WILD NATURE PHOTO TRAVEL

The high Arctic in Winter is a place to inspire the imagination. It is a white landscape bathed in golden light. This unique expedition ventures north of Longyearbyen by ship in late winter/early Spring in search of Arctic Wildlife and spectacular landscapes.

The main focus of this expedition will be Arctic winter/spring light, landscape and wildlife. In April and May, the light conditions in Svalbard are magical. Usually, winter trips to Svalbard are limited to day trips on snowmobiles, which are quite close to Longyearbyen. With our expedition ship, we will explore a much bigger area, including the western and northern areas of Spitzbergen.

The landscape in and around the Svalbard archipelago is stunning and primordial. Glacier-scarred mountains dominate the landscape and will be a significant subject for our cameras during the expedition. The landscape opportunities are, therefore, as varied and important as the wildlife encounters.

With Longyearbyen, Svalbard, as our starting point, we will explore the archipelago of Svalbard as we search for majestic landscapes and Arctic wildlife. In April, the landscape will be bathed in a combination of blue hour and golden light by the sun's low angle, providing a stunning backdrop to photograph this evocative location.

This expedition has been designed to provide the best possible opportunities to experience and photograph the landscape and wildlife of this fantastic, high-arctic location. We expect to encounter wildlife, including Polar Bears, Walruses, Seals, and Arctic Foxes.

This exclusive expedition is for a strictly limited number of just 12 participants plus a leader and is dedicated to photography in the high Arctic.

We will use the ice-hardened expedition ship M.S Freya, enabling us to navigate deep into the pack ice, searching for and photographing Polar Bears, landscapes and other wildlife. M.S Feya is regarded as the best ship in the Arctic for Photography. Our expedition ship is also equipped with sufficient zodiacs (2 x Zodiac MKV models) and crew for all photographers to be shooting simultaneously, with plenty of room to spare for camera equipment - So bring what you need!

Meals will be held onboard the ship and shall consist of breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee and two-course dinner (three-course dinner the last evening). Coffee and tea will be available 24 hours a day. The mealtimes shall be held regularly, but the catering crew has been informed that photography has priority on this expedition and flexibility is necessary. If you have special dietary requirements, you will be accommodated – please just be sure to let us know when you make your booking.

If you are excited about travelling deep into the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean in search of dramatic landscapes, Polar Bears and more with a small group of dedicated photographers now is the time to secure your place. Places are very limited, and once they are spoken for, that's it.

Expedition Ship: M/S Freya was originally built at the Åsis Yard in Åmål 1981, for the Swedish Maritime Administration as the light house building vessel “FYRBJÖRN”. The ship was owned by the Maritime Administration until 2011 when it was taken over by the Swedish Coast Guard. MS Freya is built to Lloyd´s class for unrestricted trade and has the highest ice class, 1A. The vessel was rebuilt and extended 5 meters with a tank section at Holms shipyard in 1995. In 2015, Master Mariner AB took over the ship, converted her for expedition use and named her ” Freya af Göteborg”. With an engine power of 1360 hp, the highest ice class and certificates for unrestricted trade, MS Freya is an outstanding expedition ship.

In 2017, she had a large upgrade with seven large twin cabins and a spacious lounge added. M/S Freya is in spite of her old fashion charm, equipped with the latest navigation and security equipment. She is thoroughly maintained and is in good condition. Every year, she goes through full safety controls with the Swedish maritime administration.

M/S Freya has the capacity for 20 – 24 passengers (although our expedition is limited to 12 private cabins) and 2 guides in eleven lovely twin cabins. All cabins are outside cabins and have port holes. All cabins have a private shower and WC.

Bunker Clause: Participant pricing is based on oil price at NOK6500 per metric tonne. If the fuel price is higher than this at Bunker, there may be an additional fuel surcharge. Participants will be notified in writing should the need for a surcharge eventuate. Every effort will be made to avoid any surcharge.

Why a Winter trip? Winter in Svalbard provides an opportunity for a snow-covered landscape and hours of golden light. In March and April, the sun never gets high in the sky, and we will have approximately 8-10 hours of daylight to photograph. If conditions are good, we may get spectacular golden sunsets and sunrises.

Accommodation: For the duration of this workshop, we will be based on our expedition ship. All cabins include private bathrooms.

Wildlife: Arctic wildlife we may encounter and photograph on this expedition includes Polar Bears, Arctic Foxes, Walrus, Reindeer, Whales (including Orca, Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Beluga Whale and Humpback Whale, Ptarmigan, Ivory Gulls, Glaucous Gulls, Arctic Terns, Sabine Gulls, Snow Buntings and more.

Dietary Requirements: If you have special dietary requirements, we will do our best to accommodate you. Please just be sure to let us know when you make your booking.

Travel: We will be based on our expedition ship for the duration of this workshop. We may make excursions via Zodiac for cruises and shore landings.

Equipment: Telephoto lenses from 300 mm to 600 mm are recommended for wildlife. Zoom lenses generally provide more flexibility for fast-moving wildlife and are preferred when possible. A wide-angle lens and mid-range zoom are recommended if you wish to make images of the stunning winter landscape.

REGISTER ONLINE FOR THIS WORKSHOP