National Geographic photographer Stefano Unterthiner join us regularly for doing workshops we now have named Masterclass onboard. Stefano recently gave out his book about climate changes on Svalbard.

Growing up in the mountains of Northwest Italy, Stefano Unterthiner began serious photography at the age of 17, went on to study zoology and, in the fall of 2000, obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). After completing his studies, Stefano returned to Italy and began his career as a zoologist. But his camera was always at his side, and it was not long before his hobby turned into an all-consuming lifestyle and profession.

His first award was in 2000, when Unterthiner won the prestigious Mario Pastore prize for best Italian ‘Young Environmental Journalist’. Unterthiner now travels around the world in search of new subjects for his photo stories. He specialises in telling the life stories of animals, living in close contact with his chosen species for long periods. He also has a strong commitment to wildlife conservation and environmental issues, with a particular interest in human-wildlife conflict and coexistence.

Stefano is a regular contributing National Geographic photographer, he’s the author of eight photography books and a multi-award winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He lives with his wife Stéphanie and their children Rémi and Bahia in the Aosta Valley, Italy.

Read his blog he made for Leica "Beyond the fjord and among the ice" in 2022.