Photography Holidays with Secret Atlas

The ultimate photography holidays with Secret Atlas. We will take you on a photography trip to some of the most remote, and rarely visited places on Earth. Our trips are led by world-class photographers and expedition leaders. From the northernmost parts of Norway to the southern polar wonder of Antarctica – we’ll visit places not everyone gets to.

Our Top Photography Holidays

Svalbard Photography Holidays

Photographers come from all over the world to capture the Arctic wonder of Svalbard, an archipelago with nine main islands to the north of Norway. It’s located just 800 miles (1287.48km) from the North Pole, and home to an abundance of wildlife.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for landscape and wildlife photography. Svalbard is home to an abundance of wildlife, and there is a good chance of photographing polar bears in the wild, as well as walruses, beluga whales, reindeers, and a vast array of birdlife. You’ll learn how to capture majestic Arctic landscapes including huge glaciers and frozen shores like a pro.

Natural Wonders of Svalbard Photography Holiday with Chase Teron

May 2021, 2022

Get expert tips on how to set up, capture, and edit the best possible wildlife photographs on a 9-day micro-cruise with Chase Teron. Chase is a professional wildlife and nature photographer as well as an environmentalist, and he’ll be giving group tutorials and one-to-one photography sessions to prepare you for wildlife sightings. Our small expedition vessel will take us up close to nature, and reach places larger ships can’t get to. We’ll travel up the north-west Spitsbergen coast, searching for photo opportunities, with the 24-hr May daylight on our side.

And there are plenty of incredible photo opportunities along the way.

We’ll visit walrus haul-out sites, explore areas where polar bears roam and get up close to some of Svalbard’s largest, and most impressive glacier fronts. We regularly see walruses, seals, and land-based mammals including Arctic foxes, and reindeer. There’s an excellent chance of encountering marine life too, such as beluga whales, blue whales, and fin whales. Conditions-allowing, we’ll also attempt to explore the sea ice to the north of the archipelago that stretches to the North Pole.

See the tour

svalbard photo tour


Frozen Svalbard with Rick Tomlinson

Setting off in April, early in the season is a great time for seeing and photographing polar bears like a pro as the ice is close. Professional, expedition and wildlife photographer Rick Tomlinson has been to the Arctic many times, and his pictures have been featured in international publications including National Geographic.

Rick will help our 12 guests to capture dramatic landscape photographs as we journey north and experience Svalbard as it transitions to spring. We’ll have great opportunities to photograph Arctic wildlife and landscapes, including snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and frozen shores – keeping a look out for wildlife as we travel, which could include polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, and whales.

See the tour

svalbard photo tour


What to Expect from an Arctic Photography Experience

Secret Atlas photography holidays are led by world-class wildlife and nature photographers, and an experienced expedition leader. Joining a micro-expedition cruise with just 12 passengers means you’ll get the opportunity for expert tutorials and advice on how to capture the perfect wildlife shot.

Our Zodiac landing craft will take you ashore for wilderness hikes, exploring the shoreline, and looking for wildlife including polar bears, walruses, and Svalbard reindeer – a subspecies that only exists on the archipelago.

Top Tips for a Photo Safari

  • Bring a long lens. We often see wildlife from a distance, so we recommend a minimum telephoto lens of 300mm. If you are looking to get close up shots of animals, then bring a 600mm lens.
  • Considering renting a lens, it’s is more cost-effective than purchasing
  • Bring lots of spare batteries. Batteries don’t last as long in the Arctic cold.
  • Use a fast shutter speed for photographing fast-moving wildlife such as birds.

For more wildlife photography information and tips, see our Svalbard photography page.

polar bear photo tour

wildlife photo tour in svalbard

Polar bears by Chase Teron. One of the many highlights of a Svalbard photography holiday.

Northern Lights Photography Holidays – Tromsø, Norway

Join a micro-expedition cruise to Tromsø during the winter to witness and capture the northern lights, and see orcas (killer whales) in the wild. This part of Norway’s latitude of almost 70° north and relatively low light pollution makes it one of the best places in the world to experience the northern lights (or aurora borealis) as they shimmer across the sky, usually appearing as green hues, but occasionally they appear to be red, yellow, pink, blue, or purple too!

By day, you’ll explore the stunning snowy landscapes, surrounding mountains, and fjords with a good chance of spotting orcas along the way. You’ll also go ashore to wander through scenic fishing villages. It’s worth packing a full-frame camera with a wide-angle lens for the best chance of capturing all the colours and detail of the northern lights, as well as a tripod. But our expert photographer will show you how to set up and take beautiful photos.

We plan to announce dates shortly for 2021. Please contact us to register an interest here.


whale watching in norway

What to Expect from a Photography Experience in Tromsø

Our photography holidays are led by world-class wildlife and nature photographers, as well as an experienced expedition leader. Joining a micro-expedition cruise with just 12 passengers means you’ll get the opportunity for a more enriching experience. Our photographers are on hand to give expert tutorials and one-on-one advice on how to capture the perfect wildlife shot – and you’ll learn lots about the incredible Norwegian landscape, history, and wildlife from our veteran expedition leader.

While we can’t guarantee the daily appearances of either – Tromsø is one of the best places in the world for witnessing the northern lights and seeing killer whales in the wild. Travelling in a small group is a better experience than a larger tour group for travellers, wildlife, and the environment. There are no crowds to disturb the peace or waiting around to go ashore – we have plenty of space for the whole group in our Zodiacs. And once you’re there, you’ll experience the Arctic wilderness without rushing, in the company of like-minded guests.

Greenland Photography Holidays

Greenland is the largest island on Earth and is part of the North American continent. With a total land area of 836,000 square miles and a population of under 60,000, Greenland is one of the least inhabited places on earth. It’s a haven for landscape photographers – perfect for capturing Arctic landscapes and stillness. There are very few roads on Greenland, so the best way to explore its rugged beauty is from the sea. During the summer sea ice retreats, which means the coast can be navigated, and opening up passages to stunning iceberg filled fjords.

Travelling on a micro-expedition vessel with just 12 guests is a fantastic opportunity for an intimate, and low-impact way to experience Greenland. Our small vessel is less disruptive to the local culture and environment compared with larger cruise ships that visit the area. You’ll get a one-off opportunity for an adventure with your camera – exploring and capturing towering icebergs (some as high as skyscrapers, remote glaciers, deep fjords, and colourful settlements.

We plan to announce dates shortly for 2021. Please contact us to register an interest here.

discko bay cruise in greenland

cruise to greenland

Antarctica Photography Holidays

Take the photography holiday of a lifetime, aboard a micro-expedition cruise to Antarctica – the most remote continent on Earth. From 2022, we’ll take guests on a fly and cruise trip from South America to an airbase in Antarctica – so there’s no need to cross the notorious Drake Passage. Our small vessel can access more landing sites than larger ships, and our small group means we’ll have more for exploring, learning about, and photographing this extraordinary continent that very few people are lucky enough to set foot on.

It’s a one-off opportunity to explore and photograph the Antarctica peninsula on voyages ranging between 7 and 14 days, with just 12 guests on board led by a professional photographer and experienced expedition guide. Get expert tutorials and advice on how to capture Antarctica’s stunning landscapes – filled with layered sandstone, lava flows, and glaciers. You’ll also encounter spectacular wildlife, with the opportunity for whale watching, as well as observing penguins and elephant seals.

We plan to announce dates shortly for 2022. Please contact us to register an interest here.

Polar Cruises small ship cruises to Antarctica

antarctica photography holiday

Falkland Islands Photography Holidays

Journey to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) – the stunning Sub Antarctic archipelago off the Southern tip of South America for a photography holiday in truly unspoilt wilderness. It’s an incredible destination for wildlife and nature photography. Led by a professional photographer and expert guide, and with just 12 guests aboard, you will have an enriching and unforgettable opportunity to learn, explore, and hone your photography skills in awe-inspiring nature.

On a Falkland Islands photo holiday, you’ll witness penguin covered beaches, dramatic rocky cliffs that are home to an abundance of albatross, and witness giant elephant seals and sea lions. Our micro-expedition will take you to remote locations, for the chance to capture exceptional wildlife photographs.

We plan to announce dates shortly for 2022. Please contact us to register an interest here.

South Georgia Photography Holidays

Travel to one of the most remote, and least-visited destinations on Earth for the ultimate wildlife photography holiday experience. South Georgia, is a mountainous island, about 800 miles (1300 km) from it’s nearest neighbour, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). There are no permanent residents on the island, but it’s a paradise for wildlife. It’s home to six species of penguin, with a combined population of seven million, as well as 50 per cent of the global southern elephant seal population.

Only small expeditions of fewer than 100 guests are allowed to explore the rugged landscapes of South Georgia, our vessel will take 12 guests, led by a pro wildlife photography and veteran expedition leader. Go on an adventure voyage with your camera to see soaring mountains, beautiful beaches with large populations of king penguins and fur seals, and go hiking in Shackleton’s footsteps.

We plan to announce dates shortly for 2022. Please contact us to register an interest here.