Photo
Certified Photo Instructor
Photography is at the core of everything we do—after all, Sven Lindblad, our founder, began his career as a wildlife photographer. To help our guests take the best possible shots, a specially trained certified photo instructor joins every voyage to offer assistance with all of your photography needs, from camera settings to composition. Their goal is to help guests become better, more confident photographers—and to help them go home with amazing shots that tell the story of their journey.
Our photo instructors are also trained naturalists, which gives them advantage when it comes to photographing the natural world. They are well-versed in animal behavior and can coach guests as they prepare to photograph a bear fishing for salmon or a pod of killer whales on the hunt.
Photography is at the core of everything we do—after all, Sven Lindblad, our founder, began his career as a wildlife photographer. To help our guests take the best possible shots, a specially trained certified photo instructor joins every voyage to offer assistance with all of your photography needs, from camera settings to composition. Their goal is to help guests become better, more confident photographers—and to help them go home with amazing shots that tell the story of their journey. ...
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Meet our Photo Instructors
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
José Calvo
Nicknamed “Indio” (Indian) because of his powers of observation and quiet nature, José has almost two decades of experience working as a naturalist and photography guide; as well as being recognized as an expert birder and nature photographer in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is rich in biodiversity — over 893 bird species have been recorded in the country. Since very young José spent all of his free time in the outdoors in the forest, where he soon fell in love with the birds. He particularly enjoys listening to their calls, and watching their behavior. Oddly enough, another one of Jose’s passions is science and technology, and because of this, he was among the first in Costa Rica to experiment with digital photography. As the technology quickly improved so did his love for it. He truly believes that nature photography is the perfect combination of both of his passions. José has guided extensively in Panama and is a certified naturalist with Costa Rica’s National Learning Institute (INA). Aside from birding, José has led general natural history trips for leading conservation and wildlife organizations, and has recently gained experience leading soft adventure and multi-sport trips for young adults and students. Recently, José particularly enjoyed leading a group of student volunteers working in a rural community. In the off-season, he works as a photographer and pursues his passion for people and wildlife photography. José has also worked as a Photo Instructor in the Galápagos aboard the National Geographic Endeavour , in the Amazon of Peru on the Delfin II , and in the Mediterranean aboard the Sea Cloud . He really looks forward to share the experience that he has gained in Central, South America and the Mediterranean with Lindblad-National Geographic guests, as well.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
David Cothran
David has worked for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic since 1993 on six continents and in over 65 countries. David is interested in many of the natural sciences, particularly ornithology, geology and marine biology; he most enjoys contrasting the broad perspectives provided by world travel with detailed investigations of local ecosystems on land and in the sea. David is an avid wildlife and landscape photographer and enjoys shooting with DSLRs, compact cameras and his iPhone. He particularly focuses on photography of wildlife in habitat, macro images of insects and abstracts images of patterns and textures. Before joining Lindblad-National Geographic, David worked as a staff field biologist and education coordinator at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, an independent research institution in California. At PRBO David studied songbirds, seabirds, owls and elephant seals while overseeing a broad education program, which included classes for school-children, workshops for professional biologists and interpretation for the general public. His home, which is completely off the grid, is at the crest of the Siskiyou Mountains in southern Oregon. He received his Photo Instructor certification in a multi-day training workshop. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop helped him develop additional insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your expedition.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Michael Nolan
Michael Nolan was born in Bitburg, Germany to an Air Force family stationed there. His first experience of the ocean came at age 12, when he learned to snorkel in the Italian Mediterranean. At age 17 he moved to Tucson, Arizona and became a PADI SCUBA instructor, before starting a SCUBA diving business that specialized in diving trips to the Sea of Cortez. Michael has since begun a new career in marine photography. He worked with National Geographic dolphin researchers in the Bahamas throughout the nineties, as well as running trips to the Silver Banks in the Dominican Republic to study and photograph Atlantic Humpback Whales. Today he is an award-winning photographer who specializes in intimate portraits of marine animals. He has traveled the oceans of the world in search of the world's most magnificent beings. His photography has appeared in hundreds of magazines, calendars, and books in over 45 countries worldwide. He currently "migrates" with the whales, spending his winters in the warmer tropical latitudes where whales mate and give birth and his summers in the cooler higher latitudes where animals migrate to feed.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Patricio Maldonado
Patricio, better known as Pato amongst his friends, was born in the Galápagos Islands. His family moved to the islands from the mainland and settled on the island of Santa Cruz over thirty-five years ago. Pato had an enchanted childhood in the islands, where his keen interest in the wildlife of the Galápagos was born initially through catching lizards and observing how they lost their tails. His experiences in the islands have led him to teach visitors about the need to protect this rare and unique environment. Pato underwent all his primary and secondary studies in local schools on Santa Cruz, and after graduation he moved to Quito to attend college, where he studied hotel management. This was an adventure that lasted for only two years, since city life was too hectic for Pato, who missed his idyllic islands. He learned that the Galápagos National Park was opening a guide course and looking for new, fresh-minded applicants. He passed the entrance requirements and the intensive three-month course, and now finds himself in his dream job of leading visitors along the trails of the islands. He has taken such joy in this line of work that he is continuously striving to improve his understanding of the Galápagos Archipelago, to better share it with others. He is now continuing his studies, taking a new direction – a distance learning course in ecology. Pato loves music, especially Andean music, and the first time he set foot aboard a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic vessel it was actually as a musician with a local band! He received his Photo Instructor certification in a multi-day training workshop. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop helped him develop additional insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your expedition.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Walter Perez
Walter was born in a very small town on the mainland of Ecuador. His first trip to the Galápagos was when he was 12 years old, visiting friends and aunt, who had moved to the islands. From the first moment he saw the Islands, he fell in love with them and knew then where his future home would be. In high school, Walter excelled in agricultural studies. When he went on to university, he combined this interest with studies in chemistry. While there, Walter focused on chemical agronomy, writing his thesis on the unique landscape of the Galápagos. After receiving his degree, Walter left mainland Ecuador and promptly moved to the Galápagos. There he held a variety of jobs before accepting a position as a crewmember aboard a tourist vessel. Soon thereafter he learned how to dive, becoming a PADI Dive Master. In 2005, Walter leapt at the opportunity to take the Galapagos National Park Service entrance exam to become a Naturalist. After much studying and hard work, he realized his dream. He received his Photo Instructor certification in a multi-day training workshop. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop helped him develop additional insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your expedition. Walter is author with professor Michael Weisberg of Galápagos: Life in Motion. Published by Princeton University Press in August 2018, this lavishly illustrated hardcover book features Walter’s detailed, close-up photographs of Galápagos animals in action as they feed, play, fight, court, mate, build nests, give birth, raise their young, and cooperate and clash with other species.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Eric Guth
Eric began work with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic in 2006 as a means to see the world, work with great photographers and engage his environmental studies degree beyond the classroom. His initial years with the company were spent working the waters of Southeast Alaska and Baja California. His move to the National Geographic Explore r in 2008 helped earn him the experience and knowledge needed to establish himself as a trusted boat handler, naturalist and respected photographer in nearly all the environments Lindblad-National Geographic travels. Eric’s extensive exposure to and long time passion for exploring/photographing glaciated areas has recently earned him the title “Ice Man” in media outlets the world over. While not at sea he is in the mountains searching for glacier caves, secluded vistas and other remote landscapes in which to photograph.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Jennifer Davidson
Jennifer Davidson is a photographer and educator who specializes in travel, culture, and the art of visual storytelling. She has photographed across the globe, including extensively in Colombia, where she documented remote fishing villages, and Ecuador, where she focused her lens on indigenous cultures in the highland and Amazon regions. Jennifer’s work in South America and the Galapagos Islands has been featured in National Geographic Traveller (UK). Since 2008, she has taught photography through National Geographic Expeditions to a variety of aspiring photographers. She has led photography workshops throughout the United States and photo expeditions in Alaska, Baja California, Cuba, Galapagos, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia, among other destinations. Jennifer enjoys inspiring photographers to experience the world in new ways through their cameras. When she’s not traveling, she can often be found wandering mountain trails outside her Santa Fe, New Mexico home.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Jeff Litton
Jeff Litton is a dedicated advocate for our planet, igniting a passion within people to cherish our Earth. His circuitous journey involves leading individuals into the untamed wilderness, where he unveils the hidden splendor of the natural world. Jeff's career in the travel industry since 2009 encompasses roles as a naturalist, guide, filmmaker, photography instructor, undersea specialist, and National Geographic Educator. Through the captivating medium of film and photography, he shares the mesmerizing allure of nature with a global audience, showcasing his work in prestigious outlets like National Geographic magazine, the National Geographic Channel, and through his TED talk. He is also an environmental filmmaker, contributing his efforts to esteemed organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and many others. His film projects have contributed to many successful campaigns including stopping whaling in the Southern Ocean, prohibiting the shark fin trade in California, and preserving 600,000 acres within the Rio Grande Watershed. Jeff's dedication extends to education, as he passionately imparts his knowledge to others. Graduating with honors from the esteemed Brooks Institute of Photography, he finds immense joy in teaching photography, film, and aerial cinematography. Hailing from rural California, Jeff remains deeply involved in conservation efforts to safeguard the ancestral homeland of the Nisenan Native Americans along a vital 9-mile stretch of the Bear River, standing as a steadfast barrier against the potential inundation caused by the construction of a new dam.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Steve Morello
Steve Morello has had a long and colorful career in the natural history world. Born in New Jersey, he was lucky to be able to summer on the shores of Cape Cod. Whether it was exploring the tidal pools, snorkeling along the beach, or hiking in the dunes, it all came together to instill in him a deep connection to the natural world. It was no surprise that he would return to the Cape as a whale researcher in his adult years. It was on the Cape that Steve first became involved in guiding, and for 15 years acted as naturalist on whale watching boats in the Gulf of Maine. Steve worked with groups creating environmental education material for school programs and soon found another one of his passions, photography. Well known as a professional wildlife photographer and guide, Steve’s work has appeared in countless publications, including National Geographic magazines and books, The New York Times , and photo collections of the World Wildlife Fund. Steve has written numerous magazine articles on the subjects of travel and nature photography. He is the author of The Traveling Nature Photographer , which has been acclaimed as a must-have for anyone who travels and is interested in photography. Although now a photographer more than anything else, he stays active in the research field and is on the Board of Directors of the Alaskan Whale Foundation, where he assists on research of the whales of Southeast Alaska. Steve is also working on a new project off the coast of Peru where sustainable tourism, scientists, and local fishermen will be working together to conserve a newly created marine sanctuary.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Doug Gould
Travel and adventure were an integral part of Doug’s upbringing in a small town on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Growing up on the Great South Bay, his family claims Doug learned to sail before he learned to walk. Whether it was camping, sailing, birding, traveling across country or spending most of fifth grade living in Europe, Doug’s formative years left him with a love of wildlife, the outdoors, and a desire to keep moving. After receiving a B.A. in dramatic arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Doug mixed a short career in the film and TV industry with two summers working for the Catalina Island Harbor Patrol, which led to his owning the third largest private marine rescue company in California. Doug sat on the Board of Directors of the Vessel Assist Association of America for three years and has lectured extensively to the marine assistance industry about safety and risk management. In 2003, he volunteered to work for Oceanites as a member of their Antarctic Site Inventory wildlife census team (aka: a penguin counter). This opportunity included numerous trips to the Antarctic Peninsula over the span of three seasons. The Antarctic Site Inventory focused on gathering data about the impact of tourism on Antarctic wildlife, and helped to develop some of the Antarctic Treaty recommendations that govern tourism today. Since 2011, Doug has worked full time as a naturalist, photographer and expedition leader, working primarily in the polar regions. In 2015 he joined Lindblad Expeditions, and continues to share his enthusiasm for travel and adventure as an expedition leader and certified photo instructor.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
José Guerrero
José Guerrero Vela is an Ecuadorian permanent resident of the Galapagos. His mother was born in the islands and his grandfather was one of the first generation of teachers in the Galapagos, which has always inspired him to promote education as the main path to protect the archipelago. He became a Galapagos naturalist guide in 2008. He has since been part of the Australian Awards Scholarship program which allowed him to complete an interdisciplinary Master´s degree in Applied Anthropology and Environment at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. He has represented the Galapagos in various international events in Australia, Canada, India, Bolivia and Germany. His research on the relationship between humans and sea lions in the Galapagos achieved the prize for best master student paper at the International Symposium of Natural Resources and Society in Hanover, Germany. In Galapagos, Jose has worked with the Charles Darwin Research Station, the Galapagos National Park Service, WWF and the Galapagos Governing Council, in several projects related to sustainable development and community-based conservation. As part of the Lindblad-National Geographic team, he travelled to Washington DC to be trained in the National Geographic headquarters as a Certified Photo Instructor. Additionally, he is also part of a team of naturalists that became Certified National Geographic Field Educators, which increased his interest in outdoors learning and educational strategies to engage with families and groups of all ages.
Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Socrates Tomala
Socrates was raised on Santa Cruz Island located in the heart of Galapagos Archipelago. He had a childhood filled with swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing and volunteering in conservation projects, so it was natural for him to grow very passionate about the outdoors and the natural world. Throughout his life Socrates has been involved in science, from tagging Pacific Green Sea Turtles to placing transmitters on sharks to track their migration across the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Socrates has spent most of his life close to the Ocean which made him very aware of the environmental challenges caused by our growing presence on the planet, he has since a young age collaborated with the Charles Darwin Research Station on conservation projects that aim to maintain the delicate balance between Nature and Humans on the Galapagos Islands. He studied Biology at the School of Environmental Sciences at Universidad de Guayaquil and later decided to pursue his passion for nature by becoming a licensed Naturalist guide in the Galapagos, working and living there since. Socrates has been documenting the natural world through his extensive travels with his camera to create awareness about our planet to citizens of the world. Socrates lives with his wife and three border collies in Mindo, a small village hidden in the lush and green cloud forest formed by the Pacific Ocean Cloud meeting the Andes Mountains. When he is not leading Expeditions in the Amazon or the Galapagos you can find him hiking into the clouds, photographing exotic birds, surfing, swimming in a river or learning how to play an unconventional music instrument.
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