Welcome to
Discovery Photo Tours
Take your photography to the next level with Discovery Photo Tours.
Discovery Photo Tours takes you to exotic destinations around the globe alongside our team of internationally acclaimed photographers. Our all inclusive tours are a life changing experience, filled with culture, cuisine, incredible photographs and unforgettable memories. We think you’ll enjoy them.
Discovery was created by photographers, with the goal of designing tours that we would like to go on. So before you dive in, we’d like to tell you about our Gold Standard, it’s what makes our tours truly unique and is woven into each and every tour we create.
We only photograph places where we love the food, culture and the people.
Each of our tours is designed around the “Discovery Gold Standard”, which means you’ll join some of the best photographers in travel photography, experience the culture that makes our destinations so unique, and capture it all from our favorite locations.
If you’d like to be treated as a friend being shown around to the best and most intimate discoveries we’ve made, we think you’ll enjoy our approach.
While our tours are designed by photographers, for photographers, they are ideal for couples as well. Explore our individual tour pages to find out why
Discovery Gold Standard
01 Locations
Our tours are designed specifically for photographers – typically a step beyond what other tour operators offer… therefore destinations are chosen based on our ability to offer the highest level of expertise, on all fronts, for our guests.
02 Culture
Our passion is to create extraordinary cultural discoveries – through people, cuisine, art, architecture and more – to compliment your unmatched photographic experience.
03 Photography
Our talented photographer leaders are devoid of ego and some of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure of travelling with. Our aim is for you to work, elbow-to-elbow, with the photographers of greatest acclaim, in your chosen destination.
Tour Highlight
Land of the Rising Sun
March 27th-April 7th 2020
Spring in Japan
You could travel to Japan any time of year and visit any place and we promise you would return with rich and vibrant memories of people, architecture, cuisine and culture. So when we set out to create our Japan photo tour, we asked ourselves, “how can we raise the bar and deliver an experience even more exceptional to our guests?” And the answer is the Sakura season. Sakura, or “Cherry Blossoms” is highly symbolic and celebrated throughout Japan while their flowers bloom moving North with the warming of Spring.
Their blooms are celebrated at shrines, castles, temples, parks and more where we can enjoy not only special fairs and events but also capture ancient Japanese structures surrounded and framed by the beautiful blooming Sakura!
Photography tour guides
This photo tour is chock full of highlights as we make our way from the Southern city of Hiroshima, 800 kilometers north to Tokyo, with many stops along the way during our journey. Our carefully choreographed tour leaves no stone unturned visiting massive Torii gates, mystical mountains, bamboo groves, and zen gardens. Between our photo opportunities, we’ll enjoy a diverse variety of authentic Japanese cuisine from local food markets to sit-down 5-course feasts!
To allow our photographers to spend ample quality time with our guests, and to keep our group intimate, we only allow eight to twelve guests to join us in Japan. For complete tour and itinerary details, continue reading below. When our group is sized at eight, we have one pro photographer leader accompanying the group. When the group size is twelve, we offer two awesome pro photographers to lead our group. Regardless of the group size, we always have a top-notch local Japanese/English speaking local guide on our team as well. This tour typically sells out during our pre-registration event, so if there are still seats left, don’t wait too long!
Overview of shooting locations
See our latest
Upcoming Tours
Jordan
Oct 2nd to Oct 11th 2020
Travel with us across red sands and over endless dunes. Through Petra, to the Dead Sea, Ancient Roman Ruins and more. Join our world-class photographers on this once in a lifetime tour. One of our favorite adventures, however not suitable for those with a fear of riding a camel through the desert. Fedora optional.
Myanmar
Dec 5th - 16th, 2019
One of the best-hidden treasures of any country on Earth is Myanmar and you're about to experience it in a way that only Discovery can offer. Luxury accommodations, unrivaled pristine culture, heartwarming people, and history that seems to unfold right in front of your very eyes. Oh, and we almost forgot... some pretty awesome photo opportunities of the places and people that you'll meet on your journey. You're in for the trip of a lifetime!
Norway
Feb 14th-20th 2021
Join us on this epic once-in-a-lifetime adventure capturing and exploring the breathtaking archipelago of Lofoten. Situated in northern Norway, this remote region offers stunning snow covered mountains, pristine fjords, quintessential nordic fisherman huts and some of the most captivating scenery you'll ever experience. Don't miss this incredible opportunity!
what our guests have to say
Testimonials
The team at Discovery photo tours had put together a truly amazing and life-altering trip, and I was only on the scouting tour! The locations, the guides, the quality and of course the photo ops, were truly top class. Even better, these guys are genuinely talented, humble and helpful.
The trip to Tanzania had it all. Animals, wonderful accommodation, an excellent and knowledgeable guide, organisation (it just ran smoothly!) and a small group of strangers who have now probably become lifelong friends with a common passion. The companionship, laughter, and fun cannot be underestimated.
This trip changed my life and I aim to do a trip with Discovery Photo tours each year, or every second year at worst. Book a tour, you will not be disappointed.
Ashley Sowter
Tanzania Safari
Leaders: Patrick & Ken
Ken Kaminesky is a star amongst photo tour leaders. I had the pleasure of traveling with him twice, first to Jordan and then to Japan. He showed enthusiasm and passion for both photography and the countries we visited. Ken is one of the most friendly and fun people I know. And yet, he is organized and ready with a solid plan for getting the best shots in the best light possible. I also have to commend him for selecting excellent local guides who miraculously open doors closed to most tourists. We stayed after hours at Petra, an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. We spent time speaking with and photographing a geisha and we dined and stayed in unique local places not found in typical guide books.
One look at his website will tell you that Ken knows photography. His images are strikingly beautiful and he is generously willing to share his techniques and knowledge. What his website won’t tell you is that Ken’s tours will give you a chance to travel with folks who will become friends, who will laugh with you, who will teach you and who will be there to offer all the support you may need. I can’t wait to chase the light with him again soon.
Susan Flickinger
Jordan, Japan
Leader: Ken Kaminesky
Thank you for a wonderful experience, thank you for all the planning and preparation and blood, sweat, tears and worry you put into it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences and your personalities. Thank you for getting us around safely (big props here). I went to Norway to experience a new culture, immerse myself and understand what it is like to live in a world foreign to my own. I got all that, but I also made (at least from my side) two wonderful new friends, and when I say friends, in my world, that means family.
I will see you again. Jordan and Tanzania are next!