Tomorrow afternoonI am going to be leaving Australia for the long trek up to Longyearbyen at 78º north to lead my annual Arctic summer expedition for Polar Bears, Walrus, Arctic Fox and of course Arctic landscapes. I have been in Australia for two months now – the longest stretch I have had at home in more than five years and I am feeling rested, fully recharged and super keen to get back up to the Arctic.
As some of you are aware I have been battling with a badly torn lateral tendon in my right elbow (the result of continued repetitive strain with cameras and lenses (No! I will not switch to mirrorless!) that has precluded me from much serious photography since I returned from winter in the Arctic earlier this year. After very intensive physiotherapy I finally feel like I have started to turn the corner and have taken the first steps on the road to recovery. It will be many months before the tendon is fully healed and I have to be careful how I use my arm, but I can now lift my camera again and that means I am ready to get back into the game with both er… feet….as it were.
Its tradition for me to do a packing list for each expedition and so included below is my gear choice for this particular trip. All of this will pack into my F-Stop Lightroom Roller which I will use to get the equipment through the transit stage of my expedition (I no longer wish to lug a backpack through airports without rollers). I will then re-pack it on location into my F-stop backpack.
F- Stop Lightroom Roller Camera Bag:
- 2 x Canon EOS 1DX MKII
- 2 X Canon EOS 1DX MKII Spare Batteries
- 1 x Canon 11-24mm F4L
- 1 x Canon 24-70mm F4L IS
- 1 x Canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS MKII (I am unsure if I will upgrade to the MKIII at this stage)
- 1 x Canon 400mm F2.8L IS MKII
- 1 x Canon 1.4 TC MKIII Teleconverter
In my checked luggage I am bringing the following:
- 1 x Sachtler Carbon Fire Tripod (the new model I have not as yet tested in the field)
- 1 x Sachtler FSB-6 Fluid Head
- 1 x Ortlieb Dry Bag (for zodiac excursions)
- 1 x Canon 1DX MKII Battery Charger and Lens Cleaning Kit
The astute gear gurus amongst you will probably note that I am taking the 400mm f2.8 instead of the 600mm f4. The primary reason for this is I have been doing some testing with my physiotherapist and am finding the 400mm better balanced for my elbow as the weight is not so far forward. The addition of the 1.4TC gets me out to almost 600mm in any case and provides both a super fast aperture as well as a flexible focal length.
Summer in the Arctic is an incredible time. With the midnight sun we will have 24 hours of light available for photography and that means a huge amount of opportunities. The ice is quite far north at present, which means we may have to go as high as 82º this year. Either way, I cant wait to stand on the bow as we push through the pack ice and raise my camera for that first polar bear of the expedition. See you in Svalbard!
Addendum: There are now limited places only on next years High Arctic Expedition. If you are keen to join us and secure a spot for the best available Arctic expedition experience please let me know as soon as possible.
In this captivating region of Namibia lies a maze of mountainous valleys that look like they were carpeted from slope to slope by ivory coloured grass, criss-crossed by ancient riverbeds and dotted with a collection of photogenic acacia trees. The final unique touch is added by the large snake like dunes that rise from the grasslands like the roof of some subterranean world. These stark and compelling landscapes are something to behold with the human eye, but when it’s sweeping meadows, barren mountains and blood red dunes are captured and transformed into a two dimensional image, it becomes obvious why this place is so beautifully addictive to photographers.
The goal of this safari is to photograph the breathtaking desert landscapes and wildlife of Namibia. We have complete flexibility to stop to take photographs at any time along the way with plenty of room for gear and equipment – so bring what you need! This safari has been designed to a good balance between flexibility, photographic opportunities and comfortable accommodations.
This new safari has been custom tailored and tweaked to take in the very best of Namibia and includes such iconic areas as the mystical Deadvlei, the ghost town of Kolmanskop and the Dune landscapes of Sossusvlei. We will also visit Etosha at the best possible time for wildlife. We also have opportunities for photography flights from helicopter over the spectacular Skeleton Coast. We have even arranged an internal flight to minimise driving time!
This exclusive safari is for a strictly limited number of just 10 participants (only two places remaining) plus leader and guide and is dedicated to the photography of desert landscapes and the wildlife of Namibia. You can download a complete 
To get an idea of the sort of photographs you can make on this workshop check out the 
