What will you create with top photographers to guide and instruct you?
The logic is simple—bring people who love making images to the planet’s most spectacular places and most thrilling subjects. Expedition Photography takes it to the next level by adding to the mix some of the world’s top visual storytellers who travel at your side and at your service. Not only are they deeply knowledgeable professionals versed in the technical aspects of photography and storytelling methods, they are also experts on wildlife—and sharing their knowledge sets you up to get some of the best images of your life.
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Go ‘on assignment’ with National Geographic Photography Experts
Every expedition aboard National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, and National Geographic Orion sails with a National Geographic Photography Expert as part of the expedition team. Sharing in the journey, they will offer tips at the deck rail, share engaging stories during presentations in the lounge, and with a little prodding over dinner or drinks in the lounge likely share amusing anecdotes of their time in the field. They are full participants in the expedition and engaging travel companions.
Learn from Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructors
They have each been specially trained to assist you with your camera model and settings; the basic elements of framing, composition and light; and to provide shooting tips in the field to ensure that you return home with fantastic photos.
Unlike a photography class or workshop, an expedition is a highly dynamic environment, where an incredible sighting can occur at any moment. So, the fact that your photo instructor is also a skilled naturalist is invaluable. He or she can help you better understand the wildlife, so you can be at the right place at the right time to capture amazing behavior—whether you’re shooting from the ship’s deck, a Zodiac or on a walk. Take an expedition with us, and you’ll not only have the experience of a lifetime, you’ll have the incredible shots to prove it.
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Photo Expeditions
On designated departures, a combination of CPIs and a National Geographic Photography Expert come together to provide a program that includes multiple photo presentations and editing sessions and is designed to maximize the best photographic conditions. They work closely with the Captain and the expedition leader to take advantage of sunrise and sunset opportunities (whether by foot, Zodiac, or ship) and unique wildlife viewing. Whether you’re a smartphone user, advanced hobbyist, or serious photographer, photo expeditions are select departures in remarkable geographies, designed by photographers, for photographers. Since these voyages also offer so many active options, you can invite a spouse, companion, or friend along, certain that they’ll have a wonderful time doing their thing, too.
Upcoming Photo Expeditions
| Departure Date | Expedition | National Geographic Photography Expert |
|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | Rich Reid |
| May 4, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | Karen Kasmauski |
| Jun. 7, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands & Tracy Arm Fjord | Drew Rush |
| Jun. 12, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell Island & the Misty Fjords | Drew Rush |
| Aug. 6, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands & Tracy Arm Fjord | Rich Reid |
| Aug. 11, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell Island & the Misty Fjords | Rich Reid |
| Sep. 3, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | Drew Rush |
| Sep. 5, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | Mike Libecki |
| Sep. 8, 2023 | Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II | Rich Reid |
| Ask about our photo-exclusive pre-voyage extension to the Ecuadorian Amazon. Limited availability. | ||
| Oct. 28, 2023 | Panama and Colombia: Exploring the Caribbean Coast | Jennifer Davidson |
| Dec. 7, 2023 | Costa Rica and the Panama Canal | Rich Reid |
| Dec. 8, 2023 | Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II | David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes |
| Ask about our photo-exclusive pre-voyage extension to the Ecuadorian Amazon. Limited availability. | ||
Photo Program Exclusives
Thanks to our partnership with camera manufacturer OM System (formerly Olympus), guests have the opportunity to field test top-of-the-line gear during their expeditions. Eager to try a powerful new lens? Researching a new camera purchase? Take advantage of the onboard OM System Photo Gear Locker with our compliments. The Locker is available on all National Geographic-flagged ships (except Galápagos). View a pre-voyage photo webinar and enjoy exclusive gear discounts as well! Ask an Expedition Specialist.
B&H Photo Video
Since 2014, Lindblad has partnered with B&H Photo Video to produce the popular photography event, OPTIC. Past speakers and presentations can be found here.
What I love about photography is how it invites you into a world of wonder and anticipation, where it's no longer about the camera but being in the moment.
Ralph Lee Hopkins, Former Director of Expedition Photography
Alison Wright: In Memoriam
We lost beloved photographer and humanitarian Alison Wright this year. This video serves as a tribute to her spirit.
Photography in Antarctica
Certified photo instructor Michael S. Nolan shared his favorite Antarctica images and his best photo tips for polar landscapes in a Facebook Live event. Watch the video here, or click "read more" below for more tips from Michael.
10 Photo Tips with National Geographic Photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins
The founder and director of our exclusive Expedition Photography program and a widely published National Geographic photographer, Ralph Lee Hopkins has circled the globe for nearly 30 years on Lindblad's ships. Here, he shares some of his top travel photography tips to help you capture all the incredible moments at the heart of your expedition.
Iceland Photography Tips: Capturing the Land of Fire & Ice
Naturalist and certified photo instructor Andrew Peacock shares some of his top tips (along with his stunning photos) for shooting in the land of fire and ice.
Capturing Galápagos: 7 Expert Photography Tips to Try
Everywhere you look in Galápagos there are incredible photo ops. Find out how to get your best photos with these expert tips from biologist, naturalist, and certified photo instructor Socrates Tomala.
Capturing Guanacaste: A Photographer's Top 12 Shots
Art director and staff photographer David Vargas recently returned from Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Check out a few of David’s favorite images from his trip and the story behind them.
Capturing Greenland: A Photographer's Paradise
Emmett Clarkin, a marine ecologist based in the North West of Ireland and a naturalist and expedition diver with Lindblad, shares some of his top moments from the wild shores of Greenland—and shows you how the region’s incredible facets keep this place etched on his memory.
National Geographic Photography Experts
National Geographic Photography Expert
Sisse Brimberg
Born in Denmark, award-winning photographer Sisse Brimberg has produced and photographed more than 30 stories for National Geographic magazine over the past 40 years, covering a wide range of subjects--from the Hanseatic League and the Vikings to the global flower trade and the prehistoric cave art of southwestern France. As contributing photographer for National Geographic Traveler , she shot various city stories in Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, Casablanca, Oaxaca, Saint Petersburg, and beyond. Having photographed in more than 70 countries across the globe -- from Cape Verde to the Azores, and Antarctica to the Arctic -- she enjoys sharing her love of photography with travelers. Brimberg has earned first prize honors from the prestigious Pictures of the Year International (POY), and her images have been exhibited around the world in Germany, Greece, Brazil, Mexico, New York City (International Center for Photography), and Washington, D.C. (The Newseum).
National Geographic Photography Expert
Michael Melford
Award-winning photographer Michael Melford has produced more than 50 stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines over the past 30 years. His work has been featured on the cover of National Geographic , as well as LIFE, Smithsonian, GEO, TIME , and Coastal Living, among other publications. Michael has traveled to numerous countries and all seven continents—from Antarctica to Alaska and from New Zealand to the Seychelles. His assignments have focused on conservation, preservation, and celebrating the beauty of wilderness and national parks around the world. Melford also has produced photography for multiple National Geographic books, and is featured in two online photo courses from National Geographic and The Great Courses ( National Geographic Masters of Photography and T he National Geographic Guide to Landscape Photography ). Michael’s work has garnered prestigious honors, including the Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Photography and recognition from World Press Photo. The United States Postal Service also recently honored Melford by featuring several of his images on a set of Forever stamps celebrating Wild and Scenic Rivers.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Rich Reid
Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Rich Reid has specialized in environmental and adventure photography for over two decades. On assignment with National Geographic Adventure magazine, he cycled Alaska’s Inside Passage by ferry and explored California’s Gaviota Coast by bike and kayak. North American Nature Photography Association elected Rich as a Fellow for his significant contributions to the nature photography industry, and he was a finalist for the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his time-lapse video documenting forest fire ecology. His start in photography was accepting the full-time positions as photo editor for the college yearbook and daily newspaper while pursuing his business economics degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This is where his love of the natural world and art merged to create a lifelong passion for the environment. His work to advocate the preservation of the Gaviota Coast in Southern California was highlighted in National Geographic magazine titled “New Park for California Coast? Alaska captured Rich’s imagination early in his life as a camping guide leading guests throughout the state photographing wildlife and landscapes from the temperate rain forest to the arctic tundra. He has shared his photography passion as an Alaskan tour operator, Visual Journalism instructor at Brooks Institute in California, and now as a National Geographic photographer with Lindblad Expeditions. Rich has served on photo expeditions to Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, Svalbard, Galápagos, British Columbia, and the Columbia and Snake Rivers. When not aboard, Rich is using his multimedia skills to preserve open spaces with non-profit organizations and teaching students the fundamentals of garden-based learning. He is based in Ojai, California.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Karen Kasmauski
Photographer Karen Kasmauski has produced 25 stories for National Geographic magazine on topics ranging from earthquakes in Japan to oil exploration in Alaska. She finds the personal stories behind the headlines, blending a warm human sensitivity with a photographer’s eye for detail to distill global issues into resonant images. As a senior fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, she also specializes in looking at how the health of the land affects the communities on it. Karen's book Impact: From the Front Lines of Global Health , published by National Geographic, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and she received an inaugural Getty Images Grant for Good to develop compelling new imagery for the non-profits she supports. Another book, Nurse: A World of Care, tells stories of dedicated medical professionals—“frontline soldiers” in the war against suffering and disease—from the frozen rivers of Alaska to the slums of Nairobi. Karen has photographed in numerous destinations all over the world—from Japan, Vietnam, and India to Africa and the Arctic. Kasmauski also serves on the board of The Park Institute of America.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Kike Calvo
Award-winning photographer, journalist, and author Kike Calvo (pronounced Kee-Keh) specializes in culture and environment. He has been on assignment in dozens of countries, working on stories ranging from belugas in the Arctic to traditional Hmong costumes in Laos. Kike's images have been published in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, among others. A National Geographic Certified Educator and a former contributor to National Geographic's Voices blog, his images are represented by AP Images, Redux Pictures, and the former National Geographic Image Collection. Kike has been part of scientific river expeditions in Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. Over the years, Kike has joined numerous National Geographic Expeditions, from Spain and Patagonia to Costa Rica and the Amazon. He also enjoys teaching photography workshops and has been a guest lecturer at leading institutions like the School of Visual Arts and Yale University. Kike is a Senior Safina Center Fellow since 2020. Kike is the Creative Chief Officer and author of The Adventures of Pili initiative, an education and conservation project that increases children's awareness of global environmental issues and fosters multi-lingual literacy in remote communities that play an active role in the conversation of ecosystems. Partnering with local NGOs, and adding the support of companies and readers, to date, thousands of free bilingual books have been given to kids living in indigenous and underserved areas. Many of his books are now available in Indigenous and non-commercial languages, including Dulegaya, Sikuani, Wayuunaiki, and Maya. Kike is pioneering in using small unmanned aerial systems to produce aerial photography as art, and as a tool for research and conservation. His early work with drones was profiled as a genius in the 2019 National Geographic Almanac. He is also known for his iconic photographic project, World of Dances, on the intersection of dance, nature, and architecture. He has authored more than books, including Drones for Conservation; Staten Island: A Visual Journey to the Lighthouse at the End of the World; Habitats, with forewords by David Doubilet, and Jean-Michel Cousteau; and Corpus Christi in Atánquez. Professor of Anthropology and author Wade Davis has described Kike as a worldly and seasoned photographer, and a fresh voice in the world of (visual) anthropology.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Erika Larsen
For more than a decade, Erika Larsen has used photography to learn intimately about and document cultures that maintain strong connections with nature. She has been working with National Geographic magazine since 2011, and is currently a National Geographic Society Fellow and Explorer. Among her assignments, she followed Sami reindeer herders in the Scandinavian arctic and explored the significance of the horse in Native American culture. Erika was part of the multi-photographer team that produced the magazine’s 2016 single topic Yellowstone Issue, and she contributed to Y ellowstone: A Journey Through America’s Wild Heart , published by National Geographic Books. She is also one of the featured photographers in Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment , which profiles the lives and work of important photojournalists and goes behind the lens of their individual assignments. Larsen is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, which sponsored her study of the North Sami language, and she published her first book of photographs in 2013 ( Sámi, Walking with Reindeer ). Erika’s work has been shown in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Fotografiska Museum in Sweden, and the Reggio Calabria National Archaeological Museum in Italy, as well as at Visa pour l'Image in Perpignan, France. Her images are represented by Nat Geo Creative. Erika looks forward to sharing her insights about creating images and expressing a personal vision with travelers on expeditions.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Jeff Mauritzen
National Geographic photographer Jeff Mauritzen's assignments and adventures have immersed him in vivid landscapes on all 7 continents and in more than 60 countries around the world. Whether photographing penguin antics in Antarctica or komodo dragons in Indonesia, Jeff’s work expresses an unwavering passion, respect, curiosity, and awe for the natural world. Jeff's photography has appeared in dozens of National Geographic books, several National Geographic Traveler magazine articles, the Wall Street Journal, and on the @natgeotravel Instagram account, where he’s a regular contributor. In addition to assignment work, Jeff enjoys traveling with National Geographic Expeditions, teaching photography on natural history-focused trips.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Krista Rossow
For more than a decade, Krista Rossow has worked as a photographer, photo editor, and educator for National Geographic. She began her career as a photo editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine, where she shaped compelling stories from world-class imagery. In her freelance career, she has shot feature stories as a contributing photographer for Traveler in Japan, South Africa, Morocco, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and various U.S. cities. She regularly judges Instagram contests for @NatGeoTravel and photo edits for National Geographic Books. Krista travels with National Geographic Expeditions teaching photography around the world–from the Galápagos Islands, Patagonia, and Peru to Alaska, Antarctica, and the Arctic. She sees the camera as a tool for understanding new cultures, meeting the locals, and exploring the natural world. Her images are represented by National Geographic Image Collection.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Todd Gipstein
Todd Gipstein has been a photographer, writer, producer, and lecturer for more than 40 years. He has worked with National Geographic since 1987. For many years, he was the Geographic’s Director of Multi-Image and an Executive Producer of Media. His photographs have been published in National Geographic and Traveler magazines and in many books. His award-winning documentaries for the Geographic have dealt with a diverse range of topics, including photography, nature, the environment, history, exploration, travel, and National Geographic itself. His work is known worldwide for its evocative storytelling. He continues to take photographs for the Nat Geo Creative image library. An enthusiastic traveler and teacher, Todd has lectured, presented his documentaries, and given photography workshops for the Geographic around the world. His photography has been exhibited internationally, and he regularly participates in photography and media festivals in Italy. Born and raised in New London, Connecticut, a graduate of Harvard, Todd has written three novels—Legacy of the Light, Magician’s Choice, and In the Shadow of the Light—all historical fiction. He is currently working on another, Elephant Island. Todd is also a magician and collector of magic memorabilia. In their not so spare time, he and his wife Marcia, a photo editor and yoga teacher, are restoring New London Ledge Lighthouse. It is a mile out to sea off the coast of their home in Groton, Connecticut. You can learn more about Todd at his website www.Gipstein.com and on Facebook/GipsteinBooks.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Macduff Everton
Photographer Macduff Everton has shot multiple stories for National Geographic Traveler , and covered diverse regions on projects from Patagonia to Japan to the Scottish Highlands. His other editorial clients include Life , LA Times Magazine , NY Times Magazine , Outside , and Smithsonian . Macduff’s photography focuses on sense of place, whether portraits of individuals or portraits of a landscape. His books include Patagonia La Última Esperanza (University of Texas Press), The Western Horizon (Abrams), The Modern Maya Incidents of Travel and Friendship in Yucatán (University of Texas Press) and Los Mayas Contemporáneos Incidencias de Viaje y Amistad in Yucatán (Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo), the latter two he wrote and photographed over a period of decades. His work is in the collections of many public and private institutions, such as the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the British Museum in London, the International Center of Photography in New York, the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Macduff has also taught workshops nationally as well as in Mexico and Tuscany.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Mike Libecki
National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Mike Libecki, has an obsession with exploring and the world's most remote and untouched corners of the planet to climb world class first ascents/adventures, support science, conservation and humanitarian projects, and bring these powerful, emotional stories back with hopes to inspire us all to take care of our Mother Earth. Libecki has completed more than 90 major expeditions, from Afghanistan to Antarctica, to Greenland and Guyana, to Siberia and Socotra Island, Yemen and everywhere in between - taking him to over 100 countries. Libecki is a producer, director, videographer, photographer, humanitarian (has his own 501c3 nonprofit), conservationist and leads cutting-edge science teams. He is also a math and tech nerd at heart and uses the latest technologies (specializing in Virtual Reality, 3D, Artificial Intelligence etc.,) on his expeditions to succeed on and share these stories of the magic, power and beauty of our planet. "The time is now. Why ration passion? Dream big and climb those dreams! Embrace the joyage!" - Mike Libecki
National Geographic Photography Expert
Drew Rush
Drew Rush is a wildlife and natural history photographer with a passion for following wildlife in national parks around the world. Before embarking on a career in photography, Drew spent ten years guiding on the Snake River and taking people into the heart of Yellowstone National Park in the winter. Since he transitioned into a professional photographer, his work has appeared in numerous international publications and books, such as National Parks magazine and National Geographic: Complete Photography . Drew has a long history of working in and teaching about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Grand Tetons region on several long-term photographic projects for National Geographic magazine. He has also worked on collaborative projects studying long distance lynx migration through Alaska with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as monitoring wolf populations with the U.S. National Park Service. Drew’s images have been displayed at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming, and he is represented by the National Geographic Image Collection.
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