Home » Svalbard Photography Expedition Early Summer May 2018

Svalbard wildlife photography expedition in May 2018

Once again Arctic Wildlife Tours could bring the Norwegian photographer Audun Rikardsen as one of the photo guides hosting our spring Svalbard expedition onboard the expedition ship MS Malmö. This expedition had duration of 6 nights only and we planned to worke intense to make the best out of it. As we hoped for we found the first Polar Bear after only 10 hours in the fjords of Hornsund. It was a female equipped with a GPS satellite tracker device around its neck. It always looks bad seeing those bears carrying this kind of equipment and actually I begin to wonder if its really necessary? And what kind of information does it bring to the scientists that could make it easier for the Polar Bears to exist and survive? Another thing is how the climate change will affect the wildlife in the Arctic. It does not look good this year and it may be a totally different Svalbard we will see in a few decades if this continue. Wildlife photography in Svalbard will not be the same without the charismatic Polar Bears there.

wildlife photography
We found this mother and cub in Raudfjorden. The mother was more on the thin side...
wildlife photography
This situation while laying on my stomach on a floating piece of ice gave a different view of the Polar Bear mother and cub

Wildlife photography at the greatest.

We had some fantastic encounters with 2-3 Polar Bears during the expedition and could really do some great wildlife photography. A very close situation where a curios female and cub came close to us where we was waiting in the zodiac boats near the fjord ice. We had a great moment there. We also visited the island Moffen but rough sea prevented us to come on land. We had some interesting encounters with Walruses in the water. The weather was not kind to us during this expedition in general, but we managed to get several good situations out of what we could find.

In Hornsund we did an attempt of finding a lost camera from the year before. It was dropped into the sea by a Polar Bear and according to the sea maps it would be situated on 133 meter depth in Samaringvågen, Hornsund. Amazingly enough we found it on 140 meter by using an underwater rover and the camera was saved. The rest of the story about this is still a secret and will be revealed during this year.

wildlife photography
Visiting the northernmost colony of harbour seals
wildlife photography
Northern Fulmar following the ship
wildlife photography
A thin mother Polar Bear is hunting and the cub is screaming behind her. It was a emotional moment and the picture deserved to be published as black and white.
wildlife photography
Photo guide Audun Rikardsen in action on the tundra.

Upcoming Svalbard tours

1 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Arctic Canada photo tours November 2023

Arctic Wildlife Tours is happy to announce that we will be able to offer another Polar Bear photography workshop in Churchill, Canada in 2023. We did a great trip in…

Read more
OPEN FOR BOOKING

Golden Eagle photo hides 2023-2024

The Golden eagle hides are open for booking during the season 2022-2023. Please send us your inquiry and we will help you.

Read more
NEW! 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Svalbard Early Winter expedition 2024 MV Kinfish

Svalbard winter photography on Svalbard. Join us for this very early winter photo expedition and experience the breathtaking light and scenery. The cold environment will make wildlife encounters to something…

Read more
4 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Svalbard Winter expedition 2024

Svalbard travel photography on Svalbard, every day is different, and every year is different. Arctic Wildlife Tours guides leads this winter expedition on Svalbard, a remote area we know well…

Read more
6 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Svalbard Masterclass on board 2024

Join our photography masterclass onboard hosted by Nat Geo photographer Stefano Unterthiner and Arctic Wildlife Tours

Read more
5 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Early season May 1 – 9 expedition 2024 MS Virgo

Arctic Wildlife Tours do this early May expedition on Svalbard in 2022. We will be using the expedition ship MS Virgo for this wildlife expedition, which is a recently refurbished…

Read more
SOLD OUT!

Peak Wildlife season Svalbard June 10 – 19 2024

Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…

Read more
6 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Peak Wildlife season Svalbard June 19 – 28 2024

Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…

Read more
SOLD OUT!

Peak Wildlife season Svalbard June 28 – July 07 2024

Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…

Read more
3 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Main Wildlife season Svalbard July 07 – 17 2024

Svalbard photo tour onboard a small ship in early summer to enjoy the wildlife in typically lot of drift ice and lengthy daylight hours, providing more opportunities to see Svalbard's…

Read more
FULLY BOOKED

Main Wildlife Season Svalbard July 17 – 27 2024

Svalbard photo tours and small vessel cruises in mid summer to photograph and experience the wildlife in typically warmer weather with lengthy daylight hours, providing great opportunities to see Svalbard's…

Read more
1 SPOT AVAILABLE

Main Wildlife season Svalbard August 16 – 26 2024

Svalbard wildlife photography tour in the late summer and early autumn to spend more time in the drift ice searching for Polar Bears and other wildlife.

Read more
7 SPOTS AVAILABLE

Late Autumn season Svalbard September 05 – 15 2024

In September we expect to spend days into the drift ice far north and east of Svalbard. Our goal is to photograph polar bears and other wildlife in golden light.

Read more
FULLY BOOKED

South Georgia photography expedition 2023

Join Arctic Wildlife Tours guides Svein and Jens onboard the M/V Sea Spirit and visit South Georgia. As it is the first trip for Arctic Wildlife Tours visiting these parts…

Read more