Editorial and Travel Photographer Susan Seubert in Antarctica

Greetings!  I just returned from just over 3 weeks in Antarctica and it was yet another epic adventure spent as the National Geographic Photography Expert on board the National Geographic Explorer expedition ship.  The thing that is extremely difficult to express, in words or pictures, is the scale of Antarctica.  It is truly vast.  Every place we visited felt enormous yet when seen on a map, appeared to be just a mere speck in the context of the peninsula.  We were greeted by humpback and killer whales, leopard seals and several species of penguins.  Iceberg A57a was quite a sight, as was cruising through Antarctic sound during a beautiful sunset and moon-rise.  Of course, nothing tells the story better than photographs, so I’ve included a few here for your enjoyment.  Thank you for visiting my blog!

The National Geographic Explorer parked at the dock in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.

Iceberg A57a as seen from our ship.

A solitary Chinstrap penguin standing on a bergy bit in False Bay

A leopard seal hauled out on the ice in False Bay

Killer whales near Anderson Island

The beginning of an epic sunset in Antarctic Sound

The land of the midnight sun, dusk and a crescent moon in Antarctic Sound

An Adele penguin at Paulet Island

Pancake ice in Lindblad Cove

The ship parked and people kayaking in the ice at Lindblad Cove

 

2017 The Year in Pictures for Travel and Editorial Photographer Susan Seubert

My how time flies! 2017 was another whirlwind of travel and exploration: I visited both poles, watched dolphins in Mexico, went whale watching in Hawaii, marched with three million of my fellow Americans in Washington, visited castles in England, had my first true Guinness in Ireland, hiked along the coast in Wales and explored Vancouver, BC by boat. I took over 20,000 photos while on assignment this year which although is not a record, it’s certainly a lot of images!  Below are a few of my favorites, marking my global journey for this past year.  My hope is that by showing the beauty and diversity of this marvelous world, that you will be inspired to travel.

I started the year off on assignment for Vox Media, shooting a story about my hometown of Portland, Oregon. Here is the view of Mt. Hood from Pittock Mansion.

First stop on the 2017 World Tour: Baja! Always one of my favorite places on Earth, the Gulf of California is wild and beautiful. We enjoyed a sunset beach bbq at Puerto los Gatos.

Second stop: Washington D.C. for the Women’s March. We will persist!

Third stop: The ‘Au ‘au channel off of the coast of Maui to witness the annual migration of Humpback Whales from Alaska. We’ll be heading back there this year!

Next up, Antarctica in February. This was the last trip of the Antarctic season, so we explored the southern ocean to see incredible landscapes and wildlife. Here is a Gentoo Penguin colony with gorgeous ice in the distance.

One of my favorite places on Earth: Gold Harbour, South Georgia. Here we were treated to a rainbow and King penguins on the beach.

I opened my show, “Not A Day Goes By,” at the Froelick Gallery in April. The work was also shown at this year’s Venice Biennale.

I have been photographing John Yeon’s, “The Shire,” in the Columbia River Gorge for the last 7 years and the book was finally published. The Portland Art Museum used one of the images to announce the show about Yeon.

In May, my family and friends joined us in Venice for my opening at the Venice Biennale! Definitely a high point in my artistic career, the Biennale is the most prestigious venue for fine art on the planet. Picture here is me with my mom on the balcony of the Palazzo Bembo, home to the European Cultural Center that hosted the exhibition.

After returning to the U.S. from Italy, it was back across the puddle for adventures starting in Arctic Svalbard where polar bears ruled the day!

A once in a lifetime sighting: we watched a polar bear take a bearded seal, then proceed to have a feast. Even our Norwegian guides had never seen such a site! This is why traveling with National Geographic makes all the difference.

After spending time in Svalbard, we headed over to the famed fjords of Norway. We hiked and explored these beautiful waterways which was a joyous experience.

Back in Oregon, science rules! We were some of the first in the United States to witness a total eclipse of the sun. I photographed it through a spotting scope.

The diamond ring effect during the total eclipse of the sun. Taken in McMinnville, Oregon.

The end of August took me back to school at the Maine Media Workshops where I learned about short form, multimedia storytelling from the master himself, Bob Sacha.

I had a brief moment at home before heading back to Europe, where Ireland awaited! I landed in Dublin and after visiting the stunning Library at Trinity College, we headed straight to a pub for a proper pint of Guinness!

From Ireland we sailed for Wales, where we visited the lush Bodnant Gardens in the rain.

After exploring Wales for a few days, we headed to England, where the charming town of Fowey welcomed our rather large ship into port.

After my adventures on board the National Geographic Orion, I flew back to North America where I had an assignment to photograph lovely Vancouver, British Columbia. We had stunning weather! This is the Grouse Mountain Skyride Surf Adventure, with views back to the city from the top of the aerial tram.

As soon as I wrapped the shoot in B.C., it was back across the Atlantic to meet my husband in beautiful Bordeaux. Here is Le Miroir d’eau at Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux during the blue hour.

After eating and drinking our way through France, we hopped an EasyJet flight to Venice, to take in the sights, and my show, one last time. Here is the Basilica San Marco in the morning, Venice, Italy.

We flew back to the U.S., and no sooner had we touched down, then I had some meetings to attend in our nation’s capital, so I flew to DC for a quick trip.

Then, it was back to Hawaii for us. I was fortunate enough to be invited to photograph the Keiki Hula Festival at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel. It was inspiring to see these young people carrying on the Hawaiian tradition of hula.

My husband got to catch a few waves before I had to wave goodbye and head off to…

Cambridge!! I had a fantastic shoot for the Charles Hotel. We spent a week making a library of images for the hotel’s new web site. I’ll post more about this shoot once the job is live!

Luckily for me, there was still time after Boston to head back to Hawaii, where I was able to enjoy some beach time with my husband. Cheers to an incredible 2017!

 

2017 Branded Content Photographer Susan Seubert shoots Vancouver, B.C. for NationalGeographic.com

Last September I was assigned to photograph a story about Vancouver, B.C., one of my favorite Canadian cities! This assignment was for NationalGeographic.com, an online-only story about the city and it’s proximity to nature, livability and global cuisine.  The producer and I had a great time shooting for five days in several different neighborhoods. We were blessed with stellar weather for most of the week.  The rain came on the last day of the shoot which was perfect for shooting in the rain forest at Lynn Canyon, a park so close to the city that you can take a bus and hike for what feels like eternity.

You can see the story online here.

Below are some of my favorite images from the shoot.  Thank you for visiting my blog!

Coal Harbor at dusk.

Jack Poole Plaza

Capilano Sky Walk

Grouse Mountain Skyride Surf Adventure

Heritage Asian Eaterty

Kissa Tanto

Olympic Village and Science Center

Tap and Barrel

Bike Riding at Stamps Landing

Evening brews at Tap and Barrel

49th Parallel Coffee Shop

49th Parallel Coffee Shop

Kayaking in False Creek

The view of the skyline and mountains from the Burrard Street Bridge

The rooftop pool of the Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver

Views of the historic Gastown neighborhood

Crabbing at Jericho Beach Park

The view of the the Southeast False Creek Olympic Plaza

Tacofino, a California/Mexican inspired taco bar

Brassneck Brewery

Earnest Ice Cream

historic Gastown

Lynn Canyon Park in the District of North Vancouver

Editorial Travel Photographer Susan Seubert on visiting 7 countries in 1 Month

September was a whirlwind of airplanes, trains, boats, buses, cars and globetrotting. I left PDX on the first and landed in Ireland, on the 2nd. After a quick city glimpse and a Guinness in Dublin, I boarded the National Geographic Orion. It whisked us off to a week of exploring the coastal villages and isles of Wales and England in true National Geographic style.

The most photographed of all the Georgian doors in Dublin

The Library at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

The Library at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, Europe

Our first stop in Wales at the lovely seaside town of Llandudno

Llandudno, Wales, Europe

We spent the afternoon exploring Conway Castle

Hiking along the Pembrokeshire Coast, Fishguard, Wales

St. David’s Cathedral in Fishguard, Wales

Bodnant Gardens, Llandundo, Wales

Bodnant Gardens, Llandundo, Wales

The town of Fowey, England

Dartmouth Castle, England

 

Delta’s new non-stop service from London’s Heathrow airport got me home to Portland in time to do my laundry, repack, say hi to my family, and complete a photo shoot for Travel Oregon before my next flight to British Columbia for a National Geographic Travel feature story on Vancouver. There I spent 6 days exploring the food scene, hiking in the rain forest, and rediscovering one of North America’s most vibrant, and one of my favorite, cities.

Photographing kayakers in False Creek, Vancouver, B.C. Yes – I had to wear lifesaving gear in the form of a onesy.

Photographing on top of the aerial tram at Grouse Mountain, Vancouver, British Columbia

BTS at 49th Parallel Coffee in Vancouver, B.C.

On September 18 I landed in Bordeaux, France, to rendezvous with my husband. We had rented a beautiful apartment directly on the quai where we could take endless walks after dinner to admire la Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d’eau at dusk. Bordeaux still seems refreshingly undiscovered. From there we also took a train day trip to St. Emilion, one of the finest wine producing regions in the world.

People enjoying a sunny afternoon and an art installation at Place de la Bourse, Bourdeaux, France.

The Chartrons neighborhood, Bordeaux, France

The view of the Garonne River from our fabulous apartment in Bordeaux, France.

The Miroir d’eau at Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

Porte Cailhau, Bordeaux

Men sitting outside the landmark 14-16th century Gothic Church, Basilica of St. Michael, Bordeaux

The flea market at Place Meynard with Basilica St. Michael in the backgound, Bordeaux

Fresh fish at the Marché des Capucins, Bordeaux, France

Chocolate Shoes! These are 100% chocolate and are made by Cadiot-Badie, a chocolate shop that has been making confections since 1826 in Bordeaux.

The wine shop, L’Intendant, Bordeaux, France

Le Miroir d’eau at Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux during the blue hour.

The train station in St. Émilion, France

The grapes are ripe at Chateau Ausone in Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, France.

Grapes at Chateau Ausone, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

The view of the town from the bell tower of the monolithic church in St. Émilion, Bordeaux, France

Saint-Émilion has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vineyards date back to the Romans, as early as the 2nd century.

After several days of eating our way through the markets and cafes in Bordeaux, we took an EasyJet to Venice. There we caught up with some curators and other folks associated with my show at the European Cultural Center at the 2017 Venice Biennale. We had rented an authentically Venetian apartment directly on the Grand Canal. The building had once housed a Doge and has a very beautiful, private courtyard, making for a quiet stay on a very busy waterway.

The private courtyard entrance to our apartment on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

The view at bluehour from the Ponte dell’Accademia, Venice, Italy

Classic Venice!

Basilica San Marco as the crowds assemble for the day, Venice, Italy

The view from the Bell Tower at San Marco, Venice

Caffé Florian in San Marco, established in 1720, is still a beautiful place to dine.

Even the nuns are taking selfies at San Marco.

The Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

My favorite part of the trip was exploring Venice without a guide. The clothes hanging out to dry remind me so much of the photos of the Tibetan prayer flags at Everest Base Camp.

The magic hour on a small canal, Venice, Italy.

Deep fried artichokes at Gam Gam Kosher Restaurant just outside the Jewish Ghetto, Venice, Italy

Cicchetti at Cantina Do Mori, located near the Venice Fish Market. Cantina Do Mori was founded in 1462 and remains a fantastic place for a glass of wine and cicchetti.

The wines on display at Cantina Do Mori, a Venetian institution.

My head is still spinning from jet lag, but already I’m looking forward to heading to Washington D.C. on Sunday, then on to Maui where I’ll be based for 4 weeks.
Merci, Mille Grazie, Mahalo nui loa, and thank you for visiting my blog!

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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