companionship is the reason the Lindblad name is known and respected for top-quality expeditions. And now that we are aligned with National Geographic, there is no better team anywhere.
Our excellent staff-to-guest ratio ensures a healthy diversity of specialties — marine biology, evolutionary biology, ornithology, and more — and personalities. You are never directed into groups, but can gravitate naturally toward the Naturalists whose interest mirror yours. Or simply give yourself the benefit of daily human diversity, too!
EXPEDITION LEADER
Paula grew up in Guayaquil where she obtained an Undergraduate degree in Geology from the Polytechnic University of Guayaquil. She enjoyed many field trips all around Ecuador and during her vacations traveled in Central and South America in the hope of learning more about her people and culture. The last year of her studies she worked at a mine looking for a more ecological way of recovering gold. Interested more in volcanoes than in raw materials, she came to Galápagos, a Mecca for geologists, in 1992. She was bewitched by the other wonders of the islands and became a naturalist guide for the Galápagos National Park.
In 1994 she went to Belgium for her Masters degree in Quaternary Geology at the Free University of Brussels. As soon as she was back in Ecuador she returned to her longed-for islands. Since then, she has been an interpreter for the Galápagos National Park, and for other nature destinations such as Baja California and Central America, where she also leads trips for Lindblad Expeditions, with whom she has worked since 1997. In 2000 she obtained a US sailing certification, and is qualified to skipper centerboard and keel boats up to 40 feet. In 2004, Paula published her book “Galápagos Bedtime Stories” intended to be for kids and kids at heart. She also writes a column about the Galápagos for one of the most prestigious Ecuadorian newspapers "El Universo".
UNDERSEA SPECIALIST
Carlos was born in Quito, Ecuador and grew up in Venezuela. Carlos returned to Quito to study Biology and specialized in the Fauna of Ecuador. His main field of study was Zoology with particular emphasis on vertebrates. Carlos has taken part in various scientific projects and expeditions with the Biological Sciences Department of Quito’s Polytechnic University. He has published several scientific papers, including one about the bats of Galápagos and one about the vampire bat on mainland Ecuador.
Carlos's hobbies include drawing: he has illustrated various scientific papers, including the "Park Warden Manual," used in all the National Parks in Ecuador since 1991. Carlos is fluent in Spanish, English and German. He speaks some French. His interest in conservation biology inspired him to become a Naturalist. He worked for five years in the National Parks of the Ecuadorian rain forest, and since 1997 has been working as a Naturalist in Galápagos. He has a Masters in Ecotourism and Natural Protected Areas Management and a Doctorate in Biology. He designed a new career for the largest University in Ecuador, the Central University. The new career is a Masters in Environmental Management and Administration of Natural Protected Areas.
He received his Photo Instructor certification in a 3-day training workshop in 2010. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop equipped him with the insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your Lindblad-National Geographic expedition.
PHOTO INSTRUCTOR
Born in 1983 to one of Floreana Island’s first colonizing families, Aura learned at an early age to appreciate the incredible nature of the Galápagos Islands. Her favorite childhood memories are from the time she spent living on the islands with her grandparents, observing the finches and iguanas. Aura pursued her education both on the Ecuadorian mainland and in Europe, studying languages: French, Italian, and English.
Aura traveled extensively throughout South America, Europe and the United States, but could not neglect her true passion: the natural world of the Galápagos Islands. She returned to the Galápagos and entered the Galápagos National Park as a licensed naturalist. Her return to the islands coincided with the eruption of two major volcanoes — a spectacular welcome home, indeed! Aura is grateful for her language background as her abilities help her introduce the wonders of the Galápagos to many visitors each year. Using her grandfather’s advice of "learning ends the day you die," Aura continues to study not only languages, but earth sciences, music, painting, photography, and cinema.
She received her Photo Instructor certification in a 3-day training workshop in 2010. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop equipped her with the insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your Lindblad-National Geographic expedition.
NATURALIST
Antonio was born in Ecuador, but he was formed in Europe. After studying the natural sciences (chemistry, physics and biology) in a boarding school in England for two years, Antonio spent four years in medical school in Spain. Out of boredom, however, Antonio dropped out of the program. Like Darwin, Antonio wanted to see the world, and he has. He’s worked as a Naturalist at the Galápagos National Park since 1994.
Antonio loves to write; he has published two natural history books. Easy Stars provides an original approach to Astronomy, aimed at instructing amateurs in how to read the skies without using charts. Antonio has also written a natural history guide for the Galápagos Islands, The Galápagos Phat Guide. In addition to his natural history books, he has written articles and essays on evolution, conservation and nature interpretation.
In his free time he works on educational projects for the Galápagos, through his own foundation, Fundación Vulcano. His personal assets include a bike, a hammock and lots of free time with his girlfriend and kids. Following Darwin's example, his goal is to grow a long white beard and change the world (whichever comes first).
Celso was born in Guayaquil, the largest and most populated city in Ecuador. After graduating from the Naval Academy at the age of seventeen he moved to Long Island, New York, where he lived for nine years. In that time he studied computer science at Nassau Community College in Westbury, intending to pursue a career in the technology sector.
During sporadic visits to his family in the Galápagos as a child, and throughout his years in the States, he kept his love for nature alive. Then one day he made up his mind to finally stay in the place that he considers the most fascinating in the entire world: the Galápagos Islands. Combining his passion for the sciences and his joy in explaining facts about nature in the "Enchanted Islands", Celso hopes that the experiences our guests have here will lead to a change in conservation attitudes; attitudes that help to protect nature, not just here in Galápagos but around the world.