Our Story
Built in the Field.
Proven in the Wild.
Since 2009, we've trained wildlife photographers across 12 countries — from the Maasai Mara to the Arctic ice edge. Here's how we got here.
2009
Founded
12+
Countries
500+
Photographers Trained
6
Lead Instructors
Est. 2009
Maasai Mara, Kenya
Where it all began
How We Started
A Single Workshop.
Eight Photographers.
One Land Cruiser.
Wild Lens Co. started with a simple frustration: the best wildlife photography workshops were either too expensive to be accessible, too large to be useful, or led by people who hadn't been in the field seriously in years.
In 2009, our founder ran the first workshop in the Maasai Mara with eight photographers and a single vehicle. The rule was straightforward — no more students than the instructor could personally watch through a viewfinder. That rule hasn't changed.
Fifteen years later, we operate across 12 countries with six specialist instructors. The vehicle count has gone up. The group size hasn't.
Fifteen Years
How We Got Here
Founded in the Field
Wild Lens Co. began as a single workshop in the Maasai Mara — eight photographers, one Land Cruiser, and a conviction that wildlife photography is best learned where the animals live.
First International Expansion
We opened our India operations, partnering with naturalists in Ranthambore and Kabini to offer the first structured tiger photography workshops available to international photographers.
Polar Programme Launched
Sofia Eriksson joined the team and we ran our first Svalbard expedition. The polar bear workshop sold out in 48 hours and has been oversubscribed every year since.
Gear Shop Opens
After years of fielding gear questions from students, we launched our curated shop — stocking only the equipment our instructors actually use in the field.
500 Photographers Trained
We passed the milestone of 500 photographers trained across all programmes. Alumni have since published work in National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, and GEO.
Six Continents Covered
With the addition of our Barents Sea marine programme and a North America birds-in-flight series, Wild Lens Co. now runs expeditions across six continents.
What We Stand For
How We Work
Field-First Learning
Every skill we teach is learned in the field, not a classroom. Theory follows practice — not the other way around.
Small Groups, Always
We cap every expedition at six photographers. More than that and the instructor becomes a tour guide. We refuse to let that happen.
Access Others Don't Have
Fifteen years of relationships with conservancies, park authorities, and local guides means we get into places and at times that standard tours never reach.
Honest Instruction
We tell students what they're doing wrong. Politely, but directly. Comfortable feedback produces comfortable photographers — not great ones.
Conservation Commitment
5% of every booking goes directly to the wildlife conservancies we work in. Photography that doesn't give back to the habitat it exploits isn't something we want to be part of.
Gear That Works
We only stock and recommend equipment our instructors have personally used on expedition. No affiliate deals, no sponsored placements.
Recognition & Partners
Our Work Speaks
for Itself
Wild Lens Co. instructors are active working photographers. Their work has appeared in the world's leading natural history publications, and our conservation partnerships ensure the habitats we photograph are protected.
Conservation Pledge
5% of every booking
goes to wildlife conservancies
The Team
Six Specialists.
Six Continents.
Every instructor is an active working photographer — not a retired one. They lead expeditions, publish work, and teach simultaneously. That's not common. We think it should be.
Arjun Mehta
Wildlife & Safari
Jaipur, India
87
tours
Elena Vasquez
Big Cat & Predators
Nairobi, Kenya
64
tours
Marcus Lindqvist
Landscape
Tromsø, Norway
112
tours
Yuki Tanaka
Birds in Flight
Kushiro, Japan
73
tours
Sofia Eriksson
Polar & Marine
Longyearbyen, Svalbard
41
tours
Kwame Asante
Night & Astro
Maun, Botswana
55
tours
From the Field
What Our Students Say
"I've done workshops on three continents. Wild Lens Co. is the only one where I came home with images I'd actually submit to a magazine."
David Osei
London, UK
Maasai Mara Great Migration
"Arjun knew exactly where the tigers would be. Not guessing — knowing. That's the difference between a tour guide and an instructor."
Priya Nair
Singapore
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
"The Svalbard expedition was the hardest thing I've ever done photographically. Sofia pushed me further than I thought I could go. Worth every penny."
Thomas Bergmann
Munich, Germany
Svalbard Polar Bear Expedition
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