Travel Photographer Susan Seubert in the Antarctic

The bridge in the early morning hours as we head towards the Antarctic Circle

I recently returned from an epic journey with National Geographic Expeditions where we traveled to the Antarctic Peninsula, the island of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.  The seas were calm for most of the voyage, making for an excellent experience exploring this remote area of the Earth. As the on-board National Geographic Photography Expert, I have the privilege of leading the photography component of this departure. I lecture on the ships about photography and help people improve their technical and storytelling skills so that they return home with a great collection of images.  Below is a selection of some of my favorite moments from this fantastic adventure.

Please enjoy the pictures and thank you for visiting!

Watching Type A Killer Whales in the Southern Ocean from the National Geographic Explorer, a ship in the Southern Ocean, Antarctica

A Crabeater Seal hauled out on the ice in Skog Bay, Antarctica

A beautiful iceberg in Skog Cove, Antarctica

A Skua flies through an opening in a large iceberg in Skog Cove, Antarctica

Sailing through fast ice, Antarctica

Adventures on the Fast Ice, Antarctica

Sunrise on our way to Booth Island, Antarctica

A Gentoo penguin colony on Booth Island, Antarctica

Port Lockroy, Antarctica

Two porpoising Gentoo penguins and a humpback whale feeding in Cierva Cove, Antarctica. This is a once in a lifetime image!!

The remains of whaling at Danco Island, Errera Channel, Antarctica

Porpoising Gentoo penguins in Cierva Cove, Antarctica

Point Wild, Antarctica, where Ernest Shackleton’s men spent 137 days awaiting rescue.

We had a persistent rainbow at Gold Harbour as seen from our ship, South Georgia

A rainbow and King penguins on the beach at Gold Harbour, South Georgia

Over 500,000 King penguins at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia

An illustration of the density of King penguins at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia

An Antarctic fur seal pup at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia

Molting Elephant seals at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia

A Macaroni penguin shows off its crest at Hercules Bay, South Georgia

Dramatic light at Hercules Bay, South Georgia

Hiking a scree slope in the snow from Maiviken to Grytviken, South Georgia

A large King penguin colony at Right Whale Bay, South Georgia

Wind gusts up to 80 knots at Right Whale Bay, South Georgia

The colorful houses in the morning light as we pull in to the harbor at Stanley, Falkland Islands

The classic whale bone arch in Stanley, Falkland Islands

The quaint town of Stanley, the capital city of the Falkland Islands

A sheep herding demonstration at Long Island Farm outside of Stanley, Falkland Islands

Long Island Farm outside of Stanley, Falkland Islands

Wool from the farm at Long Island Farm outside of Stanley, Falkland Islands

Carcass Island, Falkland Islands

Magellanic penguins molting on Carcass Island, Falkland Islands

A Rockhopper penguin and Black-browed Albatross colony, West Point Island, Falkland Islands

Black-browed Albatross chick being fed, West Point Island, Falkland Islands

Black-browed Albatross chicks waiting to fledge, West Point Island, Falkland Islands

The amazing group of people that I work with on board the National Geographic Explorer on our last night after 3 weeks together exploring the Southern Ocean

Travel Photographer Susan Seubert shoots O’o Farm in Kula, Maui

Aloha from the beautiful island of Maui!  On Monday, we had the great pleasure of visiting O’o Farms located on the slopes of Haleakala in what is referred to as upcountry Maui.  The farm is located in the little town of Kula, just off of the main road and the property overlooks the valley and ocean.  O’o Farm is the only true farm-to-table operation on the island and for a nominal fee, one can visit the farm and learn about their coffee, vegetables and even pick the greens to be served for lunch!  It’s a nice way to spend the day in the cool, misty outdoors and an unexpected pleasure to experience fine dining in a unique island setting.  Below are some images from our visit that I hope you enjoy.  Mahalo for visiting and a hui ho!

O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Children get to feed the chickens at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

A delicious cappuccino made from coffee grown at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, boasts gorgeous views from the gardens.

Visitors pick their own salad greens for lunch at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

The salad at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Beautifully prepared tofu with root vegetables at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Wood stored for the outdoor oven at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Farm flowers decorate the lunch tables at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Vanessa, one of the workers at O’o Farm in Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Portland Oregon Travel Photographer Susan Seubert in South Georgia

It’s been a whirlwind of travel for the last few years.  Now, I’m officially bipolar, meaning that I have visited both extremes of the earth, both by virtue of traveling with National Geographic Expeditions.  The first trip was towards the North Pole in Svalbard, exploring the Norwegian archipelago by icebreaker.  Then, most recently, down to the Southern Ocean to the Antarctic Peninsula and the islands of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

South Georgia is one of the most incredible, and remote, places on the planet. During the turn of the last century, South Georgia was home to numerous natural resource extraction operations.  Animals were harvested to the point where a number of species, including whales, fur seals and penguins, were hunted to near extinction.  Since these operations were shut down during the 1960’s, a number of species have now recovered. Since South Georgia has a tiny human population, the animals are completely perplexed but not frightened by human presence.  For wildlife photography, it’s difficult to find a more interesting and beautiful place.

One of my images from South Georgia at a landing called Gold Harbour was used on one of the expedition program guide’s covers.  I’ll never forget this morning. We had gotten up before daybreak to catch the morning light and although we only had it for a few moments, we were able to capture a number of gorgeous images of the King penguins in the golden hour of dawn.

The Brochure Cover for National Geographic | Lindblad Expeditions South Georgia and the Falkland Islands

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National Geographic Travel Photographer Susan Seubert in Panama and Costa Rica

¡Hola!

I just returned from an amazing photography expedition in Panama and Costa Rica where I served as the Photography Expert for National Geographic on board the small ship, the National Geographic Sea Lion.

Our journey started in Panama City where we spent a morning strolling through Caso Viejo before paying a visit to the Biomuseo, a museum designed by Frank Gehry and dedicated to Panama’s biodiversity.

A street in Caso Viejo of Panama City, Central America

Panama hats for sale in the historic district of Panama City, Panama, Central America

The Museum of Biodiversity, designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, in Panama City, Central America

Panama city as seen while Transiting the Panama Canal, Panama including views of Frank Gehry’s colorful Bio Museum

We transferred to Colón, located on Panama’s Atlantic Coast, where we boarded the ship and started our transit through the Panama Canal.

Transiting the Panama Canal on board the small passenger ship the National Geographic Sea Lion, Panama, Central America

Our first land stop was at Barro Colorado, an island in the man-made Lake Gatun, located in the middle of the canal.

The island is the site of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute which is dedicated to studying tropical forest ecosystems.  It is here where we saw Tent-making bats, birds like the Rufous motmot as well as Mantled howler monkeys.

A newborn howler monkey with its mother at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

The Rufous Motmot, a species of tropical bird, photographed at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

After we passed through the third and final lock, we headed up the Pacific Coast of Panama and Costa Rica, stopping at beautiful parks where we swam, hiked and enjoyed the tropical beauty of the area.

Stand Up Paddle-boarding and kayaking at Isla Coiba National Park, Panama

Isla Coiba National Park, Panama

A Black-mandibled toucan at Casa Orquidea Botanical Gardens, Costa Rica, Central America

Caletas Reserve, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Central America

Horseback riding at Caletas Reserve, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Central America

A beautiful beach sunset at Casa Orquidea Botanical Gardens, Costa Rica, Central America

Susan Seubert featured on National Geographic’s “What We Liked” Blog

What a great way to begin 2016!

National Geographic Creative maintains a blog of what pictures they like, and for January 1, 2016, they featured my photograph of a chinstrap penguin.  This image was made on Half Moon Island in Antarctica and the blissful bird appears to be dancing its way across the snow.

Chinstrap penguins on Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands, Southern Ocean, Antarctica

I love this image because the penguin is seemingly so happy, and joy is something that I strive to express in many of my photographs.

Thank you to the folks at National Geographic Creative for featuring one of my images!  You can see the full post here.

This image was made with a Canon 7D Mark II using a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens.

Aperture Priority f7.1, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/4000s.

Susan Seubert Photography in 2014 : An Amazing Year, in Pictures

From the North Pole to the sands of Hawaii, my cameras and I saw many incredible places.

Here are some of the highlights.

My year began in Birmingham for National Geographic Traveler for a story about the history of Civil Rights in the city, but from a traveler’s perspective. The assignment took me to the Civil Rights Museum and the inside of the 16th Street Baptist Church, both sobering experiences.  Birmingham also has a fabulous food scene from down home BBQ to some seriously delicious high-end Southern Cuisine.  The lively arts scene was a surprise, complete with small music venues and vegan restaurants.

The Wales Window at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama

The Bottletree restaurant, which offers vegan cuisine, and music venue located in the Avondale district of Birmingham, Alabama.

The next great assignment came from the Smithsonian Magazine : photographing the Von Trapp children who have made Portland, Oregon their hometown. We spent time climbing trees and jumping on rooftops with umbrellas to get some wonderful images of these multi-talented youngsters.

The Von Trapp children in Portland, Oregon

From there, it was off to Baja, where I taught photography on board the National Geographic Sea Bird.  We traveled throughout the Gulf of California experiencing all kinds of wildlife. Swimming with sea lions at Los Islotes, Orca whales bow riding at midnight under a full moon and huge flocks of elegant terns choosing their mates at Isla Rasita are just a few of the amazing encounters we had during our eight day voyage.  The wildlife experts on board kept our shutters flying.

Snorkeling with California Sea Lions at Los Islotes in Baja California Mexico Photographed with a GoPro Camera

Elegant terns and other sea birds gathering on Isla Rasita, Baja California Mexico

After a few loads of laundry and some face time with the kitties, it was off to Maui for the month of May, where I shot a story about Happiness for Prevention Magazine.  We had fun making smiley faces on trees in the lush, tropical forests.  We did street casting to choose our lovely models who expressed joy with their smiles and their feet. 🙂

A tree in the forest on Maui with a happy face made of natural materials.

pink flowers with a happy face in the grass with bare feet, Maui, Hawaii

From Maui, I flew directly to Quebec City for National Geographic Traveler where I spent ten days on assignment.  The European vibe and French speaking Vieux Quebec made me feel as though I had crossed two oceans.

Street scenes from Vieux Quebec, the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico, Quebec City, Canada. Rue Saint Louis lighting up at dusk

Lower Vieux Quebec, also known as Quartier Petit Champlain, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

In June, I headed to Svalbard to work as the Photography Expert for National Geographic Expeditions on board the Explorer, a beautiful ice breaker.  We sailed among the ice sheets, spotting polar bears and photographing the most incredible blues I’ve ever seen.  The landscape around the North Pole cannot be properly captured in pictures, but we all did our best.

A polar bear with her cub on the pack ice in Svalbard, Norway

Austfonna Ice Cap on Nordaustlandet, Svalbard, Norway

Glacial Ice floating in Svalbard, Norway

Teaching photography has been a focus of 2014. In July, I taught a group of aspiring young photographers through National Geographic’s Student Expeditions program in San Francisco.  We explored Muir Woods, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the streets of San Francisco and magnificent Big Sur.  Later in the year I taught two one-day seminars in L.A. and Portland for National Geographic on “The Travel Assignment.”

Our group portrait with all of the National Geographic Student Expeditions at the Sutro Baths, San Francisco, CA

Our dusk shoot at the Golden Gate Bridge with Student Expeditions where we experimented with light writing and a group portrait

After wrapping in San Francisco, I photographed for several days on beautiful Bainbridge Island in Washington.  The subject?  Chickens.  Chickens and their coops for Amber Lotus, a calendar and card company.  Keep your eyes peeled for the 2016 edition of City Chickens and Their Coops!

Chickens and their Coops Calendar coming out in 2016, but it’s not too late to get your 2015 copy!

It was off to Switzerland in September for two weeks covering 1000 miles of Swiss bliss.  Every village and mountain peak was as picturesque as one would expect from this iconic country.  One of the many highlights was visiting a small creamery in the Alps that makes Alpkäse, a traditional cheese made entirely by hand.  I also hiked around the mountains, explored the country by train, car and boat, and (how could I resist?) sampled lots of chocolate.

A Swiss cheese-maker working on a batch of Alpkäse by hand in the traditional manner in a giant copper kettle over a wood burning fire at their cheese-making hut above Wengen, Switzerland

A Swiss cheese-maker working on a batch of Alpkäse by hand in the traditional manner in a giant copper kettle over a wood burning fire at their cheese-making hut above Wengen, Switzerland

What could be better than this? Crete. I flew directly there from Switzerland and was met by my husband — and my fixer.  We proceeded to spend just over a week shooting the western half of the island.  The food, people, landscape and architecture were outstanding. That story has already hit the newsstands in the Netherlands for the Dutch edition of National Geographic Traveler.

Street scenes in Chania, Crete, Greece

Evening street performers in the village of Paleochora on the southern coast of Crete, Greece, Europe

After Crete it was off to another island, our home on Maui, where we spent October and November surfing, stand-up paddle-boarding and, of course, making more pictures.  This time the assignment was for me: to explore the underwater world with a Canon 7D and an SPL water housing.  I photographed turtle after turtle, had a few octopus encounters and enjoyed a beautiful moment with a very large spotted eagle ray.

A spotted eagle ray at the reef at Black Rock in Kaanapali, Maui

A large, male Hawaiian green sea turtle swims peacefully over the reef at Kaanapali, Maui

Thank you to all of my clients for sending me on such remarkable journeys.

You’ve made 2014 marvelous!!!

 

Susan Seubert Photography’s Image Chosen as One of the Best in 2014 by Dutch National Geographic Traveler

 

Two girls skipping stones at the edge of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana, using a Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens on a 5D Mark III

A photograph from a story I shot about Idaho, Wyoming and Montana for the Dutch edition of National Geographic Traveler was recently named one of the top 6 images published by the magazine in 2014.  When I think of the thousands of images each photographer shoots and submits for each story, I feel humbled to have an image so honored.  I can only marvel at the editorial work needed to winnow so many images into just 6 for an entire year.

The image that was chosen is a picture of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, (shown above).  There are two Amish girls skipping stones on the lake. I remember this moment vividly. The editor and I had stopped for a break. I noticed a group of women and girls reading the interpretive signs next to the lake.  These women were so striking in their dresses and head coverings that I couldn’t resist making some images of them. The color of their clothing seemed to come out of the landscape itself, which had a very blue cast that afternoon.  I thought my timing was off as they were just leaving when I started to approach them, but luckily I had started to take pictures of the unfolding scene while on my way over to where they had gathered to admire the lake.  I had my regular, two camera set-up at the time: one 5D Mark III with a 70-200mm and a second 5D Mark III with a 24-105mm.  First, I began using a 200mm to photograph the women from the back, which made a very pretty picture.  However, I had gotten close enough to use a shorter lens when I noticed the girls skipping stones. Although I was only able to take a few frames before they darted off, I managed to get the shot. This experience was a nice reminder that it only takes one frame to capture a beautiful moment.

Two Amish women admiring the view of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana, photographed using Canon’s 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM on a 5D Mark III