COUNTRY: Svalbard PHOTO: Landscape & wildlife LENGHT: 9 days DATE: March 13-21, 2027 MIN/MAX PARTICIPANTS: 11/12
SVALBARDS WINTERLAND
WITH PHOTOGRAPER SERKAN GÜNES
Join me on a unique photo trip to Svalbard that will give you new insights and develop you as a landscape photographer. During nine days together, we will explore one of the Arctic’s most spectacular places, where low sun angles paint the mountains in pink and violet tones, glaciers meet the sea, and pancake ice drifts across the fjords. We will photograph magnificent winter landscapes from both the ship and zodiac boats, and with a bit of luck, capture the polar bear as part of the mighty landscape. Throughout the trip, I’ll be by your side with personal guidance, feedback, and inspiration — all so you can come home with images you are truly proud of.
Serkan Günes
Join a photographic expedition into Svalbard’s high Arctic winter, a journey created for landscape and wildlife photographers who want to experience and capture nature’s most magnificent and stripped-back expression. Here awaits a world of deep silence, vast snowfields, and dramatic mountains bathed in the unique Arctic winter light. It is a time of strong contrasts, where the biting cold meets an almost unreal beauty, and where the wilderness feels completely untouched by humans.
During this period, the landscape is buried in snow and ice, and temperatures often drop to around -20°C. The crisp air, the sparkling light, and the endless winter views create an atmosphere that is as challenging as it is magical. Each day offers new subjects, from frost-covered mountain massifs and frozen coastlines to solitary polar bears moving through the white landscape.
The main focus of the trip together with nature photographer Serkan Günes is Arctic winter light and landscape photography. During March and early April, the light conditions are at their most spectacular. The sun stays low over the horizon for large parts of the day, painting the landscape in soft blue, pink, and orange tones that are constantly changing. The low light highlights shapes, structures, and details in the snow, providing perfect conditions for creative and atmospheric images.
Although wildlife is less intense than during the summer months, winter offers something completely unique: the opportunity to photograph Arctic animals such as polar bears and walruses in a pure and dramatic winter landscape. The combination of snow, ice, mist, and soft light creates powerful and minimalist compositions where every encounter with nature feels especially strong.
This is more than a photo trip — it is a genuine Arctic experience for those who want to come close to the winter wilderness, develop their image-making, and be inspired by one of the world’s most spectacular natural landscapes.
HIGHTLIGHTS
- Fantastic pink and blue Arctic colors
- Long sunsets and sunrises
- Magnificent mountain landscapes
- Rare opportunity to photograph polar bears in winter
- Backdrop of magnificent winter landscape
- Polar bears and other wildlife on sea ice
- Personal guidance from Serkan Günes
- Lectures and workshop
COUNTRY: Svalbard PHOTO: Landscape & wildlife LENGHT: 9 days DATE: March 13-21, 2027 MIN/MAX PARTICIPANTS: 11/12
SVALBARDS WINTERLAND
WITH PHOTOGRAPER SERKAN GÜNES
Join me on a unique photo trip to Svalbard that will give you new insights and develop you as a landscape photographer. During nine days together, we will explore one of the Arctic’s most spectacular places, where low sun angles paint the mountains in pink and violet tones, glaciers meet the sea, and pancake ice drifts across the fjords. We will photograph magnificent winter landscapes from both the ship and zodiac boats, and with a bit of luck, capture the polar bear as part of the mighty landscape. Throughout the trip, I’ll be by your side with personal guidance, feedback, and inspiration — all so you can come home with images you are truly proud of.
Serkan Günes
Join a photographic expedition into Svalbard’s high Arctic winter, a journey created for landscape and wildlife photographers who want to experience and capture nature’s most magnificent and stripped-back expression. Here awaits a world of deep silence, vast snowfields, and dramatic mountains bathed in the unique Arctic winter light. It is a time of strong contrasts, where the biting cold meets an almost unreal beauty, and where the wilderness feels completely untouched by humans.
During this period, the landscape is buried in snow and ice, and temperatures often drop to around -20°C. The crisp air, the sparkling light, and the endless winter views create an atmosphere that is as challenging as it is magical. Each day offers new subjects, from frost-covered mountain massifs and frozen coastlines to solitary polar bears moving through the white landscape.
The main focus of the trip together with nature photographer Serkan Günes is Arctic winter light and landscape photography. During March and early April, the light conditions are at their most spectacular. The sun stays low over the horizon for large parts of the day, painting the landscape in soft blue, pink, and orange tones that are constantly changing. The low light highlights shapes, structures, and details in the snow, providing perfect conditions for creative and atmospheric images.
Although wildlife is less intense than during the summer months, winter offers something completely unique: the opportunity to photograph Arctic animals such as polar bears and walruses in a pure and dramatic winter landscape. The combination of snow, ice, mist, and soft light creates powerful and minimalist compositions where every encounter with nature feels especially strong.
This is more than a photo trip — it is a genuine Arctic experience for those who want to come close to the winter wilderness, develop their image-making, and be inspired by one of the world’s most spectacular natural landscapes.
HIGHTLIGHTS
- Fantastic pink and blue Arctic colors
- Long sunsets and sunrises
- Magnificent mountain landscapes
- Rare opportunity to photograph polar bears in winter
- Backdrop of magnificent winter landscape
- Polar bears and other wildlife on sea ice
- Personal guidance from Serkan Günes
- Lectures and workshop
SVALBARD
SVALBARD
Svalbard is one of the Arctic’s highlights, mainly thanks to the magnificent landscape that greets you. With peaks at 1,700 meters in height, mighty glaciers, fjords, and valleys, many fall in love with this place. Permafrost and the Arctic climate shape the landscape, but thanks to the warm Gulf Stream, the land is not as frozen and barren as one might think. In addition, the plants, birds, and animals bring life to the landscape and make it well worth exploring and photographing.
Svalbard is an area of 61,022 square kilometers spread across the islands of Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, Kvitøya, Prins Karls Forland, and Kong Karls Land, as well as several smaller islands. The archipelago is governed by Norwegian law and lies halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The northernmost settlement in the Arctic is Longyearbyen — at 78 degrees north — with about 2,400 inhabitants.
Läs mer om Svalbard och dess natur och djurliv.
SVALBARD
Svalbard is one of the Arctic’s highlights, mainly thanks to the magnificent landscape that greets you. With peaks at 1,700 meters in height, mighty glaciers, fjords, and valleys, many fall in love with this place. Permafrost and the Arctic climate shape the landscape, but thanks to the warm Gulf Stream, the land is not as frozen and barren as one might think. In addition, the plants, birds, and animals bring life to the landscape and make it well worth exploring and photographing.
Svalbard is an area of 61,022 square kilometers spread across the islands of Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, Kvitøya, Prins Karls Forland, and Kong Karls Land, as well as several smaller islands. The archipelago is governed by Norwegian law and lies halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The northernmost settlement in the Arctic is Longyearbyen — at 78 degrees north — with about 2,400 inhabitants.
ITINERARY
ITINERARY
MARCH 13-21, 2027
Throughout the trip, Serkan Günes will be available for photo advice and tips, as well as help with image editing and image critique. Serkan will also give lectures and talk about his way of photographing. Exact times for this will be determined based on the weather. There will also be personal Portfolio Reviews where only you and Serkan go through the images you take during the trip — all so you can develop as a photographer in the best way possible.
DAY 1, (MAR. 13) – DEPARTURE FROM LONGYEARBYEN
In the afternoon, it’s time to board M/S Vigo where you are welcomed by Serkan Günes and the crew. During the afternoon, we leave Longyearbyen and our photo adventure truly begins. As we move through Isfjorden, we get a first glimpse of the landscape that will provide us with fantastic photo opportunities during the trip. In the evening, we have a joint welcome dinner. (D)
DAY 2–8, (MARA. 14-20) – SVALBARD’S FANTASTIC LANDSCAPE
Over the coming days, we explore a fantastic landscape together with Serkan. Svalbard is one of the most spectacular places in the Arctic for landscape photography. The west coast of Spitsbergen offers a scenic mountain landscape with high peaks, fjords, and glaciers. When the sun is low over the horizon in March and early April, the winter landscape becomes truly extraordinary — a perfect time for landscape photography. One of the fascinating winter phenomena is pancake ice — an early stage of sea ice formation, consisting of nearly circular plates floating on the sea surface.
Serkan will be present throughout the trip to provide personal guidance regarding your photography. The photography will take place both from our ship and from zodiac boats, allowing us to get close to the subjects.
Visiting Svalbard at this time of year is something very special. The interplay between deep blue shadows and pink and violet tones at sunrise and sunset creates a magical color palette for landscape photography. The untouched white snow reflects these colors, making this time of year ideal for photographers seeking dramatic skies, sea ice, and strong contrasts.
If we get the opportunity to photograph polar bears, it will be with a magnificent winter-clad mountain landscape as a backdrop. Serkan will show how to photograph this mighty animal as part of the landscape.
When we are not photographing, we will work on image processing and get feedback on our images from Serkan. (B, L, D)
DAY 9, (MAR. 21) – RETURN HOME
In the morning, we leave the ship after breakfast and head home from Longyearbyen on our own. (B)
MS VRIGO
MS Virgo is a recently introduced expedition vessel in Svalbard’s waters. She was built in 1976 and previously used as a buoy-laying vessel for the Swedish maritime authorities, before being purchased and rebuilt for Arctic photo expeditions in 2022. The rebuild was based on the WildPhoto team’s many years of experience in arranging photo tours in Arctic waters, including adaptations for working in very low temperatures. Other important features are her strong ice-classed hull and powerful engines that take us where we want to go. MS Virgo is now perfectly suited for expeditions around Svalbard year-round, from mid-March to mid-October.
Meals are served at set times in our dining room, but we always strive to be flexible if photo opportunities arise. The chef offers a varied and tasty menu that can be adapted to special dietary needs. As part of the photo and nature experience, we offer a spacious lounge on deck 2 with good viewing opportunities and plenty of space for image editing, battery charging, lectures, or just socializing with fellow travelers.
This is a cruise with fantastic photo opportunities. Read more about the program here
MARCH 13-21, 2027
Throughout the trip, Serkan Günes will be available for photo advice and tips, as well as help with image editing and image critique. Serkan will also give lectures and talk about his way of photographing. Exact times for this will be determined based on the weather. There will also be personal Portfolio Reviews where only you and Serkan go through the images you take during the trip — all so you can develop as a photographer in the best way possible.
DAY 1, (MAR. 13)
DEPARTURE FROM LONGYEARBYEN
In the afternoon, it’s time to board M/S Vigo where you are welcomed by Serkan Günes and the crew. During the afternoon, we leave Longyearbyen and our photo adventure truly begins. As we move through Isfjorden, we get a first glimpse of the landscape that will provide us with fantastic photo opportunities during the trip. In the evening, we have a joint welcome dinner. (D)
DAY 2–8, (MAR. 14-20)
SVALBARD’S FANTASTIC LANDSCAPE
Over the coming days, we explore a fantastic landscape together with Serkan. Svalbard is one of the most spectacular places in the Arctic for landscape photography. The west coast of Spitsbergen offers a scenic mountain landscape with high peaks, fjords, and glaciers. When the sun is low over the horizon in March and early April, the winter landscape becomes truly extraordinary — a perfect time for landscape photography. One of the fascinating winter phenomena is pancake ice — an early stage of sea ice formation, consisting of nearly circular plates floating on the sea surface.
Serkan will be present throughout the trip to provide personal guidance regarding your photography. The photography will take place both from our ship and from zodiac boats, allowing us to get close to the subjects.
Visiting Svalbard at this time of year is something very special. The interplay between deep blue shadows and pink and violet tones at sunrise and sunset creates a magical color palette for landscape photography. The untouched white snow reflects these colors, making this time of year ideal for photographers seeking dramatic skies, sea ice, and strong contrasts.
If we get the opportunity to photograph polar bears, it will be with a magnificent winter-clad mountain landscape as a backdrop. Serkan will show how to photograph this mighty animal as part of the landscape.
When we are not photographing, we will work on image processing and get feedback on our images from Serkan. (B, L, D)
DAY 9, (MAR. 21)
RETURN HOME
In the morning, we leave the ship after breakfast and head home from Longyearbyen on our own. (B)
PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTOGRAPHER
SERKAN GÜNES – Landscape photographer
Serkan Günes was born in Istanbul but lived in Stockholm until he moved up to Gällivare in 2015. Serkan is the landscape photographer with nature as his subject. He portrays nature’s diverse landscapes, both on a grand scale and in the smallest details. His images are characterized by his critical approach to choosing light, which has become his signature today. As the first Swede ever, Serkan has won the prestigious “Eric Hosking Award,” which is organized annually by BBC Wildlife and the Natural History Museum in London. In 2009, he was named Nature Photographer of the Year by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and his images are published throughout Europe. Serkan Günes has also led workshops in Africa, Europe, and the Arctic.
More information: www.serkangunes.com
Here you can read more about Serkan Günes, one of our foremost landscape photographers.
SERKAN GÜNES – Landscape photographer
Serkan Günes was born in Istanbul but lived in Stockholm until he moved up to Gällivare in 2015. Serkan is the landscape photographer with nature as his subject. He portrays nature’s diverse landscapes, both on a grand scale and in the smallest details. His images are characterized by his critical approach to choosing light, which has become his signature today. As the first Swede ever, Serkan has won the prestigious “Eric Hosking Award,” which is organized annually by BBC Wildlife and the Natural History Museum in London. In 2009, he was named Nature Photographer of the Year by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and his images are published throughout Europe. Serkan Günes has also led workshops in Africa, Europe, and the Arctic.
More information: www.serkangunes.com
PRICE, FACTS & BOOKING
PRICE, FACTS & BOOKING
PRICE
Price per person in twinbed cabin: USD 11 000
Price per person in single cabin: USD 19 950
Price includes:
- All transportation according to the itinerary.
- Accommodation in a shared double cabin on MS Vrigo.
- Meals according to the itinerary. (B = Breakfast, D = Dinner)
- All photography activities according to the itinerary.
- Participation of Serkan Günes throughout the entire trip.
- Lectures and image editing sessions with Serkan Günes.
- Swedish technical tour leader from Zoom Fotoresor.
- Travel documents and practical travel information prior to departure.
- Local hotel and other taxes.
Price does not include:
- Flights to Svalbard.
- Single cabin surcharge.
- Personal expenses such as beverages with meals, etc.
- Gratuities to the crew: USD 15 per day per participant, payable in cash onboard.
- Personal expenses such as beverages with meals, etc.
- Satellite-based Wi-Fi onboard.
- Cancellation protection/travel insurance. For more information, see “Other” on our website.
TRANSPORTATION
Fly to Svalbard on your own. You should arrive no later than approximately 12:00 PM on March 13. The return journey can take place any time on March 21 after 11:00 AM.
We recommend arriving the day before. In case of flight delays, you risk missing the ship’s departure.
If you would like assistance booking flights and a hotel in Svalbard, we will be happy to help. You are welcome to call us at +46 70 180 90 99, email us at iinfo@zoomphototours.com, or let us know when making your booking.
FACTS
Target group: Landscape and nature photographers. To get the most out of the trip, some photography experience is recommended.
Minimum/maximum participants: 11/12
Language: Swedish / English
For more information about Zoom Fotoresor, terms and conditions, etc., please see the “Other” section on our website.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
- Your digital camera
- 70–200 mm lens
- Wide-angle lens, for example 24–70 mm
- Monopod or tripod
- A computer with Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom
- Extra batteries, charger, etc.
BOOKING
You can book your participation by clicking the button below. You are also welcome to contact us by phone at +46 470 466 40 or via email at info@zoomphototours.com.
Photo: Serkan Günes, Hans Elmqvist & Ole J Liodden