Patagonia A Photographer’s Paradise

On a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic voyage, photography is never an afterthought—it’s central to the expedition experience. Every departure along the South American coast is accompanied by a National Geographic Photography Experts and a certified photo instructor (CPI) who help guests capture incredible images of their travels. National Geographic Photography Experts Kike Calvo and Krista Rossow will join upcoming expeditions in Patagonia, a region they are both deeply connected to.

“I was enamored with Patagonia even before landing in Ushuaia for the first time. Flying over the Andes with a bird’s-eye view of snow-capped peaks and icefields made me realize that I needed to experience that beauty from the ground.

Karukinka National Park is a picture-perfect landscape, with sparkling blue water and rolling green forests. As a self-described ice addict, I’m especially drawn to the park’s glaciers, where ice worn by the passage of time creates nature’s own sculpture gallery.

In Torres del Paine National Park, the light never seemed to hit the peaks of the iconic massif the same way twice. The light in Patagonia is constantly changing because wind drives cloud formations across the wide-open skies.

One morning while I was photographing Salto Chico waterfall, using a tripod and a slow shutter speed to blur the movement in the water, the mountains in the background began to glow pink and purple. The beauty of those mountains has brought me to tears more than once.”

Photographer and educator Krista Rossow has shot feature stories as a contributing photographer for National Geographic Traveler magazine in South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, and beyond. Krista will join the March 8, 2023 departure of Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina’s Staten Island

“It’s hard to find places that stick in your mind before you visit them. Staten Island, at the southern tip of South America, is one of those places for me. After being declared a nature reserve for seals in 1923, it was off limits to visitors. Following almost 95 years without any tourism to the island, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic landed there in 2015, and I was fortunate to be onboard for the inaugural voyage.

I have lively memories of the ever-green beech in Hoppner Bay, the intricate designs of leathery kelps, and the twisted tree barks in Puerto Cook. It was a constant symphony of colors, shapes, and textures for the eyes. A land teeming with life. A land that had been forgotten by time.

When I returned—after taking thousands of images— I spent long nights choosing photographs to compile a series that reflected my emotions, and impressions from my visit there. It’s such a wonderful gift to be able to share this once-hidden place with others—on the page and in person.”

Award-winning photographer and writer Kike Calvo published his images and memories from the National Geographic Explorer’s historic Staten Island voyage in his book, Staten Island: Isla de los Estados. Kike Calvo will join the October 30, 2023 and March 8, 2024 departures of Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina’s Staten Island.