Certified photo instructor

Meet the top photographers who will help you get the shots of a lifetime

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Certified Photo Instructor

“Shoot the light.” 

It’s a simple tip. Dispensed from National Geographic photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins, who’s also the director of the expedition photography program for Lindblad Expeditions. But in this case it had two guests standing at the deck rail of National Geographic Sea Lion in Alaska ignoring some bears playing along the shore and shooting photos of the sun setting behind the Fairweather Mountain Range. The golden hour had painted the sea, forest, and snow-capped mountains in an unearthly hue of purple and blue. And just then, a humpback whale breached right in front of them, and they got the shot of a lifetime. 

Light, focus, and composition. The three elements of photography are such simple concepts, but can take a lifetime to master. Lindblad Expeditions was founded by a photographer, and photography is at the core of everything they do. Sven Lindblad spent his formative years as a wildlife photographer in Africa, guiding guests across the plains and helping them get shots of their safaris. He has published several large format photography books with Rizzoli. 

 

As part of the Expedition Photography program, every Lindblad-National Geographic expedition sails with a certified photo instructor. This is naturalist who is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings, the basics of composition. Their goal is to help guests become better, more confident photographers—and to help them go home with some epic shots that tell the story of their journey. 

Because these photographers are all trained naturalists, they have a big advantage over an instructor who is merely trained in camera use. They understand the habits of the wildlife guests are trying to photograph, so they can coach them in preparing for the shot of a bear fishing for salmon, an albatross surfing the air currents behind the ship, or a pod of killer whales hunting. 

And sometimes, a simple tip like “shoot the light” combined with being in the right place at the right time nets you an epic, magazine-worthy shot.

“Shoot the light.” ...

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Expedition staff are subject to change.

Meet our Photo Instructors

Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor icon Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

Linda Burback

Born in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Linda and her Air Force family moved extensively throughout the U.S. when she was a child. Linda continues to travel and explore a broader spectrum of the world as a naturalist with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic. Linda earned her B.Sc. in horticulture from the University of Arizona in 1985 and worked with this degree in the commercial cactus industry for sixteen years. In 1995, Linda started work at Saguaro National Park in the interpretive division. The park conserves fine tracts of the Sonoran Desert, both the Tucson and Rincon Mountains, as well as a breathtaking range of cacti, including barrel cactus, prickly pear, and the eponymous saguaro. The experience of exploring, sharing and teaching natural history at Saguaro National Park was a stepping stone on her path towards working at Lindblad-National Geographic. Her passion for learning and sharing has diversified Linda's interests beyond the realm of plants and she feels privileged to share the vast wonders of such Lindblad-National Geographic’s destinations with our guests. She received her Photo Instructor certification in a multi-day training workshop.  Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop helped her develop additional 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 expedition.

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