Every other year, I guide a workshop in Africa for both landscape and wildlife. My last was to Namibia back in 2018 – pre-pandemic. This year I will be leading a trip to Zululand in South Africa for wildlife and will be departing in just a few days’ time.

Packing and preparations for Africa are considerably easier than in the Polar regions as it obviously requires far less in the way of warm clothing and cold-weather equipment. In fact, outside of camera gear, it’s pretty much shorts, a t-shirt, and a sunhat, making packing a joy and pleasure. In terms of equipment, though; for this workshop, I will take the following:

Camera Equipment

2 x Canon EOS R3 cameras with 2 spare batteries

1 x Canon RF 14-35mm f4

1 x Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8 or Canon 100-500 RF (I still can’t decide). I love the flexibility of the 100-500, but it’s just a bit slower than I would like.

1 x Canon RF 600mm f4L IS USM

You might notice that there is no mid-range zoom in my kit for this trip. After traveling to so many locations and never actually using my 24-105, I decided this time to simply leave it at home. I am sure that means that I will probably want and/or need it at some point…

For those of you who have asked when I will next return to Namibia; I am planning an all-new trip to this amazing country for 2024. If you want to get the jump on it and secure a place drop me an email (no obligation at this point).

I have just published Episode #43 of my Wild Nature Photography Podcast. This podcast episode includes a short discussion on the power of Passion and Dreams as well as several workshop updates.

My annual expedition to photograph Arctic Fox in the far north of Iceland in Winter next year is now sold out – thank you. This expedition is very near and dear to my heart and has been something I have been offering for some years now. It is a chance to get up close and personal with one of Nature’s greatest feats of engineering – the Arctic Fox – in one of Iceland’s most remote and beautiful locations. I always look forward to returning to the Hornstrandir Nature reserve to photograph these amazing little predators.

There is now also only one place remaining on the 2024 expedition before it will also be sold out. If you want to get an idea of what this expedition entails be sure to check out the Adobe Spark Presentation. Drop me an email for further information or to register your interest.

In early April 2022, I ran my Svalbard Spring Light Expedition. This was my first expedition to Svalbard since 2019 – pre pandemic; and it was absolutely brilliant to return to this incredible archipelago. As I have written before, Winter and early Spring have become my favourite time of year to visit Svalbard.  The low angle of sun, snow and ice covered landscape draped with stunning ethereal light make for wonderful photographic opportunities and unlimited potential. We certainly experienced some really incredible light and landscape during this expedition. We also had some wonderful wildlife encounters.

This year I decided to include a daily itinerary of our travel and experiences – included below: The map below shows our GPS track fo the expedition.

Day 1 8/4 Departure from Longyearbyen. Isfjorden, searching the ice edge outside Dicksonfjorden and Ekmanfjorden for Polar Bear and other wildlife. We had an absolutely once in a lifetime experience with a Walrus close to the ship communicating with fantastic photographic opportunities. We then anchored in the ice overnight. 

Day 2 9/4 Isfjorden. During the day whilst I was scouting from bridge with my binoculars I spoted a White Arctic Fox very close to the ship on the sea ice in soft overcast light that also provided amazing photographic opportunities. We also had Finwhale in the sunset sailing north.

Day 3 10/4 Fuglefjorden and the pack ice edge. Crossed the 80^th parallel. Cruised through heavy pack ice with many Ivory gulls. Spectacular sea ice as we searched for Polar Bear.

Day 4 11/4 Searching the pack ice north of Svalbard for wildlife. Strong winds and heavy swell from the east forced us to seek shelter in Raudfjorden overnight.

Day 5 12/4 Northeastern corner. Sailing through Norsksundet to Smeerenburgfjorden. Evening in Wijdefjorden. We were the first ship this year to venture into this region. One Polar bear on land and a dead Beluga whale in the drift ice.

Day 6 13/ 4 North of Gråhuken. Two Polar bears on land. Sailed through Woodfjorden. Explored Lilliehöökfjorden and Lilliehöökbreen with its massive glacier front. Cruised through Krossfjorden and Kings Bay. Incredible scenery and landscapes.

Day 7 14/4 Searched the fast ice in Bellsund. Landscapes and ice in Van Mijen and Van Keulenfjorden. A very unusual and incredibly rare sighting of a common crane flying over in Van Mijenfjorden.

Day 8 15/4 Light snow over the landscape in Isfjorden. Cruised the fast ice edge in Dicksonfjorden, Ekmanfjorden, Borebukta and Ymerbukta. Several King eider ducks and many Brünnichs guillemots before returning to Longyearbyen.

My 2023 expedition to Svalbard in Winter is now filling fast with just a few places remaining. If you are keen to photograph in this amazing archipelago in the beauty of early Spring then just drop me an email to express your interest. The remaining places are filled on a first come, first served basis.  If you want to get an idea of what to expect check out the Article – The Art of Polar Bear Photography.