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It is important to remember the Galapagos is more than just the wildlife and the beautiful scenery; it is also about the people who live here. That is why every year we try to do more to support and give back to the Galapagos community!

To help with this meaningful work, we offered to sponsor three students and mentor from Jovenes fotografos de Galapagos (Young Photographers of Galapagos) project with two cabins on our first-class vessel, the M/Y ERIC. Our offer gave them the opportunity to spend a week traveling with us in the islands capturing beautiful Galapagos wildlife photography.

Photo by Diego Bermeo

Diego Bermeo is the Director of Photography for the Galapagos National Park and a mentor to young photography students on the islands. Through this initiative, he was able to share his knowledge of wildlife photography and help students to understand the importance of their home.

Three students were selected from the island of Santa Cruz to join us on the cruise: Carlos Salinas, Dayana Sanmartin, and Hoppe Quevedo.

Photo by Hoppe Quevedo

The Galapagos National Park has very strict rules in place for what is allowed on the islands. The park’s rules and regulations play an important role in conservation of the area so the Galapagos can remain a pristine environment to be enjoyed for years to come. Restrictions include what can be brought into the park, where tour operators can go, and how to interact with the animals. Flash photography is not allowed on the islands and drones cannot be used within the national park.

Photo by Hoppe Quevedo

Our naturalist guides were on hand explain the importance of respecting those rules and the role they play in preserving the ecosystem and wildlife. Guides also shared experiences and knowledge of the flora and fauna and were available to answer any questions.

We are delighted to be sharing some of the photos taken during the cruise and what some of the students had to say about the experience.

Photo by Hoppe Quevedo

“These 4 days were full of excitement and will be unforgettable. Diego Bermeo, our Mentor, has given me the opportunity to visit and photograph many places on different occasions and helped me to grow as a person in different ways too” – Dayana Sanmartín

Photo by Dayana Sanmartín

Photo by Dayana Sanmartín

Photo by Dayana Sanmartín

“During this trip, I had the opportunity to learn more about the wonderful place I live in, the Galapagos Islands. Thanks to its geography, everything flows with such a tranquility…This place is amazing for taking photos of nature and wildlife!” – Carlos Salinas

Photo by Carlos Salinas

Photo by Carlos Salinas

Photo by Carlos Salinas

These students not only learned about what it means to capture a great image – but perhaps more importantly, they learned more about their home and what it means to protect the Galapagos Islands. We want to acknowledge and thank Ivan Lopez, our naturalist guide on board, for volunteering to guide these students.  We know these talented young people have a bright future ahead of them!

If you are interested in seeing the islands with Ecoventura, or want to join us on a departure where photography is the main focus, we invite you to reach out for more information.