SAVE UP TO 25% ON SELECT ANTARCTIC & ARCTIC VOYAGES

There’s nothing like photographing the polar regions. The clean air, the silence, the beauty. Each time I’ve ventured to the Arctic I’ve been blown away by the landscapes, the wildlife and the weather, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it all again with AE Expeditions.

In August 2024 I’ll be joined by my good friends and fantastic photographers Nigel Danson and Mads Peter Iversen to host a 12-day workshop aboard the Greg Mortimer. We’ll spend time in perhaps the most talked about place in the Arctic, Svalbard.

Along with many landings and Zodiac trips, there will be lots of opportunity for talks and tutorials throughout the expedition, both from us but also the crew who are experts on the region and the wildlife we hope to see. Even more importantly, having sailed aboard the Greg Mortimer in Antarctica, I can vouch for the incredible food.

We’ll also disembark at the end of the trip in Longyearbyen, should anybody want to continue their adventures beyond our voyage. It promises to be an unforgettable experience, and we’ll be on hand the entire trip to ensure you get the photos that make sure of it.

Take your photography to the next level

We are offering an incredible opportunity for photographers and videographers of any skill level to pick up life-long technical and creative photographic tips from world-class photographers.

Leave with more than just memories and secure an exclusive group saving of 15%* off our Svalbard Odyssey expedition in August 2024.

Learn how to set up your camera, improve your composition and hone your craft no matter what camera gear you have, with informal tuition onboard or during landings and excursions.

Your home away from home will be the purpose-built small ship, the Greg Mortimer, featuring the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW®, which allows it to cross oceans more comfortably and efficiently (while utilising less fuel!). It also boasts expansive observation decks to bring you closer to the environment  offering the perfect base camp for photographers.

Enjoy a Balcony Stateroom Category C from £9,600 twin share*!

Remember to quote Arctic Photography Workshop.

Nigel Danson

Nigel Danson

Nigel Danson is a YouTube creator and landscape photographer. Being dyslexic, photography had a profound impact on Nigel’s early life, when he uncovered the joys of developing images in a makeshift darkroom. He discovered his love of light and how it could create infinite possibilities of what was otherwise a static landscape. Nigel’s philosophy is to seize the moment, to capture the essence of his experiences. He runs workshops all over the world to share his knowledge and passion for landscape photography.

James Popsys

James Popsys

James Popsys is a British Outdoor Photographer and Youtuber who lives in Snowdonia, Wales. Before YouTube he worked as a commercial conceptual photographer but being a firm believer that all the best stuff in life happens outdoors, he spent most of 2016/17 searching high and low for ways to spend less of his life at a desk. James is drawn to documenting nature but also the human impact on it, for better and for worse. It’s a passion he loves to share on his YouTube channel, as well as in person running workshops around the world.

Mads Peter Iversen

Mads Peter Iversen

Mads Peter Iversen, a photographer living in Denmark. An educated schoolteacher with a master degree in educational philosophy. After trying out other photography genres, such as headshot photography and commercial videography with great success, I’ve settled on fine art landscape pictures. I started out as a photographer in 2011 and my experience with video editing goes back to 2002. Mads finds inspiration all over the world but he’s especially drawn to the nordic, cold and harsh yet stunningly beautiful nature.

Remember to quote Arctic Photography Workshop.

Gallery

Svalbard Odyssey

Departing 11 August 2024 | 12 Days | Expedition

Enjoy the best of Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs, and beluga whales rise from the sea. Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers, keep watch for Arctic fox, and discover historical camps of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to find walrus and bearded seals, and delight in the breathtakingly beautiful fjords. This expedition ticks many boxes, including hikes to beautiful viewpoints and ample opportunities to spot iconic Arctic wildlife.

Highlights

  • Discover the thrill of seeing walrus, seals, whales, reindeer, Arctic fox, guillemots and puffins
  • Cruise along blue glaciers and through stunning fjords
  • Venture close to 80° north, searching for polar bears on pack ice

Itinerary

Having made your way to Longyearbyen, you will be met by a representative of AE Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the AE Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information about where to dine, withdraw cash or purchase last minute items from a local pharmacy or supermarket.  

The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Accommodation: Funken Lodge (or similar)

This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. 

This morning, your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for sanitisation, clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please ensure that your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Any valuables or personal items should be kept on you throughout the day. Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before joining your fellow expeditioners on a guided city tour of Longyearbyen. 

On the drive to Camp Barentz, located in Advent Valley, your guide will give you an introduction to Longyearbyen’s fascinating history. Once at Camp Barentz we enjoy a presentation in the large ‘lavvo’ – a traditional building common in northern Norway. You will also have the opportunity to meet the friendly huskies and perhaps pick up some souvenirs. A visit to the Svalbard Museum is included back in town before embarking the vessel in the late afternoon.

After the tour, you will be transferred directly to the pier to embark in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail. 

This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and our friendly Expedition Team and crew at the Welcome Dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure.

NOTE: Sometimes our ship is unable to dock in Longyearbyen port due to space and capacity. In these instances, we reach the ship by Zodiac. Please ensure that you keep your wet-weather gear in your hand luggage to use in the Zodiacs, if the situation arises. Please ensure your cabin luggage tag is completed clearly showing your cabin number and name. Our crew will deliver your luggage directly to your cabin.

Svalbard offers Arctic wilderness at its best. The members of our experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor our day-to-day itinerary, choosing the best options, based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions and the possibility of encounters with wildlife.

Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils, set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled-out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, we stretch our legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly coloured wildflowers. We visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies. Most memorable will be encounters with the majestic polar bear on pack ice. Your Expedition Team is just as keen as you are to find them – they will be on constant watch to spot these inspiring creatures.

If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip – a memory you will savour for years to come.

During the early morning we cruise back into Longyearbyen. Farewell your Expedition Team upon disembarkation and enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport to continue your journey.

Note: We do not recommend booking flights that depart prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation, as we may experience delays at the conclusion of the voyage.

Note: In the spirit of expedition travel, we encourage exploration and adventure offering flexibility in challenging environments. This itinerary is only a guide and is subject to change due to weather, sea, pack-ice and other conditions beyond our control.  

Remember to quote Arctic Photography Workshop.

Pre-Register for this Voyage

By completing this form, I agree to sharing my contact details with the Photographers named on this voyage.

Remember to quote Arctic Photography Workshop.

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