National Geographic Experts
A National Geographic expert will accompany each departure to share insights and a rare behind-the-scenes perspective. Listed below are some of the experts and the departure date(s) they will be joining.
Fiona Dunlop
Travel writer Fiona Dunlop has explored northern Spain extensively, writing numerous articles about its culture and gastronomy. She is the author of the National Geographic Traveler guidebooks for Spain and Portugal as well as Spain Chic and the critically acclaimed book New Tapas, which explores Spain’s evolving food culture. Fiona contributes to numerous newspapers and magazines, and she has written more than a dozen guidebooks and food culture books. In addition to living for long periods in France, Italy, and London—her hometown—she has long favored Andalusia in southern Spain, where she frequently retreats to her house in the olive groves.
Tino Soriano
Born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, Tino Soriano divides his work between photojournalism and travel photography. He has been honored with numerous national and international awards from groups such as World Press Photo, UNESCO, and FotoPres. In 2004 Mexican President Vicente Fox personally handed Tino the trophy for the Lente de Plata award, which is given to the best story on Mexico published throughout the world. Tino is the author of the books Travel Photography, Dalí, 1903-2003, The Other Barcelona, Banyoles, and The Future Exists, He has also participated in projects such as Hospital de Bellvitge 25 anys, Discover Spain, Images of Catalonia, and World's Great Train Journeys, the last three published by the National Geographic Society. Tino has recently provided the photography for the National Geographic Traveler Guidebooks Sicily, Madrid, Portugal, and Naples and Southern Italy. Since 1978, he has regularly lectured and taught workshops at many universities in Spain. His work has appeared in National Geographic magazine, as well as in many other publications.
Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson
Photographers Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson have collectively photographed more than 50 stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines. They have spent most of their careers working in Europe, shooting stories from the Arctic to the Mediterranean. Both Sisse and Cotton have been awarded numerous prizes by POYi, the National Press Photographers Association, White House Press Photographers Association, and Communication Arts. For several stories about the upper Paleolithic Age, Sisse was granted exclusive access to the prehistoric painted caves in Altamira.
Kike Calvo
Award-winning photographer, journalist, and author Kike Calvo was born in Spain, has traveled in more than 85 countries, and transformed his his fascination with Latin America into a career focus. He is a guest lecturer for the Leica Akademie and a freelancer for the New York Times. His cultural and environmental documentary photography has also been published in National Geographic, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, as well as other publications. His book Habitats, with forewords by famed National Geographic marine photographer David Doubilet and Jean-Michel Cousteau and launched at the Reina Sofia Museum, showcases ecosystems from Spain and around the world. In making the official book for the International Water Expo, Kike rediscovered Spain and its intricate relation with water, visually exploring his native land's landscapes and culture. From topsy-turvy mountain valleys seen from within rivers while shooting underwater photographs, to birds-eye views of fields tinted by pink almond trees while shooting aerial photographs, Kike created an exhibition titled ¨What Goya Never Imagined.¨ His children's book series The Adventures of Kikeo supported the United Nations Water Decade campaign in Spain. Kike´s images have been exhibited in New York, Paris, Chicago, Manila, Germany, and Spain at venues such as the United Nations, King Juan Carlos I Center, and Instituto Cervantes and Pablo Serrano Museum, among others. With a strong interdisciplinary background, Kike continues his education by teaching photography at workshops and seminars around the world. When he is not on assignment, instructing, or guiding, he is having gazpacho made from his grandmother’s Andalusian recipe.
