The Classic Sailing Team’s top picks for sailors who love to snap! If you’re looking for photography sailing holidays that go beyond just ‘boats and water’, Classic Sailing has hand-picked our top voyages perfect for capturing wildlife, seascapes and life on deck. Whether it’s for the ‘Gram, the family photo album or your professional portfolio we have voyages that offer the perfect landscape, wildlife or sunset shot and much more!
Surely it’s just water and boats, right?
No way! Even a short voyage along a coastline can uncover an endless array of imagery for your family album or portfolio. The surface of the sea is ever changing. There’s an abundance of wildlife above and below. You don’t even need to look further than the ship itself ! From intricate hand carved lettering in the oak transom seat to the general pottering about of the deck crew to the decorative ropework.
The ships in our fleet are as varied as the destinations and sea areas they sail. If you’re interested in photographing landscapes and sunsets, the views from the deck of a tall ship are unbeatable! The variety of interesting and captivating subject matter on a Classic Sailing voyage is only limited by the skill of the photographer!
Adorama have a great article with ocean photography tips
What gear and how to look after it at sea
First off – ships on the sea can be pretty onerous places for delicate, expensive camera equipment! Due to the usually limited space on board, we recommend bringing your personal belongings in soft bags, rather than hard suitcases. Boats heel over as the tack and gybe along and big seas can throw your things (and you!) about a bit. That’s not to mention the affect the salty air and sea spray can have on delicate electrical equipment. With all that said, we can’t recommend you bring your best, most expensive camera equipment with you.
If you do have your heart set on seeing a photo from your voyage on the cover of NatGeo – please ensure you know how to clean and maintain your gear and look after it as best you can. You may be able to get cover on your holiday insurance but we suggest you check the small print that the cover includes photography equipment at sea.
Of course, you don’t need professional gear. We’ve seen some stunning photos taken on a disposable camera and most mobile phones these days produce better images than stand alone digital camera from the last 10 years. Whatever you choose to bring, we suggest keeping it in a padded, waterproof case when not in use, keep lens covers on while up on deck (remember to remove them when you shoot!), clean the lens and camera/phone regularly with a microfiber cloth. Also, bring extra memory storage and check what power facilities are available on the ship for battery charging – some vessels don’t allow guest phone/battery charging until you’re in port and hooked up to the mains. Some ships have 3 pin plugs and some have 2 pin. Some ships run on 12v and other run on various other systems. Make sure you know before you plug in.
Right – onto our voyage list!
Eye of the Wind – Action Shots under Full Canvas
If you want fast-moving scenes, sails aloft, hands-on crewing, and powerful imagery from mast-tops or bowsprits, sailing aboard square riggers is the way to go. Capturing the full complexity of sailing these ships—ropes, sails, sea spray, and teamwork—is a challenge worth taking on! Here is a sailing experience that will provide ample opportunity to capture maritime action shots, as well as plenty to do when your camera is packed away!
Eye of the Wind – Golden October in the Øresund and Kattegat – 10th to 17th October 2026
Sail along the 12th degree of longitude from Copenhagen to Gothenburg and explore the scenic coastline of the island of Zealand and the western Swedish archipelago. This area between Denmark and Sweden is considered by Scandinavia enthusiasts to be one of the most beautiful areas in the Baltic Sea. As well as the glorious landscapes, you’ll have a picturesque tall ship to capture, and lots of action on deck!
Highlights for photographers:
Crew portraits
Landscapes
Beautiful golden autumn light
Action shots
Find out more about this voyage and book your bunk HERE.
Tecla – Wildlife and Wilderness in Antarctica: 22nd December 2026 to 30th January 2027
To be honest, we could have chosen any of Tecla’s voyage to feature in this section! Tecla is famous for her expedition voyages, regularly sailing from one pole to the other, crossing the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans and sailing from frozen tundra’s to the tropics. The diversity of wildlife Tecla experiences in any given year is unbelievable!
Narrowing down to just one Tecla voyage was a real challenge, but we think it had to be this one. Sail the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and Antarctica on this epic trip. Expect penguins, seals, seabirds, humpbacks, fin whales and orca, with a backdrop of icebergs and vast skies.
Visiting Antarctica is a dream come true, and to ensure that this pristine environment remains untouched for future generations, Tecla are members of IAATO. This organisation is dedicated to promoting safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica. By following IAATO’s strict guidelines, Tecla is committed to preserving the unique ecosystem of the Antarctic while allowing you to experience its awe-inspiring beauty in a sustainable way.
Highlights for photographers:
Photograph an incredible variety of wildlife, from penguins and seals to seabirds and whales
Visit some hauntingly beautiful and remote outposts from the age of Polar exploration
Stunning icy landscapes
Find out more and book your place on this voyage HERE
Sunbeam – Dramatic Landscapes & Calm Reflections: 22nd to 30th August 2026
Photograph the light playing on smooth granite islands and quiet forested coves. Sunbeam’s August voyages in Sweden explore the Stockholm Archipelago—named last year by National Geographic as a ‘Best of the World’ destination. Her traditional rig and historic lines offer photographic opportunities from aboard and ashore.
With long golden evenings and hundreds of forested islands to explore, the Stockholm Archipelago offers ever-changing horizons. In August, daylight lingers late—giving you more time to photograph mirror-still reflections, rocky shorelines, and white-tailed eagles gliding overhead. The quiet beauty of these sheltered waters is a world away from tourist crowds. A landscape photographers dream!
Highlights for photographers:
Long summer days offer lots of opportunities to capture late golden light.
Small remote islands, off the beaten tourist path.
Photograph white-tailed eagles & ospreys.
Shoot from sea and shore.
Find out more and book your place on this voyage HERE
Share your Snaps
Share your stories, feedback and photos with us – we love to see and hear all about your adventures! Not only does it brighten our day, your feedback genuinely helps us and our sailing partners improve our services. Your photo’s show fellow sailors what they might expect on their Classic Sailing Voyage. You’ll receive an email after your voyage inviting you to share your feedback and photos.
You can also tag us on your socials when you share your photos: #classicsailing @classic.sailing.
Be sure to join our mailing list – we occasionally run photo and writing competitions!
Speaking of; our friends at National Historic Ships UK are now accepting entries to their annual photography competition.
See their website here for more info on the National Historic Ships UK Photography Competition
