Svalbard Spring Photo Tour with Dean Tatooles

Piet van den Bemd is an expert photographer known for his adventurous spirit, keen eye for detail, and deeply personal approach to his work and guests. What sets him apart is his ability to blend technical expertise with a strong sense of curiosity, encouraging clients to embrace the unknown and explore new perspectives while having fun.

Impact
Piet’s footage and photos have been used in various nature documentaries, newspapers, and scientific articles. He particularly enjoys giving public talks on his photography, nature conservation, and the polar regions have become second nature for Piet. His goal as a photographer is to share stories, create awareness, and inspire people to make a change.

Style
Piet’s openness and enthusiasm for adventure make his approach to both teaching and photography deeply engaging and transformative. His photography is as much about the experience as it is about the final image – it’s about being present, embracing unpredictability, and connecting deeply with the world around him. He believes that the best photography often comes from moments of spontaneity and personal connection, rather than rigidly following rules or conventions.

Dean will be onboard to coach photography on a selected number of photo tours. He is a professional nature and wildlife photographer with a career spanning over 20 years. His travels have taken him across all seven continents and from the High Arctic to south of the Antarctic Circle, giving him diverse experience in all environmental conditions.

Impact
Dean is currently finishing his first book, entitled Modern Day Explorer: A Photographic Journey Through the Lens of Dean J. Tatooles. Divided into seven chapters, it showcases each continent and will share stories of his journeys alongside his images. In addition to photography, Dean was a blogger for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and remains today an avid wildlife and environmental conservationist.

Style
Dean prides himself on making the technique of photography less daunting and more user-friendly and fun. In addition to easy-to-follow lectures, his approach is hands-on and he most enjoys working with guests in the field. Dean makes it a goal to get anyone who will listen off the automatic settings and outside their comfort zone. But, most of all, having fun doing it.

Languages:
English
Spanish

An accomplished and published photographer with more than 30 years of leading photography adventure trips, Randy readily shares his craft and substantial knowledge with photographers of all types and skill levels. He provides guidance in composition as well as the technical aspects of photography to help clients improve and enhance their skills. Randy has a knack for translating even the most complex technical aspects of photography, as well as the intricate components of cameras, into simple concepts that are easy to understand.

Impact
Randy’s photography skills have earned him multiple awards, most recently two Honourable Mentions in the 2024 International Monochrome competition. He was a semi-finalist for the BBC’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year; his photographs have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Africa Geographic, and Northwest Magazine; and his images grace the covers of numerous books, including Understanding Elephants and The Braided River.

Style
Randy uses his engineering background, coupled with an artistic eye and years of teaching, to help both experienced and novice photographers improve their ability to take eye-catching and memorable photographs. He focuses on drawing the viewer into the image – sharing the feeling of the moment – to capture the excitement of being on location and taking the photograph.