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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 photographers
Every expedition aboard National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, and National Geographic Orion sails with a National Geographic photographer 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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mar. 25, 2023 | Upper Amazon Aboard The Delfin II | Kike Calvo |
| Apr. 1, 2023 | Upper Amazon Aboard The Delfin II | Kike Calvo |
| Mar. 27, 2023 | Baja California: A Remarkable Journey | Ralph Lee Hopkins |
| May 2, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | TBA |
| 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 | TBA |
| Jun. 12, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell Island & the Misty Fjords | TBA |
| Aug. 6, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands & Tracy Arm Fjord | TBA |
| Aug. 11, 2023 | Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell Island & the Misty Fjords | TBA |
| Sep. 3, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | TBA |
| Sep. 5, 2023 | A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii | TBA |
| Sep. 8, 2023 | Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II | Rich Reid |
| Oct. 28, 2023 | Panama and Colombia: Exploring the Caribbean Coast | TBA |
| Dec. 7, 2023 | Costa Rica and the Panama Canal | TBA |
| Dec. 8, 2023 | Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II | David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes |
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. OPTIC West will take place in Monterey November 6-7, 2022.
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, 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.
Expedition staff are subject to change.
National Geographic Photography Experts
National Geographic Photography Expert
Dan Westergren
As the longtime photo editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine, Dan Westergren was responsible for the magazine’s photographic vision, which has earned the publication numerous awards for photography. He's been lucky to photograph amazing places for Traveler , such as the summits of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro, and the North Pole. Dan is especially drawn to Arctic regions, having made more than ten trips above the Arctic Circle. On one of these memorable assignments, Dan flew to Svalbard Island and then jumped on a Russian plane that took him over the pack ice, a landscape that is depicted in his favorite painting that hangs in the boardroom at National Geographic’s headquarters. The painting depicts Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s historic flight to the North Pole. The Russian plane landed near 89 degrees north latitude, and with a small group of intrepid travelers, Dan skied the “Last Degree” to the North Pole. After seven days of skiing in the cold footsteps of Fritjof Nansen and the other famous adventurers who have gone north from Svalbard, Dan finally stood for himself at the North Pole, and felt he had personally reached out and touched the heart of exploration at the Society. Westergren is an experienced teacher, having led workshops and served as photography expert for National Geographic Expeditions around the world—from Yellowstone, Baja, and the Galápagos Islands to Alaska, Antarctica, and the high Arctic.
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
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 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 the recipient of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Safina Center, Fellowship. Kike is the co-founder of The Adventures of Pili initiative, a project with the mission to create bilingual books that will increase children’s awareness of global environmental issues and foster multi-lingual literacy. 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 remote communities around the world. 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 fifteen 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
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
Jonathan Irish
During his eight years on the National Geographic staff, travel and conservation photographer Jonathan Irish launched and directed the National Geographic Adventures program, bringing travelers and photographers around the world on active adventures. As a freelance photographer, he specializes in documenting adventure lifestyles, landscapes, and cultures at home and abroad with a keen eye on highlighting important conservation issues. Jonathan has photographed on all seven continents, and has traveled and photographed in over 80 countries. He is a seasoned photography expert on National Geographic Expeditions trips teaching photography around the world–from the Galápagos Islands, Patagonia, and Peru to Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic, and many others. Jonathan’s work has appeared in hundreds of publications in print and online including National Geographic and The New York Times , on BBC, CNN, Condé Nast Traveler, Smithsonian Magazine, Travel + Leisure, The Telegraph , and elsewhere. For the 2016 centennial of the U.S. National Park Service, Jonathan went on assignment for National Geographic Traveler on a year-long road trip visiting and photographing all 59 of America’s national parks. From this project, Jonathan published a 240-page book of all the U.S. national parks, and was featured on Good Morning America. Jonathan is also a skilled Virtual Reality shooter, having shot assignments with 360-degree cameras on six different continents for Discovery and Google. Jonathan’s photography is represented by National Geographic Creative and National Geographic Fine Art Galleries, and has appeared in many National Geographic coffee-table books. Through his photographic work, Jonathan seeks to share the beauty of the natural world while highlighting important conservation stories and the need for continued, and increased, protection so that future generations may enjoy the same beautiful natural world in which we live today. Jonathan looks forward to sharing his passion for photography and wild places on this expedition.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Ken Garrett
In a career spanning 40 years, Ken Garrett has photographed more than 60 feature stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines. His work has also appeared in Smithsonian, Air and Space, Archaeology, Fortune, Forbes, Time, Life, Audubon, Geo Germany, National Wildlife and Natural History magazines, among others. With an academic background in anthropology, Ken has documented ancient cultures, archaeological sites, and dramatic landscapes worldwide.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Jen Hayes
Underwater photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes are married partners who work together as a team to produce National Geographic stories from equatorial coral reefs to beneath the polar ice. David estimates he has spent nearly half his life in the sea since taking his first underwater photograph at the age of 12 with a Brownie Hawkeye camera sealed in a bag. Between them, Jennifer and David have photographed and explored the ocean depths in such places as New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Tasmania, Scotland, and Antarctica. David has photographed stingrays, sponges, and sleeping sharks in the Caribbean, as well as shipwrecks in the South Pacific, the Atlantic, and at Pearl Harbor. He has produced more than 70 stories for National Geographic magazine and several books, and has received the Explorers Club’s prestigious Lowell Thomas Award and the Lennart Nilsson Award in Photography.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Nick Cobbing
Photojournalist and filmmaker Nick Cobbing aims to highlight themes of science and natural history through personal stories. A native of the United Kingdom, Nick frequently works in Antarctica and the Arctic, and has accompanied scientists on research expeditions based on icebreaker ships or even camped on the Arctic ice. His story on the future of Arctic sea ice appeared in the January 2016 issue of National Geographic magazine. He has also worked for media brands like GEO (Germany), The Sunday Times Magazine, and the BBC . Nick’s work has been exhibited and screened worldwide in galleries and at festivals, as well as to policymakers in the U.S. Congress and the Stockholm Parliament. He has won many awards for his photography and short films, including from World Press Photo, Pictures of the Year, and American Photography. Nick’s films have been commissioned by Look3 Festival of Photography and National Geographic, and he is a contributor to @NatGeo, a book and exhibition featuring the most popular photos from National Geographic’s iconic Instagram account. He teaches regularly in Antarctica, Norway, and the Arctic, using the camera to connect students with the landscape and themselves.
National Geographic Photography Expert
Michaela Skovranova
Michaela Skovranova is an Australia-based photographer specializing in nature and underwater photography. Michaela's work has focused on capturing environmental stories in extreme environments—from photographing the Great Barrier Reef and capturing the remote wilderness and diverse wildlife of the Kimberley to documenting the annual humpback whale migration in Tonga and exploring the underwater worlds of Antarctica. She has covered coral reefs and Great Barrier Reef restoration for National Geographic, and she completed the first ever underwater live video in Australia on World Ocean's Day 2018, as part of the National Geographic Australia ‘Planet or Plastic’ campaign focusing on the impact plastic has on the marine ecosystem. Michaela has amassed a variety of awards, including being named on Photoboite’s list of 30 Under 30 Women Photographers. She also runs regular photography workshops across Australia, and is a trained freediver and a scuba diver.
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