Wildlife and landscape photography tours: Why join our adventures?

Our landscape photography tours

Our landscape photography tours are unlike anything you have seen before. Forget tourist spots and landscapes seen over and over again on the internet. We take photographers to the most remote areas, far from tourism, in search of tranquillity and authentic landscapes.

Our landscape photography tours are designed for photographers who want to reconnect with nature and find inspiration in peaceful places where humans are absent. We love extreme landscapes that have character and soul. In addition to technical issues, during these trips, we try to share our sensitivity and passion for these places where dreaming and creating become so obvious.

For all these reasons, we create the right conditions and mindset to encourage photographers to be creative.

In addition, our landscape photography tours are usually accompanied by two guides/instructors. This allows us to offer themed workshops throughout the tours. In the field of landscape photography, we offer introductory and/or advanced courses in long exposure photography by day and night, astrophotography, backlighting, composition, etc.

Finally, our tours are suitable for all levels. Beginners and experienced photographers alike can join us without fear of being overwhelmed by the technical aspects or, conversely, disadvantaged by a level that is too low. Once again, the presence of several guides allows us to create working groups and satisfy everyone. Our goal is also to allow beginner photographers to rub shoulders with experienced photographers, while offering the latter a unique experience and access to exceptional sites.

Our wildlife photography tours

Taking the time to observe, respect, understand, have no expectations, and embrace everything that wildlife has to offer. This is the mindset with which we embark on our adventure. It is the mindset of our wildlife photography tours. We are not necessarily looking for the portrait that will get the most likes on social media, but rather the photograph that will be most meaningful to the photographer.

During our wildlife photography tours, we therefore encourage participants to take the time to observe, not to rush. We are talking about the qualities that make the difference between a mundane photograph and a photograph that remains memorable for its meaning, its composition, because it has immortalized a rare behavior, or because the photographer has been able to capture a moment in the life of a species in a single image. We don’t just guide photographers to interesting spots, we educate them on the rhythm that makes the wildlife photographer a witness to free and wild nature.

We only guide wildlife photography tours in locations where animals are not or only slightly fearful. We target regions where hunting is completely prohibited, ideally where there is little human presence. The goal is to take wildlife photographers to places where wildlife can express itself freely. In return, we expect photographers to be patient, not to rush, and not to feel frustrated. There is no reason to be frustrated, as we make several observations per day in good conditions. Our tours are a great opportunity to learn the patience that is so valuable in wildlife photography.

Finally, as with our landscape photography tours, the fact that our wildlife workshops are led by two guides allows us to create working groups to satisfy everyone, whether beginners or experienced photographers. It also allows us to work on different species according to each person’s desires and objectives. For example, in Iceland, some photographers can focus on the Arctic fox while others can devote one or more days to seabirds or seals.

Our team of nature enthusiasts

Wildlife Photo Travel was founded by a group of friends who are passionate about nature, adventure, wildlife, but also human relationships, world cultures, and discovering others. These values have always guided us and will continue to be the foundation of our company.

During our photography workshops, we put all our energy into ensuring that our photographers can devote themselves to photography and acquire as much knowledge as possible. But we also want to share our passion with the participants. Long discussions over tea, under a shelter in the Arctic, or around a campfire in the Sahara are part of our adventures and nourish us as much as they nourish others.

What’s more, the adventure always begins several months before the trip. We support our photographers in their preparations and help them to plan ahead and manage their expectations. For example, for our Arctic fox photo tour in Iceland, we help photographers choose their equipment and train them in the specificities of the Arctic. The same goes for our photo tour in Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria, where a short training session on desert life is given before each tour.
As you can see, we don’t count our hours or our efforts. Our goal is to create unique tours every time and to build a community of photographers who follow us on our adventures!

Finally, we always listen to and give a voice to the photographers who accompany us on all aspects of our trips. We are always open to suggestions and criticism. This is what drives us forward and allows us to improve from one photo tour to the next.

Our working methods and ethics

Landscape photography

During our landscape photography tours, our philosophy is to take our time, observe the light, forget about time for a moment, and adopt the rhythm of the sun and moon. We accompany photographers in this quest for the fleeting moment. We help them to be ready and learn to adapt to changes.
We address issues of framing, composition, and settings in general beforehand, when conditions do not yet seem right. The goal is to be ready at the right moment, when the magic happens.

In addition, during our landscape photography workshops, we often travel to remote locations where nature is preserved. We set up temporary camps so that we can be at the heart of the wilderness. This organization implies a responsibility for the traces we leave behind in nature. And our philosophy is clear: we must be irreproachable. We obviously leave no waste behind, we avoid trampling on vegetation in fragile environments, we limit noise pollution, we never interact with wild animals, etc. In short, we do our utmost to be responsible observers who limit their impact on the environment.

Wildlife photography

As for our wildlife photography tours, our working methods are even more rigorous! It’s not about arriving in the wilderness and disrupting the lives of the animals. We are respectful and aware that we are guests in these places where only nature reigns. Our mere presence has an impact, that’s undeniable. But we put all our energy into minimizing that impact and limiting the disturbance.

During our wildlife photography tours, we ask participants to follow some rules. We share these rules with all wildlife lovers. They are non-negotiable, as they concern animal welfare and nature conservation.

Furthermore, during our wildlife photography workshops, we do not rent hides, we do not feed the animals, and we never interact with them. In short, we take photographers to observe and photograph free and wild nature without using techniques or tools to lure animals or alter their natural behavior.

Our adaptability

Having worked with photographers and hikers of different nationalities on photo tours and multi-day hikes, and having also guided groups in different countries, in very remote areas, we have developed a strong ability to adapt.
In the field, we know how to implement the best solutions for our photographers. For example, when permanent accommodation is not possible, particularly due to isolation, we adapt. We set up a comfortable camp and use all our experience to make photographers feel at home. This is the case during part of our landscape photography tour in Tassili n’Ajjer, where we set up camp in the middle of the desert.

This experience also allows us to anticipate certain problems: battery failure, equipment issues, injuries, etc. We work ahead of time to have a plan B for any problematic situation. This mindset is part of our commitment to the photographers who follow us.

As you can see, our dual role as photographers and guides in extreme regions is your guarantee that we can handle any situation.

Our diversity and spoken languages

One of Wildlife Photo Travel‘s strengths is the diversity of our team: we are German, French, Algerian, Icelandic, and we speak a wide range of languages, the most common being English, French, German, Arabic, Spanish, and Berber. This diversity allows us to integrate into any environment and communicate with people all over the world. This is beneficial to the photographers who follow us on our adventures.

Furthermore, this ethnic and linguistic diversity makes our project a place for professional and artistic intercultural exchange. Our groups are made up of photographers from all over the world. And most importantly, what we love above all else is that once the adventure begins, everyone shares the same language: the language of love for nature!