Svalbard creative workshop

June 05 - 14 2020

SVALBARD PHOTO WORKSHOP WITH AUDUN RIKARDSEN

Svalbard Arctic wildlife creative photography

Explore the stunning Arctic islands of Svalbard onboard the expedition ship MS Malmö. Onboard during 9 nights and 10 days you will get to know and work with renowned photographer Audun Rikardsen and Arctic traveller and wildlife photographer Svein Wik. Both are Norwegians and have explored the wild nature of the north from childhood.

Svalbard and the Arctic is changing rapidly. The drift ice and fjord ice are melting earlier than ever before. On this expedition we will make sure we can reach the drift ice without spending to much time doing transport distances at open sea. We will also have the chance to search the fjord ice near the glaziers for wildlife that still roam there using the fjords as a hunting and resting refuge.

High Arctic nature is constantly changing. On Svalbard, every day is different, and every year is different. The Norwegian-owned company Arctic Wildlife Tours leads this expedition to Svalbard, a remote area they know and love. That’s important, because this is a land where your guides must know how to handle the constantly-changing weather conditions, drift ice, and wildlife on the move 24 hours a day.

This exclusive small ship charter trip navigates through the Svalbard wilderness and icy waters of the High Arctic. This expedition will be focused on photography, but if you are a keen amateur or even a beginner, then this journey still suits you. Travel leader Svein Wik have done over 50 tours and expeditions around Svalbard and Audun Rikardsen work as a biologist and nature photographer around Tromsø in mainland Norway.

The expedition ship MS Malmö is a ship well-suited to polar explorations. This ship has a lovely patina and has been listed as a traditional ship of cultural value since 2004. During 2013/14 she was gently refurbished to retain her original charm. MS Malmö is a homely ship of maritime historical dignity, already loved by many. She is decorated in a classic style with an old fashioned Captain´s lounge and beautiful wooden decks. A perfect ship for a small group of photographers that need a lot of deck space.

Wondering what to expect? Please get in touch for more information and to talk about what you can expect. Also, you can read about some of our previous trips on our Be Inspired pages.

Dates: June 05 - 14 2020
Duration: 9 nights / 10 days
Embark: Longyearbyen, June 05 16:00
Disembark: Longyearbyen, June 14 09:00
(Arriving harbor late evening June 13)

Double superior cabin, private facilities, 2 available
NOK 69 500,- pr. pax

Double cabin, private facilities, 4 available
NOK 65 000,- pr. pax

Double cabin, shared facilities, 2 available
NOK 59 000,- pr. pax

Ship: MS Malmö

BOOKING INQUIERY

Practical information

General information

The Svalbard Islands are located in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Norway and the North Pole. Here, you will find untouched Arctic wilderness and unique wildlife in a setting that is both rugged and fragile at the same time.

In addition to a few thousand polar bears, the islands are home to almost 3,000 human inhabitants, over 2,000 of which live in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre and largest settlement of the islands. This small and colourful community has gone from a typical village town to a modern community with different kinds of businesses and industries, and with a surprisingly wide range of cultural activities and opportunities, such as concerts, shows, festivals and exhibitions.

“Svalbard” means “cold coasts” and was first mentioned in Icelandic texts in the 12th century. However, the archipelago has a relatively mild climate compared to other areas at the same latitude. In Longyearbyen, the average temperature ranges from -14°C in winter to 6°C in summer. The lowest temperatures in winter can reach -30°C and in summer nearly 20°C.

What you can expect

The trip will be flexible. Photographic opportunities are the most important issue but for those that only come for experiencing the wildlife and Svalbard nature this is a nice opportunity. During this photo and wildlife expedition we will eat when we have time and photograph when the light is the best, and when we have the good situations.

Svalbard is situated at 78-79 degrees north and you are in the High Arctic when you arrive there. The weather is constantly changing at these latitudes. Please study the information about clothing and travels to Svalbard. During our expedition you can expect to see wildlife as Polar Bears, Walruses, Seals, Whales, Arctic Foxes, Svalbard Reindeer and a variety of bird species that is common in these Arctic regions. Sometimes we do long transport legs of sailing and sometimes we stay in one spot experiencing and photographing the nature and wildlife.

Safety in the Arctic

Our safety will have top priority during the entire photo expedition and security will be provided by the Svalbard expedition leaders, guides and the crew. We adhere to all applicable safety regulations, especially with regards to polar bears.

This also pertains to use of the Zodiac boats (inflatables) in close proximity to icebergs and glacial edges where there may be elements of risk which are not apparent. The safer we feel, the easier it will be for all participants to concentrate on nature and photographic opportunities. The expeditions and the ships we use have all SAR insurances in case of emergency rescue situations.

Ethics for wildlife viewing

We shall not during this wildlife expedition contribute to existing negative impressions of nature photographers and travellers who visit Svalbard.

We will therefore be scheduling longer stops than usual when going ashore in order to provide participants with ample time needed to get excellent pictures without exposing the wildlife to unnecessary stress. Our strategy will be to await situations with wildlife and let the wildlife come to us and not opposite by chasing it. Often this gives us real interesting photographic opportunities and great wildlife experiences in the fragile refuges of the High Arctic Svalbard areas.

Zodiac boats in Arctic waters

We will use 2 Zodiacs when we cruise the Arctic waters of Svalbard searching for wildlife or going ashore for hiking. This will give all photographers great flexibility when taking pictures.

The boats will be used to get different angles of or to get closer to the subjects we will photograph. Getting closer also means greater wildlife experiences. It is a good idea to bring rubber boots due to certain wet conditions when exploring ashore. We will use life wests whilst in the zodiacs during normal summer expeditions by ships. If needed, extra clothing can be provided by the crew on board the ship. Zodiac cruises can last from one hour to several hours depending on what we see of interest. Please ask the guides or crew about what clothing you need during the cruises.

Info concerning photography

Svalbard wildlife is restlessly moving around most of the time. During summer the lighting is good, also during night, because of midnight sun. A wildlife photographic expedition like this gives us some challenges about the photographic techniques.

The ship’s engine and movements in the sea may present problems when photographing polar bears, etc. A monopod, IS (VR) lenses or handheld photography may present a solution. This problem is minimal under lighting conditions that allow a min. 1/1600 sec shutter speed even with a 600mm lens mounted on a tripod. It is advisable to bring a laptop in order to transfer and review pictures as quickly as possible. You can easily surpass 10,000+ exposures during your expedition to Svalbard, so an external hard drive or lots of available space on your computer’s drive is the best way to go. There are 220V outlets in the ship for charging batteries, etc. There may be ocean fog and poor lighting conditions on Svalbard so fast optics are a definite advantage.

Food onboard

Included in the expedition price

Not included in the expedition price

Have any questions?

If you have any questions or are wondering about something,
please feel free and do not hesitate to contact us at any given time.
We might be traveling some but will answer as fast as possible.

Travel Route

Itinerary

Svalbard is situated at about 80 degrees north and we schedule the expedition in accordance with prevailing weather and ice conditions. In June we predict a lot of ice and we have a main plan for the rout like shown in the map. We might also be able to sail further to the southeast or maybe we choose the sail northeast if the drifting ice allows us to do that.

Day 0 We always recommend to arrive Longyearbyen at least one day in advance.

Day 1 Departure from Longyearbyen throughout Isfjorden.

Day 2-9 Western coast of Spitsbergen, visiting Kongsfjorden, Lilliehööksfjorden, Magdalenefjorden, Prins Karls Forland and other areas where we will have great landscape, glaciers and good chances for wildlife as Polar Bears, Walruses and seals. Usually the northeast areas will not be accessible this early in the season, if it is we will sail as far we can into the ice. Another possibility will be to sail southeast and visit the areas in Storfjorden and Edgeøya.

Day 9 Sailing back to Isfjorden and arrive Longyearbyen late in the evening around 23:00.

Day 10 Leaving the ship at 09.00 after breakfast and prepare the travel home.

Booking Information

Booking Inquiry for Svalbard Tour

Registration: You register by submitting deposit payment of NOK 20.000 to the bank account.

Bank account: 1503.71.05543

(IBAN: NO15 1503 7105 543 BIC/SWIFT: DNBANOKKXXX)

Bank address: DNB NOR Bank Stjørdal, Kjøpmannsgata 13, 7500 Stjørdal, Norway

Please send your tour reservation from the Booking page and we will send you the booking form on email. Send in the completed reservation/booking form together with the payment and your booking will be confirmed. Both booking form and terms form have to be signed. The second payment of NOK 20.000,- have to be made within 3 months before departure. Full payment must be made no later than 30 days prior to departure. You will receive invoices for the last two payments. Private cancellation insurance should be purchased by all participants.