Discover the Beauty of the Arctic Circle: Svalbard

Dates: June 12-21, 2027

Instructor: Mike Mezeul II

11 Participants

Tuition: $16,500

Ever wanted to visit the bottom of the world? Sounds kind of crazy, doesn’t it? Maybe you want to check that 7th continent off your list? Or heck, what if you just love towering crystal blue icebergs, thousands of penguins calling for your attention, humpback whales fluking their tails to show off for you, and massive ice covered mountains that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a real life version of the movie, “Frozen.” If any of that sounds like a bucket list to, I kindly invite you to come join myself and the team at Polar Latitudes for a once-in-a-lifetime journey to one of the most incredibly unique and beautiful places in the world, Antarctica.

On this 10 day expedition we will be exploring as much of the beautiful Svalbard region as possible. With so many locations and open sea available for us to explore, we will be having very full days looking for stellar arctic wildlife including polar bears, walruses, reindeer, whales, arctic foxes and more via zodiacs and land based excursions. During our down time we will work on our images with sessions focusing on both Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as continuing to rattle off the frames from the deck of our boat! Svalbard is a truly special region of the world, deserving of both the awe of your mind and the images you capture with your camera.

What You Will Learn:

• How to create stunning and emotional wildlife imagery in one of the most remote areas of the world.

• How to create compelling and creative arctic landscape imagery.

• How to discover and utilize your camera to its fullest capabilities.

• How to create a variety of scenes with multiple lenses and how to think “outside the box.”

• An understanding for light and how to take advantage of it in all conditions.

• How to bring your imagery even more to life through post-processing.

• An introduction to black and white photography for wildlife and landscape genres.

• How to pick your jaw up off the floor.

What You Will Need:

• A DSLR or mirrorless camera body.

• An assortment of lenses. Recommended lenses including a 14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 100-400mm or equivalent. It is also highly recommended to have or rent a 600mm lens.

• At least the trial version of Lightroom or Photoshop on your laptop.

• Multiple batteries.

• A valid passport, visa and required vaccinations for traveling to Svalbard

• Travel insurance.

• Winter weather gear - Base layers, mid-layers, waterproof pants, gloves, and beanie.

• A desire to learn, have fun, be flexible, and experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world!

What's Included:

• Arrival night hotel in Polfareren.

• Transportation from Longyearbyen Airport to host hotel (for both arrival and departure).

• Visit to Svalbard Museum on embarkation day.

• All meals, beverages and snacks.

• Guest cabin based upon double occupancy.

• On-hand post-production and critique sessions.

• Boot rental.

• Post-processing video set.

• Limited wifi onboard our vessel with the option to purchase higher amounts.

• A high quality expedition jacket.

• Access to my brain 24/7.

Itinerary:

June 12 - Arrival Day in Longyearbyen

You will make your own international flight arrangements to Longyearbyen. Your Arctic adventure starts in this small Norwegian town where you will be met at the airport and transferred to Polfareren. Tonight, you will be met and transferred to Gruvelagaret Restaurant for your 4-course set menu and wine pairing.

June 13 - Embark R/V Kinfish

On this morning you will have time to explore Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost permanent settlement, with vibrant, colorful buildings and a remarkable history. In the afternoon, you will board our vessel, meet the crew and your expert naturalist guide, and settle into your cabin before setting sail through the wilds of Svalbard.

June 14-20 - Exploring Svalbard

We will be sailing south through the infamous Drake Passage towards Antarctica! During this time, as long as the seas cooperate, we will be working on portfolio reviews, critique sessions, discussing compositional approaches to Antarctica, and photographing plenty of amazing birds and ocean scenes from the deck. We will also be able to join the Polar Experts in the lounge to immerse yourself in all things Antarctic, from its fascinating wildlife to its adventurous history; choose to participate in Polar Latitudes renowned Citizen Science program; or sit back and take in this fabled journey while catching your first glimpses of wildlife. We will also have amazing opportunities to photograph some of the biggest seabirds as they follow the ship during our crossing. As we cross the Antarctic Convergence into Antarctic waters, you’ll start to notice the cooler temperatures, your cue to get ready for that first iceberg sighting, an unforgettable moment on every journey.

June 21: Disembarkation Day

Your ship is likely to arrive into the harbour the night before you disembark to ensure you are in Longyearbyen ready for your onward flights. Enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Dinner and your final night together. Wake for an early breakfast and then head back to the airport

*Please note that our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and wildlife. Flexibility is the key to a successful expedition! It is possible that access to wildlife may be restricted by national government regulation, which we will be required to comply with, and your booking is subject to this.

Our Vessel - R/V Kinfish

When voyaging down to Antarctica, it’s vital to have the best possible vessel to ensure a safe, capable, and explorative journey. The MS Seaventure is outfitted perfectly for this challenge and one of the primary reasons as to why we are exploring with Polar Latitudes. The MS Seaventure works great for our photographic needs as it is a 1A Super ice class rating (highest possible), can cruise at a speedy13.5 knots, and only holds 139 passengers…leaving plenty of space to spread out and for easier zodiac / landing excursions. She is also outfitted with two beautiful lounges to edit and present in, a fully stocked bar, library, an indoor and outdoor restaurant eating area, a fitness room and sauna…you know, for those few minutes you’re not taking photos!

What Are The Cabin Like?

We have set aside two different cabin styles for workshop participants. Your choice of cabin style will dictate your final expedition price. Rooms are shared with other workshop participants (double occupancy) of the same sex.

What Wildlife Will We See?

The wildlife in the Antarctica Peninsula is truly spectacular, so come prepared with multiple empty memory cards! Our journey will give you the opportunity to put so many varieties of wildlife in front of your lens. From a handful of various penguins including (Gentoo, Chinstrap, Adélie, and possibly more), seals (Weddell, Crabeater, Leopard, Fur), whales (Humpback, Orca, Minke, Fin), birds (Wandering Albatross, Giant Petrel, Snow Petrel, Brown Skua, Souther Polar Skua, Antarctic Petrel) and more!

Physical Requirements:

There will be minimal hiking involved in this workshop. There are options to hike further if you’d like, but it is not required. Zodiac excursions can be bumpy at times with larger swells. It is recommended to not have any major back or neck problems. There will be a kayaking excursion on one of the days as well. You will need to be able to row your own kayak for approximately one hour in mostly calm water conditions. There is the option to pass on the kayak expedition if you would like to. Please consult your physician if you may question your physical condition.

Kayaking Photo Excursion

There will be an included opportunity for our photo workshop to get an extremely up close and personal look at Antarctica through a kayak excursion on one of our days in the Antarctic Peninsula! Kayaking is not too physically demanding as we will be kayaking in calm waters in two seater sea kayaks.

Where To Fly Into:

You will be arriving and departing from Malvinas Argentinas International Airport in Ushuaia, Argentina. This small airport can usually be reached by connecting through Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Financial Investment & Expedition Tuition

I want nothing more than you to come join us for this incredible and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Antarctica. That’s why myself and Polar Latitudes are breaking down our expedition payments in a way that we feel will make this workshop affordable for all!

Payment 1 - A 20% Non-Refundable deposit is due upon registration.

Payment 2 - Your remaining balance due 180 days prior to our expedition start.

To register, please click the button at the bottom of the page. You will be prompted with an email to Polar Latitudes and they will help take care of the rest!

PLEASE NOTE: Payments can be made prior to 180 days before if you’d like to make payments on your expedition to help spread out your investment.

REGISTRATION