By the fourth morning of my photography expedition through Svalbard, in northern Norway, I’d start reaching for my camera as soon as I woke up. Aided by my ship’s cappuccino machine and the unrelenting midnight sun, I’d be out on the bow of the Resolution with my binoculars in hand, scanning the horizon for movement on the ice.
When our expedition guide’s voice rang through the ship intercom—“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a polar bear off our port side”—I was already zoomed in, fiddling with my camera’s exposure setting to compensate for the glare of the sun against the ice. I had noticed details I may have overlooked without a camera, like the changing shades of teals and blues on the icebergs or the distant tracks from a polar bear that passed this way hours before.
Over the past few days, a trip that began simply as a way to better my wildlife photos had become an opportunity to slow down, look deeper, and be fully immersed in the environment, rather than just passing by.
Researchers say there’s a right way and a wrong way to travel slowly with a camera
“Photography means slowing down and freezing time,” says Jeff Litton, a professional wildlife photographer and photo guide with Lindblad Expeditions. “You’re capturing life in one one-thousandth of a second.” That precision demands attention, not only to a subject, but also to the light, color, composition, and elements unfolding around your frame.
Litton agrees with an increasing number of researchers who argue that actively composing shots, thinking about framing and light, and otherwise taking photos with intention leads to greater enjoyment, more vivid memories, and increased visual focus. These peer-reviewed studies suggest that photography deepens engagement by keeping people immersed in the moment, rather than thinking about their next steps—something the slow travel movement seeks to embrace.
The catch? That sense of immersion doesn’t happen with passive photography, like leaving a GoPro running or mindlessly snapping pictures to post online. In fact, if you’re interrupting your experiences without paying attention to the details, you may be better off putting the camera down entirely and appreciating the moment.
“To take a good photo, wait. Let nature happen,” says National Geographic photographer Martin Gregus, who earned international acclaim for his photos of polar bears in Churchill, Canada. “Let it unfold in front of you. As you sit and wait, nature starts to ignore you. Suddenly, you’re not an outsider. You’re a part of it.”
How photo tours can teach patience and avoid overtourism
Photo tours also offer a way to travel while avoiding overtourism and overcrowding. These guided tours tend to be in small groups (Gregus takes no more than 12 on his tours in northern Canada), generally favoring more remote locations. And unlike general-interest group trips where stopping to adjust camera settings might feel like a delay, photography tours are structured around moving slowly and spending extended time in each location. “That’s what the day is about,” Gregus says. “So [participants] are going to learn to be patient.”
Photographers learn to see details others miss, sometimes asking themselves whether the light will be better in 30 minutes or waiting for the right movement in a shot.
Litton likens intentional photography to meditation. “You can bring all your talent and gear, but when nature performs, you have to be ready,” he says. This motivation to get the perfect shot can help travelers stay focused, even for extended periods of time. On his two most recent trips, he says, he stayed behind on an expedition with a handful of photographers to wait around longer. Both times, they were rewarded with photo opportunities others missed, including a shot of a dewy kittewake feather that reflected the sky and surrounding canyons.
Whether you’re a photographer or want to make it easier for your brain to slow down while traveling, photo tours can be the answer. Those who sit and wait are rewarded with excellent photos, better memories of destinations, and a new way to stay focused during deliberate, slow travel.
Where to take a photo tour
You don’t need to be an expert to benefit from intentional photography. You don’t even need to own camera gear, as rentals are available from online resources and shops across the world. Fortunately, myriad opportunities await for those who want to build photography skills in guided, outdoor settings.
- Head to the poles: Lindblad Expeditions’ Arctic and Antarctic photo departures pair small-ship voyages with instruction from professional National Geographic photographers. Ships also have onboard camera libraries, allowing passengers to test out lenses, bodies, and photo accessories for free.
- Plan a Kenyan safari: Two high-end Soroi safari lodges—Lion’s Bluff Lodge in LUMO Conservancy and Larsens Camp in Samburu National Reserve—have disguised underground photo hides, allowing guests to sit steps from unknowing lions, elephants, and giraffes as they approach watering holes.
- See North America’s apex predators: Canada’s Tweedsmuir Park Lodge heli-ski resort transforms into a grizzly bear viewing lodge from May to October, complete with on-property raised viewing decks and photography float tours via slow-moving river rafts.
- Shoot in “America’s Serengeti”: To practice patience and focus without having to bring your passport, arrange a custom photo tour in Yellowstone National Park. Winter trips focus on gray wolves, spending dawn and dusk in the Lamar Valley, which is ground zero for the country’s wolf reintroduction efforts.
