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Richard, tell us about your history with Aurora Expeditions.

I first went to Antarctica in 2006, but my first trip with Aurora was in 2016 on the Polar Pioneer on an Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia trip.

In 2019 I spent five weeks on the Greg Mortimer on voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia. I absolutely love that there is something spectacular to photograph all day, and the days are long!

The obvious big-ticket subjects are the landscapes of mountains, ice and icebergs and the teeming wildlife, but the changeable weather offers dramatic skies and moody seas that offer great photo opportunities on the sea crossing days as well.

What sets Aurora Expeditions apart from the rest?

The thing I love about Aurora Expeditions that is different to other small-ship expeditions is the emphasis on getting off the ship as often as possible for shore landings and zodiac cruises, not matter the weather.

It can’t be hard to take a good photo on our expeditions and in the polar regions, or is it? What are your tips for people on what to pack if they want to get decent photos?

Capturing better than average photographic memories is not hard, thanks to the locations we visit. My aim, and the goal I encourage others to chase, is to capture consistently great photographs of all the subjects we encounter. Assuming people are prioritising their photography, then a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a couple of zoom lenses such as a wide-angle 16-35mm and a medium telephoto 70-200 will suffice for most subjects and situations. However, if you are after frame-filling wildlife portraits and are keen on photographing birds then a 100-400mm is a good choice.

Whilst onboard a trip with you what can people expect to learn, or how will their skills be enhanced?

My aim is to help people take their photography to the next level, whether novice or advanced enthusiast. I’m always happy to help people with camera and technical questions, but once the technical side of photography is understood we concentrate on composition and understanding light, which are the creative, and fun, side of photography and are the keys to capturing unique images.

What has photography given you?

Photography has afforded me the privilege of extensive travel to many parts of the world, but more importantly I’ve been able to delve deep into particular destinations and cultures through repeat visits including the Himalaya, the Indian sub-continent and over the last five years Antarctica and South Georgia with Aurora Expeditions.

What surprised you about photographing the polar regions when you first travelled? What did you have to learn yourself?

I was most surprised by the fact that every landing and every day seemed to be more spectacular than those that came before.