HOME BASE: USA

A decade ago Bryan Smith bought his first camera at WalMart and started calling himself a filmmaker. Armed with a $500 handicam, he embarked on a kayaking expedition to the far reaches of Arunachal Pradesh, India. While his imagery barely cracked amateur status on that first expedition, his passion and persistence would carry him through the ranks of the industry in just 10 years.

His first film, 49 Megawatts, documented a community’s struggle with a hydroelectric project on the Ashlu River and eventually led him to the hallways of National Geographic. He received an Expedition Council grant to lead a team of kayakers into the wilds of Kamchatka and went on to direct The Man Who Can Fly for the National Geographic Channel. After several years as a freelance director of photography for National Geographic, Bryan founded Reel Water Productions. A boutique production company based in Squamish, British Columbia specializing in documentary, expedition, and commercial content.

Bryan currently leads a team of like-minded creatives in the pursuit of authentic storytelling. Their award-winning films have graced festival circuits, television networks, and the online community. Bryan believes the best projects are those with a healthy chance of failure and pass a 60/40 rule. Stories with a 60% chance of succeeding and a 40% chance of failing seem to produce the elements of unknown, emotion, and challenge that audiences crave.

Bret is a professional wildlife photographer based in the Scottish Highlands. He lives in a cottage which is surrounded by Caledonian pine forests and a plethora of species that are now absent from much of the UK. His work has been awarded numerous times in some of the world’s leading wildlife photography competitions, such as MontPhoto and Bird Photographer of the Year.

Having travelled far and wide, Bret has built up an impressive portfolio of wildlife from across the globe. He specializes in subjects from the far north, sub-Saharan Africa and Australia, but can be found popping up in Latin America and the Indian sub-continent from time-to-time too.

Leading dedicated photography tours and safaris for Wildlife Worldwide, Bret takes small groups of passionate photographers in search of the world’s iconic wildlife in some of the most incredible destinations on Earth.

HOME BASE: NEW ZEALAND

For the past 25 years, Brendon O’Hagan has been one of New Zealand’s most experienced and reliable print photographers. Countless famous sports stars, dignitaries, and a whole host of high-flying corporates have banked on him to capture their best side.

He also enjoys living vicariously through the elite athletes he shoots: from the sideline, beneath the water, or 30,000 feet in the air. These images have appeared in publications the world over. He is vastly experienced, approachable, and loves a good chin-wag.

He measures his success on sound client relationships and is never happy until he has captured the moment perfectly. Brendon is based in Auckland and is more than happy to talk about your project, no matter the size, and no matter where in New Zealand.

Benjamin, who has been recognized as an award-winning night sky photographer, earned the title of Milky Way Photographer of the Year in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He passionately leads photography expeditions across the globe, guiding participants to incredibly remote and off-the-grid locations. Through these expeditions, he shares his expertise in advanced techniques for low-light photography.

In addition to his photography endeavors, Benjamin holds a distinguished role as a researcher at the prestigious Sphinx Observatory in Switzerland. Perched at an awe-inspiring altitude of 3571 meters, this observatory reigns as the loftiest in all of Europe. Within its elevated confines, Benjamin passionately directs his focus towards unravelling the intricate evolution of light pollution and its profound ramifications on our environment.

HOME BASE: FRANCE

Born and raised in the mountains, Ben has always been passionate about the great outdoors and the energy that it gives him. Fascinated by new technologies and natural environments, he was organically drawn towards capturing the beauty of landscapes and its elements.

Fascinated by vast open spaces, his request for the perfect image guides his objective and his curiosity towards endless magical adventures. From project to project, his camera feels like an extension of him. As Ben treks through the snow to the oceanside - from the Alps to the Rockies, the Balinese coasts to his European backyard, he engraves these unforgettable moments that life has gifted us. The encounter, the instant, chasing the ever-changing colors – these are all elements that bring him joy to collect.

Ben lives on the edge of the Peak District National Park and has held a deep passion for nature and the outdoors from a very young age. He studied photography and became a full time wildlife photographer in 2003. His work has taken him all over the world where he strives to create images that conjure emotion and tell stories. Ben is especially drawn to environmental images that show his subject in context, and likes to use elements of the landscape, as well as dramatic light to draw the viewer into his subject’s world. He is described by Living Edge magazine as a “passionate and experienced wildlife photographer, with a perfectionist’s eye for detail”.

Ben sells his images worldwide through several of the world’s top photographic agencies, and is a regular contributor to publications such as BBC Wildlife magazine, Outdoor Photography, Professional Photographer, Digital SLR Photography and many more. Ben is Vice President of Cheshire Wildlife Trust and has appeared on many TV and Radio programs including BBC 1’s Walk on the Wild Side, BBC The One Show and BBC Countryfile. Ben’s images have earned him numerous prestigious international awards including over 20 awards in the British Wildlife Photography Awards, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year and category wins in Bird Photographer of the Year.

He was also awarded Geographical Photographer of the Year. Ben’s contributions to wildlife photography extend beyond his own work. He is a sought-after speaker and educator, regularly conducting workshops and lectures throughout the UK and overseas to share his expertise and passion with aspiring photographers.

HOME BASE:  COSTA RICA

Augustin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and at a very young age, he started to take photos with his dad's predominantly manual cameras.

After beginning his studies in the audiovisual field in Argentina, he got tired of so much study of theory. He decided to leave to work in production companies and explore new horizons in some place by the sea.

He eventually found himself in Costa Rica working as a freelance photographer, enjoying taking photos of action sports and lots of surf!

Now, after many years of searching on the path of photography, he finds himself in this same place...because the search for the new angle of that new photo never ends!

Born and raised in Athens, Greece, he lived there until the age of 18 when he moved to Italy for his studies. After graduating in physiotherapy, he decided to dedicate more time to his passions: photography and traveling.

Starting as a self-taught photographer, his talent soon gained recognition when he won the prestigious National Geographic contest in Italy. This achievement earned him a master’s degree at the John Kaverdash School of Photography, one of the most esteemed photography institutions in Italy. Now, he works as a freelance photographer, traveling across the globe.

Deeply fascinated by humanity, he considers portraiture his favorite genre, although he enjoys experimenting with others. For him, photography is a vital witness to human history and a medium to explore anthropological and social changes. What he loves most about photography is its emotional impact and the ability to tell compelling stories.

An avid traveler and adventure enthusiast, he enjoys climbing mountains, ski touring, and mountaineering when at home in L’Aquila. The rest of the time, he can be found documenting life in remote parts of Africa or capturing penguins in the Antarctic icebergs.

Over the years, he has received numerous accolades, including awards from the Nikon Contest (2014), National Geographic Italia (2015), FIIPA Awards (2015, 2016, 2017), and the Siena International Photo Awards (2017, 2018).

Antonio Pizzaro is the Multimedia Editor-in-Chief at one of Spain’s most prestigious newspapers, bringing over 30 years of experience in developing new narrative approaches and audiovisual formats for journalism. His work is defined by a combination of journalistic rigor, innovation, and a strong commitment to professional ethics.

He has collaborated with international agencies such as Reuters, Associated Press, and France Press, as well as various global media outlets. His storytelling approach prioritizes depth, authenticity, and significant impact.

Beyond journalism, Antonio is a dedicated photographer with a deep commitment to environmental conservation. In recent years, he has focused his work on Doñana National Park, documenting its biodiversity with a special emphasis on the Iberian lynx, one of the most endangered feline species in the world.

His career achievements include a World Press Photo award, one of the most prestigious honors in photojournalism, underscoring his dedication to visual quality and documentary storytelling.

Currently, he is engaged in several documentary video projects, exploring innovative ways to highlight socially and environmentally relevant issues. His goal remains to push the boundaries of multimedia journalism while contributing a unique perspective to environmental conservation.

In addition to his professional work, Antonio leads workshops on nature photography, sharing his expertise and passion with the next generation of photographers.

HOME BASE: SPAIN

Antonio was born in Madrid, Spain in 1977, since childhood he has been attracted by wildlife and began his photographic activity at 18 to feel close to animals, having a special predilection for the Iberian and African wildlife.

Today, with a cumulative experience in nature photography in Spain and more than 20 photo safaris in Africa, it is in these two places that developed much of his professionalism and teaching, not to mention other parts of the planet.

He understands photography where the subject development or the environment is not a mere document; light, action, or environment, coupled with an appropriate point of view gives an image an extra result against documentary photography.

When he's not in nature he is a multidisciplinary photographer, photography campaigns facing gastronomy, architecture, advertising, and editorial. Complement his work with a high number of educational activities, committed to quality education enthusiasts and beginners photographers.

With his love for conserving the natural environment, he is involved in conservation projects for Iberian fauna (Iberian wolf, brown bear, eagle, black vulture) and Africa in Kenya (David Sheldrick Elephants). He recently recommended Canon equipment to the Brown Bear Foundation, possibly the most important in Spain in conservation foundation, with which he works and has achieved a partnership between Canon and them.

His publications are ranging from the publishing medium, published in major publications: National Geographic Travel, Superfoto Practice, Quercus, special Hello Travel, Walk, Great Outdoors, Diario de León, The New Chronicle, Tierre Sauvaje…

In the publicity branch, his images are used by various customers in large formats with different photographic disciplines from architecture, food, and advertising.

Siemens, Adif, Indra, BBVA, Sureña, 100 Montaditos, Philadelphia, Kraft, Brillante, McCann Erickson, Ogilvy… etc

Creator of the blog Nonstophoto.com where he stays with testing material and where he picks up his impressions that guide the diverse audience.

Requested independently in Associations and events more active and relevant to Spain where his masterclass development, which has the support or not as a contributor to Canon, is where he explains his way to work and allows him to talk about the equipment he uses freely.