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Washington DCDecember 16, 2025
Featured photograph courtesy of National Geographic Photo Camp.
In 2025, National Geographic Photo Camp introduced the power of photography to a new generation of storytellers, providing them with essential skills to document the world around them. Now in its 22nd year, the program expanded its global impact further than ever, hosting its signature five-day immersive experiences in 18 locations across 11 countries. To date, Photo Camp has reached over 3,500 students, giving each of them a powerful introduction to photography and tools to illuminate their communities, with mentorship from National Geographic Explorers.
This year was defined by powerful collaboration. In the past 12 months, Photo Camp teamed up with three National Geographic Society programs: Perpetual Planet Expeditions, Pristine Seas and the Okavango Wilderness Project - all of which are led by Explorers who are working to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Through these collaborations, Photo Camp engaged with communities in Nunavut in Canada, Vanuatu in the South Pacific and Namibia in southern Africa. These collaborations also grew the global community of Photo Camp alumni. Many alumni continue to pursue their passion for storytelling, and some have further grown their relationship with the National Geographic Society - some as Young Explorers, or as teaching assistants at Photo Camps. Others have worked alongside acclaimed National Geographic photographers on assignments.
Photo Camp Nunavut
Photograph by Emerald Ilgosiak Hatkaittuq ᐃᓪᒍᓯᐊᒃ
In September, Photo Camp made its way north to the Canadian territory of Nunavut for a camp in Gjoa Haven. Photo Camp Nunavut was supported by National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions — a series of trailblazing scientific research expeditions across the world’s ocean from seashore to seafloor and from pole to pole. Photo Camp Nunavut highlighted student perspectives on the changing culture in the Arctic.
As part of Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions, Explorer Kristina Brown has been conducting oceanographic studies on board the Arctic Research Foundation’s R/V Martin Bergmann and collaborating closely with the community of Gjoa Haven in an effort to inform best practices for sustaining food security in the face of a rapidly warming Arctic.
This unique collaboration created an opportunity for the first-ever Photo Camp in Canada where 12 youth participants shared stories about their connection to the environment and explored traditional knowledge of community elders and their connection to the ocean.
Under the mentorship of National Geographic Explorers Sara Hylton, Hannah Reyes Morales, Pat Kane and Photo Camp Founder and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Kirsten Elstner, students turned the lenses toward community elders, capturing not just portraits but the generational knowledge, resilience and beauty of their home.
Reflecting on her experiences growing up in Gjoa Haven, Photo Camp student Emerald Ilgosiak Hatkaittuq ᐃᓪᒍᓯᐊᒃ shared, “Art is one of the many ways we express our feelings, who we are as individuals, and how we share our stories. Most of my art is gravitated towards my culture; this is my way of embracing who I am.”
Photo Camp Vanuatu
Photograph by Trevor Eddy
In October, for the first time, Photo Camp was held on the islands of Vanuatu in the village of Laone on Pentecost Island. This camp was supported by National Geographic Pristine Seas, which helps create marine protected areas by working with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, governments and partners all over the world.
To protect one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, National Geographic’s Pristine Seas initiative researched and filmed the biodiverse ocean ecosystems of Vanuatu. Responding to a request from the Vanuatu government, Pristine Seas has focused on bridging gaps in data by studying these ecosystems and assessing the impacts of global warming. The team is creating a documentary film to showcase the deep connection local communities have with the sea.
Explorers Evgenia Arbugaeva, Te Aho Jordan (a Photo Camp alumnus from the Māori community in New Zealand) and Elstner guided students in documenting traditional and local knowledge of marine conservation.
When asked to describe a photo he was most proud of, Photo Camp student Lorance Batena said it was of a landscape photo. “It shows the beauty of our island and country, and also shows that we love our environment that is surrounding us.”
The camp’s impact extended beyond five days, culminating in the creation of the Vanuatu Storytellers Club led by Photo Camp alumni at the Walter Lini Memorial College in Laone. With underwater cameras and equipment donated by Photo Camp and Pristine Seas, the students will continue telling their own stories of ocean conservation and encourage their peers to do so as well.
After a spectacular final show celebrating the students’ work and the traditions of the community, these Photo Camp alums will start a new phase of the project through the Storytellers Club of Vanuatu. With cameras, satellite internet service and laptops donated by Photo Camp and Pristine Seas, students will have the opportunity to continue exploring and sharing their own stories. They’ll be able to check out the equipment, develop their own projects and, importantly, train the younger students at the school to join them on their storytelling journey.
Photo Camp Namibia
Photograph by Mamamia Kaudimomunhu
In December, one of the last Photo Camps of the year was held in the northwestern panhandle region of Namibia near Mahango. This camp was supported by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project (NGOWP), which is locally implemented by the Wild Bird Trust family of organizations.
The NGOWP has an ambitious mission to protect and preserve the greater Okavango Basin — which starts in Angola, flows through Namibia, and ends in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The Basin nourishes one million people, iconic species, and vibrant ecosystems. Photo Camp Namibia was held in collaboration with the Kavango Wilderness Project, the Namibia arm of the Wild Bird Trust, and was hosted at the Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute.
This is the fifth camp supported by the Okavango Wilderness Project in the Okavango Basin after camps previously held in Botswana in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and in Angola in 2024. During this year’s camp, students collaborated with National Geographic Explorers Jahawi Bertolli, Guerchom Ndebo and Miora Rajaonary. Their experience included photographing fellow students and community members, alongside trips to Mahango National Park and Bwabwata National Park to photograph the region’s incredible wildlife.
“This experience opened my heart. It made me appreciate the strength and simplicity of where I come from, while awakening a new curiosity about the world beyond my home. It reminded me that Namibia holds many realities, each with its own beauty and spirit. More than photography, this camp taught me to feel, listen, and understand people and places in a deeper way. It helped me see my country with new eyes, honour my roots more strongly, and embrace the diversity that makes Namibia the place I am proud to call home,” Photo Camp student Filippus Hamunyela shared about the experience.
2025 was another historic year for Photo Camp, proving that the most compelling stories are told by those who live them. We look forward to continuing this work in 2026. To keep up-to-date with all things Photo Camp, follow @ngphotocamp on Instagram.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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