I have just returned from Greenland recently and what a fabulous trip.  Everything from the stunning scenery, some great wildlife opportunities and even the northern lights made an appearance.  The boat was comfortable, food fabulous and the crew lovely.  Special mention to Yves Adams our motivated expedition leader who consistently displayed extensive knowledge and passion for the area. The zodiac trips and treks enabled us to have some great wildlife sightings and in the evenings some talks and lectures finished off the day. I have been fortunate to have also travelled with Jami and Theo to Svalbard this year, (Svalbard Extreme, another amazing trip).  What stands out for me as a solo traveller and novice photographer is the ongoing support from them both with the camera, even when faced with amazing wildlife opportunities themselves the help is there.  It matters not whether you have the latest gadgets, an iPhone or just a love of nature, you will have a great experience. In addition the nicest group of fellow passengers made both trips feel like travelling with old friends enjoying a shared interest.  Wonderful parts of the world to which I hope to return.

We just returned from Greenland trip. I’m already depressed. It was a trip to a different world impossible to describe.  Even the many images and videos don’t do justice. We feel very privileged to have experienced this part of what our planet has to offer and to do it with a perfect group led by Jami and Theo is very very special. We are committed to at least two trips a year until Jami and Theo retire. Just don’t retire soon. 

My wife and I just returned from a Wild Focus Expedition trip to Greenland, and I want to be the first to comment on what an incredible trip this was. Everyone on the trip boarded the MS Freya in Iceland and we cruised the Denmark Strait to Greenland. During this time we saw White Beaked Dolphins, Humpback Whales, Sperm Whales and a Minke Whale.  As soon as we got close to Greenland we were in awe of all the icebergs that we saw every day until we landed back in Iceland almost two weeks later.

Jami and Theo hired Yves Adams a local expedition leader to guide us through the Scoresbysund Fjord in Greenland. On our second day in the fjord, we saw a Polar Bear and on our last day we saw four Polar Bears. In between this time frame we saw Musk Oxen an Artic Hare, Ringed Seals, Harp Seals, and Orca Whales. Yves was incredibly knowledgeable on the twenty-nine different birds or gulls that we saw on our entire cruise and we also heard a loon.

Jamie and Theo guided us through numerous zodiac excursions and made certain that everyone on the cruise was an integral part of the entire expedition. The weather was also perfect running the entire gamut from cloudy and snowing to reflective smooth glass seas. Jami, Theo and Yves made certain that we were able to get the best pictures first before they thought of shooting pictures for themselves. They also offered numerous photographic classes while we were shooting and also back on the ship. We even had two nights photographing the Northern Lights. Incredible!

Everyone felt like family aboard the MS Freya. We ate and felt like royalty while sleeping like babies at night. This was our second trip with Wild Focus Expeditions after our first trip to Svalbard with Wild Focus also on the MS Freya. I would also rate our Svalbard trip as Excellent…

We would recommend Wild Focus to anyone who is looking for a personally catered trip like no other. Thank you, Jamie and Theo.

This was my second trip to the Arctic after Svalbard last year (both with Jami and Theo). The big draw for me for this trip was the timing – potential to spot wildlife AND witness the spectacle of Aurora Borealis. Of course none of these is ever guaranteed, but that’s the thrill of going on expeditions in nature!

While Svalbard was high on wildlife action, Greenland was glorious in the true sense of the term. In one of the few pristine places left on the planet, we had ample opportunities to photograph magnificent landscapes in some stunning, diverse light!

Wait, did I say not much wildlife action? The one polar bear we saw from up close, was in a dream setting though – on top of an iceberg with evening light and dramatic clouds in the backdrop! I would take one such over many others, any time :) Musk Ox is the other large mammal we saw from good photographing distance against the fall colours of the shrubby tundra landscape.

The Aurora Borealis (northern lights) spectacle we witnessed on the trip will always remain etched in my memory – watching the lights dance overhead is an experience not matched by many others. We were fortunate to have clear skies and strong activity on one of the nights and decent sightings on 2 others. It was also a good learning experience photographing the lights, with inputs from Theo and Jami beforehand.

My most satisfying part of the Greenland trip was definitely photographing nature’s sculptures – the magnificent icebergs, in all shapes and sizes, in some glorious lighting. It was like being in an open air iceberg art gallery, with opportunities galore to be creative with composition and light as well as experimenting with black and white photography. The rugged, pristine landscape of the east coast of Greenland formed the perfect backdrop to photograph them against.

Visiting such pristine, remote areas of the planet doesn’t just let us admire nature’s wonders, but also serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving these critical, yet fragile ecosystems. I feel fortunate to be able to be part of such expeditions and thanks to the team Wild Focus Expeditions for making these possible.

Overall, the trip was very well organized and executed smoothly – something that I have come to expect of Wild Focus Expeditions, but do appreciate that it takes a lot of depth of planning and execution. The newly renovated M/S Freya was a delight to be onboard, with spacious cabins, amazing crew and some delectable cuisine prepared by our chef on the trip – Christian. Must call out that the crew went way beyond their call of duty to help and were super helpful and supportive of the guests’ needs during the highly turbulent seas that we encountered on our way from Iceland to the east coast of Greenland. Our guides, who also piloted our zodiac boat were highly knowledgeable when it came to both the place as well as photography – thanks John, Jens and Acacia! John’s decades long experience in photojournalism, coupled with his deep knowledge of the Arctic ecosystem, definitely added to the the enrichment of my overall experience.

Greenland was an unforgettable trip! It was not a destination we would not ordinarily travel to, it was a trip we took on because of Jami and Theo. It was our first trip with WildFocus Expeditions. We know them both as out-of-this-world photographers and travelling with them, we felt, would be a photographic adventure, at the very least.

They were both completely dedicated towards creating incredible photographic opportunities – from discovering how to work with light (sunrise/sunsets, shadows, backlight in fjords with rock, glaciers and icebergs), to camera settings for the Aurora Borealis (it’s something you could only work towards getting right while its on, so while helping everyone on deck with camera settings as a priority, they were also working on their own shots – which were amazing, and especially, to demonstrate what’s possible for yourself as you continue to work at your images). During downtime, they generated plenty opportunity to learn and develop one’s skill through presentations of techniques and bytes of the work they and other wildlife conversationists do in support of the protection of wildlife, as a cause.

As photographers, they are incredibly inspiring to be with. More so when you’re in the setting of Scoresby Sund (Eastern Greenland), where the geology and natural landscape was like nothing I’ve experienced before. From the outset, in the build-up to the expedition, they advised what equipment we needed to bring with us, and always responded to our queries, even the most basic ones. So committed they were to us having a great time, they checked whether we had sea-sickness patches ready, if travel visas were in order, that hotel bookings were appropriately made. We were very well looked after.

Their personalities attract global travellers who are ready for a great time with other like-minded travellers, drawn together by a shared passion. With the intimate group of 14 other travellers, my husband and I remember there being so much laughter on deck and engaging, thoughtful conversations in the lounge and over mealtimes. These travellers are people we now regard as friends, so generous with sharing their experiences, both in photography and in life – a superb group of people to travel with.

Jami and Theo’s professionalism made sure there was an experienced expedition team onboard, one that was familiar with the Arctic, and the fjord system we were sailing in. Everyone put their best efforts in to look out for wildlife, identify best landing spots, and constantly working with the crew on sailing routes and timing for best lighting conditions and ensuring safety as a priority.

Jami and Theo chartered the fantastic vessel, M/s Freya, whose crew contributed in no small part to the unforgettable experience. Bridge visits were thoroughly informative and fun. The cabins were clean, private and comfortable, and had en suite bath/toilet facilities. Meals were prepared with so much care and attention, we ate more than well. The crew were so aligned to the expedition objective that it was actually two crew members who spotted the polar bear on the iceberg right behind the vessel, while we were out in zodiacs photographing ancient glaciers and gigantic icebergs. All this after were had been cautioned not to have high hopes of a sighting as polar bears continue to be hunted in this region.

Post-trip, they’ve been sharing their photos. When I see the photographs they have taken of the very locations I was at with them, I see what’s possible for my images – images captured during landings, zodiac trips and Greenland’s landscape I’m proud to share at home.  I’ve learnt so much from these Master Photographers. But at the end of the day, I have taken away from this trip so much more than just my photographs. I treasure the entire experience.

I cannot thank Jami and Theo enough for creating the opportunity!

This was our second photo expedition with Theo and as with our first, it was top notch. We were treated like royalty by the crew and guides and became friends by the end. Accommodations and dining was superb as was the interaction with Jamie and Theo as they guided and instructed our photography.
While there weren’t as many animals to photograph as we had perhaps expected, the opportunities we did have getting close-up images of polar bear and musk ox were incredible. This was in addition to abundant opportunities for northern light and scenic landscape images.
If you are looking for photographic opportunities that will stay in your memory for life, I heartily recommend WildFocus Expeditions.

Travelling alone is not always easy and stress-free, and travelling with a group of people whom I had never met, naturally left many questions unanswered! Now, back home and two weeks post my Wild Focus Expeditions’ boating trip through the Scoresbysund of East Greenland, I can say, I will most definitely ‘do it all again’!!

The first moment of meeting Jami and Theo on my arrival at the Kea Hotel, in the charming little town Akureyri located on the North Coast of Iceland was a meeting likened to meeting ‘long time, forever friends’. They really are the most super-cool people to travel with along with our eclectic group of 16 adventurous photographic explorers – a great bonding banner to sail with across the Denmark Straight and onward into the frozen lands of the icebergs.

My focus during our Greenland Sea-faring journey was to finally graduate from operating my camera on the big A – Auto and learn how to use all the other buttons and programmes ?. Jami and Theo were super patient and shared much of their photographic expertise with us all, so we could understand the best camera and lens settings and bring home the greatest pics ever.

I have several hundred best memory images – almost a hundred alone on the very cuddly looking but super serious polar bear. Of course, the boat chef takes the credit for our visiting polar bear, that swam up to our boat to get closer to the highly seasoned aromas of Chef’s steaming lunchtime goulash that were wafting out his kitchen door.

The curious bear even tried for a closer look into chef’s kitchen by climbing onto a nearby iceberg! As we were at the time photographing from the zodiacs, luck was shining on us to give us the best ever photographic opportunity with this beautiful creature being close enough to visibly capture every cute polar bear dimple and crinkle.

We were captivated with the brilliance of the arctic autumn colours. Ice and snow-topped mountains with the lower hillsides totally covered with brilliant exotic arctic flowers, mosses and dwarf arctic willows and birches. Only by seeing the reality of these hillsides can you really fully grasp the total immense beauty of the Scoresbysund.

Not only did we get the best photographic views from the boat decks, but our outdoor ventures of many zodiac rides, casual strolls along the shorelines and glacier-side hikes really gave us the best opportunities to capture every part of this amazing fiord.

There is just so much of our Greenland trip to write about and if I keep going I will never finish for posting!!

The food was terrific, the crew were really super, the boat was cosy and warm and for the entire trip, everyone on board was bubbly and happy.

My sign off is that I never in my life imagined there is such a magical site to see as what we all witnessed the night the skies came alive and truly danced with the enchanted northern lights – is just not possible to describe what we witnessed, the only way to know, is to join Jami and Theo and go there…

My husband and I turned 70 this year.  We might have thought our adventures were behind us…and if we were made to make all the arrangements ourselves, they might have been.  That brings us to Wild Focus Expeditions, Jami and Theo.  Because of them, we are still able to go to wild, beautiful places with ease and confidence.  Greenland was amazing.  It was otherworldly.  The light and the landscapes were unique, and a treat, for those who were photographing and for those of us who were only enjoying the beauty.  I am so grateful that I was able to experience this amazing place!

Our recent excursion to Iceland and Greenland was fantastic and was our second trip this year with Wild Focus Expeditions. Jami and Theo are dedicated to providing the best experience possible on their trips. Our pre-trip notifications were timely and very helpful as well as the ongoing photography advice given to us on the trip. Theo and Jami were always available if there were questions and would schedule one on one time with us if we had additional photography questions. They made sure our trip went smoothly and that we were getting the best opportunities for Photography. We were able to get close to multiple water formations via the zodiacs as well as going on shore for hiking excursions. They were able to have the Captain navigate the ship in a position that allowed us to capture the amazing Northern Lights. I would highly recommend them for any future trips, in fact we have reserved three additional trips with them in the next 12 months!

Wild Focus did it again! This is our third trip with Wild Focus…each trip has been fantastic. Some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever experienced. Greenland isn’t easy to get to, but WF had the best ship and the best crew you can imagine. They took us to places I know no other company would even try….all to get us the experience and photos of a lifetime. From Polar Bears to icebergs to the Northern Lights.. we saw it all.
Thanks again to Jami and Theo for fantastic memory.

I just returned from Eastern Greenland on a trip with Wild Focus Expeditions, my second trip with the company, earlier one was to Svalbard in 2016. Being a keen photographer and an avid traveller, I can easily vouch for the fact that Theo and Jami really know how to run their expeditions and outdo themselves each time.

Its a pleasure to work with them, you are always assured of friendly group of like minded participants (which is very important for me) and definitely the best guides in the business, which ensures that the trips are flawless, fun and exciting. The only downside is that they get over soon!

Theo and Jami’s extensive knowledge about photography really helps take your own photography to the next level and I have learnt a lot being on just two trips with them.

I am certain to be travelling with Wild Focus Expeditions to some of the other destinations they offer and am already looking forward to the next one.

Thanks again for a brilliant trip.

I traveled with Jami and Theo to Eastern Greenland from Sep 12 – 23. To say the very least, the trip was exceptional in every way (details below). I highly recommend traveling with Jami and Theo if you are even remotely interested in photographing off the beaten path (or even if you are not).

A trip like Eastern Greenland is logistically very complex. Jami and Theo have developed a great network of people that they work with and can count on to pull such complicated trips with consistent 5 star ratings. This was clear to me when I interacted with the remaining 15 passengers on the expedition. Almost all of them had traveled with Jami/Theo on one or more trips before and had come back for more. It was a great group of people with shared interest in photography, wildlife, conservation, unique travel experiences and good conversation.

Besides Jami and Theo (who are world class wild life photographers), the network of people I mention above consisted of a skilled ship crew (around 10 people with an exceptional captain and chef), 3 guides (all with significant years of experience in tracking animal/glaciers/local life/photography focused Arctic as well as Antarctic).

Our days on the ship were full of amazing landscapes at all times of the day (but mainly early am, early and late evening and late night for northern lights), knowledge sessions on improving our photography skills, great meals, some really excellent animal sightings.

I could fill 4 pages on how amazing it was to see a polar bear climb an iceberg and photograph it all the way as it came off and swam in the water, but for future travelers on these expeditions I would suggest that you look at the overall package (high quality people, lots of excellent learning and flawless execution) and not judge the trip by just these amazing sightings. Animal sightings don’t make or break a trip in my opinion, but bad company certainly does. This is also why I am certain that I will be doing more trips with Wild Focus Expeditions.