Too much travelling last year … so I ended up having a great arrear in editing and publishing my pictures. Many might not resurface during the first years, but hey … As long as we are having fun in the field and shooting fantastic wildlife and nature. And that’s exactly what we did last summer in Svalbard!

I was guiding on the MS Origo for a group of 12 photographers from various countries like Belgium, the US, Denmark and even Singapore. With a small group like that, we remain very flexible, and that’s what it’s all about when you’re in such a remote place. You never know where you will find the ice-flows (which is always the first goal of the trip, since it’s where the Polar bears roam) and where and when to find wildlife. It’s a game of being on standby all the time and of carefully selecting when to sleep. If you can call it sleep.

Svalbard: unique every time

After guiding several summer expeditions in Svalbard, I can say we had a very successful trip. The guests were very excited! Every trip is different. You never encounter the same conditions twice, or make the same pictures. Even if you sail the exact same route, something will always have changed, creating some new, stunning photography challenges.

This year, we had the unique opportunity to sail as far east as Storøya and even Kvitøya as early as July, which is very rare. These are very remote places, but Polar bears often rest on the small islands, which we had the good fortune of photographing. We still had plenty of time to visit all the unique places on the itinerary and cruise through the pack-ice, thanks to the swift and strongly built ship The Origo.

Svalbard is my favourite travel destination, and I look forward to guiding even more trips in the future. Next month we bring a new group to Svalbard, exploring the archipelago by boat ànd by snow scooter. And in July we sail out again with The Origo. There are still a few spots available on this exciting expedition! If you would like to join me, don’t hesitate to send me a message and I will provide you with all the details you need.

The pictures were taken with Nikon D5, D810, D500, AF-S VR 600mm F4 E FL, 80-400mm, 14-24mm, 24-70mm.

Thanks again to the fantastic group of participants, you guys made this trip unforgettable!

 

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