Spitsbergen Photography: Under the Midnight Sun

Take your photography skills to the next level and explore one of Noway’s most pristine island’s on this 11-day arctic cruising adventure. Explore the unspoiled beauty of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, and discover its coastal fjords, towering mountainous terrain and smaller, surrounding islands. Travel with onboard expert, award-winning guest photographer Chris Linder, who’ll give presentations and hands-on learning opportunities that will help you to perfect your lens choices, perspective, composition, and how to make the most of various lighting and weather situations. Plus, share your adventure with countless arctic wildlife that call this area home, with plenty of opportunity to practice your newly found photography skills on them. This cruise combines nature, wildlife, action and photography to make the perfect trip for the creative adventurer who’s ready to return home with just as many incredible photos as incredible memories. As you’d expect, temperatures in the Arctic are very cold. A warm parka will be provided along with waterproof boots and unlimited hot drinks, but you should also bring base layers and lots of warm clothing. Please see the trip notes for further important information about what to bring.Weather depending, you will be making regular excursions in a Zodiac boat to explore the local area and look for wildlife. It can get very cold and wet on the Zodiac, so make sure you are dressed appropriately and that you keep your camera safe and dry. Sturdy sea legs are needed as you make wet and dry landings from the boat, and on steep terrain, snow and other uneven surfaces. Some ships have a lot of stairs, so please hold on to the handrails if seas are rough.The weather plays a pivotal part in this adventure and although there’s an itinerary in place, there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to do everything that is planned for. A level of flexibility and openness to embracing the unexpected are important in expedition travel, especially to such a remote area.This trip takes places during the time of year that Spitsbergen enjoys 24-hour daylight. Just one of the benefits of this is that incredible wildlife can be seen at any time of the day – be prepared to be woken at any time so as to not miss out on exciting animal sightings.Polar bears are one of the most incredible and appealing animals on the planet, but they are also powerful predators with little fear of humans. Therefore it’s necessary to be aware of the guidelines surrounding any contact with Polar bears. Follow your leader’s instructions and do not stray from your group – your leader carries equipment to protect you.