Photography expeditions
New perspectives and documentary-worthy scenes, all set within the most captivating destinations on Earth.
With our acclaimed polar photographer guides by your side, capture moments with meaning and images that will never fade on our Arctic photo tours and Antarctic photo expeditions.
Our photography tours are for everyone, whatever your ability.
So whether you’re a professional photographer, an enthusiastic amateur keen to develop your skills, or an absolute beginner, our Arctic photo expeditions and Antarctic photo tours serve up unique photography opportunities to take your shots to a whole new level.
“One image has the power to stand for those who cannot speak.”
— Florian Ledoux, photographer
Photography expedition guides
Our photography expedition guides set us apart. Their skill and passion for their craft inspire us and each one of our guests, trip after trip.
Each photography tour guide has their own style, but they are united in their love for the lands we explore.
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
With 0% light pollution and insane iceberg sculptures, paired with the world’s finest aurora borealis photographer, you’re in for a treat.
- 12 guests
- 9 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
Head out into wild and remote East Greenland with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, capturing the aurora borealis blossoming above the fjords of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
Follow photographer Virgil Reglioni into the bewitching pastel light and frozen fairytale landscape of the Arctic spring.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour Lite with Max Unterharnscheidt
Join Max, an adventure-driven storyteller whose warmth and instinctive eye for fleeting moments bring authenticity and emotion to every image.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Piet van den Bemd
Join all-action photographer Piet van den Bemd on this late-season adventure to Svalbard, where the goal is to reach Austfonna ice cap and photograph meltwater waterfalls cascading down its face.
- 12 guests
- — days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
Head north with world-renowned photographer and tutor Randy Hanna, capturing the frozen Arctic landscape of Svalbard in the spring.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
Photograph the northern lights illuminating the skies above Scoresbysund with nature photography legend Randy Hanna.
- 12 guests
- 9 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
Venture north with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, shooting Svalbard blanketed in snow and puzzle-piece sea ice.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein
Paul Goldstein is a nature-photography heavyweight, a go-hard, all-hours maestro – and the perfect guide to take your wildlife photography up a gear (or 10) in Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite with Piet van den Bemd
Join pro photographer Piet van den Bemd on a special compact adventure to shoot Svalbard in the springtime.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
Explore summertime Svalbard with nature photographer Randy Hanna, capturing intimate shots of wildlife in their stunning Arctic habitat.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
Set off on a late-season adventure, when sunsets and sunrises cast spellbinding colours the archipelago, and capture the meltwater waterfalls of the Austfonna ice cap with top polar photographer Virgil Reglioni.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Photography destinations
ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC PHOTO TOURS
Our photography expeditions explore the most remote locations in the world
We explore unique destinations that are teeming with diverse wildlife, flourishing flora, resilient communities, and stunning scenery – capturing images that stand as true testaments to the astounding complexities and beauty of nature.
Why take a photo tour with us?
No queues. Just camera clicks.
Explore with an acclaimed polar photographer as an additional guide
Amateur or pro, you’ll learn a lot from our professional polar photographer, from framing a shot to capturing wildlife on the move and making the most of the lighting and weather conditions. After a day out photographing in the field, join them for evening workshops and lectures.
Intimate group size for a transformative experience
Disconnect from modern life on a small-group expedition with just 12 or 44 guests. Connect with yourself, your intimate group of fellow explorers, and the world around you without the crowds and chaos of larger ships.
Micro expedition ship reaches places bigger vessels can’t
Experience things that simply aren’t possible on so-called “small ship” expeditions.
Expedition leaders and guides with decades of polar experience and hundreds of expeditions between them
Our expedition leaders and guides are polar superstars. Tap into their knowledge and passion, with one guide to every six guests.
No crowds, no queueing
No crowd of guests around a single photo opportunity. From ship to Zodiac in minutes. You didn’t come this far from civilisation to queue.
No fixed itinerary. Go where the journey takes you.
We prefer to embrace spontaneity and make the most of every opportunity nature presents to us. Secret Atlas's fly-cruise options get you there faster so you spend more time seizing those perfect moments – whether it's an unexpected whale breach or ideal lighting for that glacier shot.
Photography expeditions
All our photography expeditions are aligned with nature, itinerary-free, and take small groups into the wildest places on Earth.
Svalbard
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour
78°13’N, 15°38’E
Landscape photographers adore Svalbard in the early season, when puzzle-piece sea ice and snow-enrobed shorelines glow under pastel sunrises and sunsets.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Head north with world-renowned photographer and tutor Randy Hanna, capturing the frozen Arctic landscape of Svalbard in the spring.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north with acclaimed photographer Dean Tatooles, shooting Svalbard blanketed in snow and puzzle-piece sea ice.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Spring Photo Tour Lite with Piet van den Bemd
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Join pro photographer Piet van den Bemd on a special compact adventure to shoot Svalbard in the springtime.
- 12 guests
- 8 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Venture north to photograph Svalbard as summer sweeps across the archipelago and the Arctic bursts into life.
- guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Paul Goldstein
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Paul Goldstein is a nature-photography heavyweight, a go-hard, all-hours maestro – and the perfect guide to take your wildlife photography up a gear (or 10) in Svalbard.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Summer Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Explore summertime Svalbard with nature photographer Randy Hanna, capturing intimate shots of wildlife in their stunning Arctic habitat.
- 12 guests
- 10 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Wildlife and landscape photographers rush to catch Svalbard at this unique part of the year, when languorous sunrises and sunsets paint the scenery in autumnal colours and far-flung destinations like Austfonna are still within reach.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 12 days
Svalbard Autumn Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
78°22’N, 15°65’E
Set off on a late-season adventure, when sunsets and sunrises cast spellbinding colours the archipelago, and capture the meltwater waterfalls of the Austfonna ice cap with top polar photographer Virgil Reglioni.
- 12 guests
- 12 days
Greenland
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Capture the heavens bursting with light above the monumental icebergs and high-drama landscape of Scoresbysund.
- 12 guests
- 8 — 9 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Virgil Reglioni
70°50’N, 25°00’W
With 0% light pollution and insane iceberg sculptures, paired with the world’s finest aurora borealis photographer, you’re in for a treat.
- 12 guests
- 9 days
Scoresbysund Northern Lights Photo Tour with Randy Hanna
70°50’N, 25°00’W
Photograph the northern lights illuminating the skies above Scoresbysund with nature photography legend Randy Hanna.
- 12 guests
- 9 days
South Georgia
54°16’S, 36°30’W
South Georgia Spring Micro Cruise
54°16’S, 36°30’W
Capture South Georgia’s spring awakening without crowds or rigid schedules. Witness king penguins courting, elephant seals battling, and abundant wildlife with just 44 guests.
- guests
- 15 days
South Georgia Autumn Micro Cruise
54°16’S, 36°30’W
Explore South Georgia’s snow-dusted peaks, golden autumn light, roaring elephant seals, and vibrant penguin colonies on our longest-ever 15-day expedition with just 44 guests.
- guests
- 15 days
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica Micro Cruise
Combine Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica on a 78-guest cruise expedition in Spring. Follow in Shackleton’s footsteps, witness penguin chicks and whales, and enjoy uncrowded, pristine landscapes.
- 78 guests
- 21 days
Design your own private expedition micro cruise with Secret Atlas
Share the journey with those who matter most.
Photography expedition FAQs
When is the best time to visit the Arctic on a photo tour?
It depends on what you want to see. Consider an early-season trip in April or May to encounter the Arctic as a frozen paradise, waking up from winter. Between late August and October, you’ll capture spectacular sunrises and get a chance to marvel at the northern lights.
For wildlife photography, summer is the most plentiful season – the migratory birds return to the cliffs and animals are easier to spot. But photographing Arctic wildlife in the snow and on the ice during the sunny winter is hugely rewarding, too.
Which is the best destination for wildlife photography in the Arctic?
The two Arctic destinations we explore – Svalbard and East Greenland – are both fantastic destinations for wildlife photography. That’s why we go there.
Svalbard is the more obvious choice for wildlife photographers as it boasts a higher density of wildlife, making sightings of walruses, seals, and polar bears more common. East Greenland is better known for its show-stopping scenery, but otherworldly musk oxen, Greenlandic reindeer, and Arctic hares are regularly spotted against the stunning backdrop.
What’s the best location for landscape photography in the Arctic?
Ask anyone who’s been there: East Greenland is home to some of the most stunning landscapes on Earth. The scenery here is untamed and limitless, with sky-high granite peaks in the south, remote fjords in the east, and monolithic icebergs rising up from the sea.
Svalbard offers fantastic opportunities for landscape photographers, too, with 2,000 magnificent glaciers and the famous Austfonna ice cap, frozen seascapes early in the season, and beautifully pastelly sunsets and sunrises in September.
When is the best time for an Antarctica photo tour?
Warmer temperatures, longer days, and more abundant wildlife make the months between November and March the best time for an Antarctica photography expedition. Both penguins and seals are more visible during this period as they mate and raise their young.
During the winter months it is not possible to reach Antarctica by ship.
When is the best time for a South Georgia photo tour?
As with Antarctica, South Georgia experiences less extreme weather, calmer conditions, and its peak wildlife numbers between November and March, making this the optimum time to visit on a photography expedition. The penguin and seal populations mate and raise their kids across the season, and millions of seabirds return to the island to breed.
During the winter months it is not possible to reach South Georgia by ship.
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