A Joseph Van Os Photo Safari is like no other kind of journey. While virtually every tour company includes "photography" as part of their overall trip activities, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris is set apart by our commitment to offer the finest in outdoor photography and related travel. That means we spend more time at the places we visit than other nature/photo/adventure travel companies for a more in-depth photo exploration of the wildlife, wild places and people we encounter along the way.

Taking part in a Joseph Van Os Photo Safari is a concentrated and productive photography experience. Unlike many companies that offer trips "suitable" for general travelers, nature enthusiasts and photographers combined, our trips are designed exclusively for nature and outdoor photography enthusiasts. Our trips give you more time in the field to work on your photography while observing nature, rather than dashing from place to place with numerous short stops throughout the day. Our trip itineraries revolve around creating opportunities for photography, unlike the many tours where the photographer must search for time in the itinerary to squeeze in a few quick shots, while the trip attempts to cater to clients with divergent interests.

Our groups are frequently out with the sunrise as well as the sunset to capture photographic images in the sweet low light — the best time of day to take pictures. We often take midday breaks, when the light is harsh, so we can recharge before returning to the field. Our groups visit national parks, wildlife reserves, private ranches, tribal lands, deserts, rain forests, remote islands, wildlife migration stopovers and areas of significant cultural interest. The pace of our trips is customarily relaxed — you can't do your best photography if you're being rushed. We usually work out of vans, boats and small busses. When the shooting will take place from inside a boat or vehicle we go the extra mile to arrange for as much space as possible in these transports, within the bounds of reasonable logistical and cost considerations, to offer optimum photography — everywhere we go!

We don't cut corners. From the time you contact our office until we bid you farewell, you will receive the attention, service and great accommodations upon which our world-class reputation is based. Our trips are "all-inclusive" from meals, accommodations, in-tour transportation, entrance fees, leader services and other items essential to a successful trip. We are in the "trip-of-a-lifetime" business — a company that offers unsurpassed photography opportunities, excellent leaders, great food, comfortable lodging, and above all, a lot of fun!




If the idea of an "organized group tour" conjures up visions of a wild west cattle drive, then joining a Joseph Van Os Photo Safari will demonstrate one of the exceptions to the rule. Our company enjoys a wonderful relationship with hundreds of repeat clients on an annual basis. From amateur to professional photographers, these discerning travelers know that we have looked after all of the complicated tour logistics and planning, so they can concentrate on enjoying themselves and the great photo opportunities we provide.

Our groups are small in size and are normally limited to enrollment of 16 members with an average of 12-14 participants joining each trip. This group size allows for flexibility in our plans if interesting and unexpected photo opportunities present themselves. Photo Safaris attract people interested in maximizing their photography while traveling. Because of this, our groups comprise like-minded individuals sharing ideas and experiences regarding nature photography, camera equipment, photo marketing, the environment, wildlife and more. And while trip members come to us with diverse backgrounds and photographic skill abilities, we find all are spirited individuals who share a love of nature and a desire to communicate that love through photography. Typical groups include trip members from their late twenties to early seventies.




Experienced, professional leaders who are experts in photography and logistics lead Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris. They are the single most important factor in the success of our photo tours. We are justifiably proud of them and believe they're the best in the business!

All of our leaders are top working professional nature photographers whose willingness to share tips and technique assures your success in the field. These are exceptional people: fun to be with, attentive to detail, and excellent communicators whose enthusiasm is infectious. Our leaders have that special knack for making your Photo Safari pleasant and productive whether you are a beginning photographer or a professional.

As professional photographers and guides, our leaders are in an ideal position to find new and unique photo opportunities for our clients. They understand the needs of traveling amateur and professional photographers and they routinely suggest changes and additions to our tours that address these varied needs. Their years of experience in the field ensure our trips run as smoothly as possible, with levelheaded action taken to correct problems. You can travel with them with confidence.



Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris is the best-known and most highly regarded photography tour company in the world. And no wonder: for two decades our trips have been honed to a high degree of quality and consistency, because we have done the homework — invested the time, effort and resources it takes to provide the very best possible photo trip with few compromises. Our tours have been built from the ground up with outstanding photography and attention to logistical details in mind. Our trips are copied — often. It shows that other trip operators know a good thing when they see one. As many other companies attempt to offer programs to similar destinations as we do, sometimes for lower prices, it poses this question: Why would a client choose to travel on a trip with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris? Answer: Because our trips are acknowledged as the best!

On a Joseph Van Os Photo Safari you always know what you're getting and you get what you pay for. When you compare our consistently well-planned, hassle-free trips to the competition — the components of the photography, the number of shooting days, the all-included meals, the premium quality of food, lodging and transportation, the office efficiency, trip leadership and the access to the photo subject — you'll find our Photo Safaris are usually copied in name only.



Access — if you size up all the special ingredients that go into the creations we call Photo Safaris: our expert leaders, helpful office staff, good food, lodging and transportation — our one secret ingredient, the one that ices our cake, is access. From the company's outset, the team at Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris logged in an extraordinary amount of dream time, envisioning innovative photo shoots for our trip participants to visit "impossible" locations and surmounting "hopeless" logistical obstacles to bring those dreams to reality. Now, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris is the undisputed leader in new destinations and concepts in photo travel. Why? Because we are a company run by and for photographers. Photography is our passion, driving us to provide new ways, and the best possible access, to some of the most productive photo destinations in the world.

Our full-time office staff is ready to answer your questions and provide you with access, personal attention and travel assistance from start to finish.


Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, Washington USA 98070
Phone: (206) 463-5383   Fax: (206) 463-5484    Email: info@photosafaris.com
Copyright © 2008, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc.