The Masterclasses by National Geographic Traveller (UK) are back with The Complete Travel Photographer, a three-session online series
The special three-session online series exploring what it takes to succeed as a travel photographer.
Hosted by senior members of the National Geographic Traveller (UK) design team alongside leading industry photographers, the series will examine the skills, creative insight and professional awareness required to produce compelling travel imagery today.
Across three 50-minute sessions, attendees will gain insight into how editors commission photography, how visual storytelling is evolving across print, digital and social platforms, and how photographers can build the right toolkit for different types of assignments.
The series takes place online from on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, from 18:00 to 21:00 (GMT).
Meet the panel for The Complete Travel Photographer
Session One: What an editor really wants
Meet the panel (from left to right): Ben Rowe (moderator), Irjaliina Paavonpera, Lauryn Ishak
Moderator: Ben Rowe, Senior Picture Editor, National Geographic Traveller (UK)
In his role overseeing the brand’s photographic output, Ben commissions shoots all around the world, for both print and digital. As moderator, he’ll be looking at what skills picture editors require from photographers and asking what’s the best way to tell a story using images. He’ll also be exploring how photographers can create a rounded portfolio to appeal to travel publications.
Irjaliina Paavonpera
Born in Queensland, Australia and raised in the northeastern US, Irjaliina is an experienced travel photographer and visual storyteller who’s lived and worked across three continents. She’s been known to do multi-day treks with two cameras hanging around her neck. Alongside National Geographic Traveller (UK), her work has been featured in The New York Times, International Traveller, Australian Traveller, Travel + Leisure and Further.
Lauryn Ishak
Lauryn is a Singapore-based photographer specialising in travel, hospitality and lifestyle across Asia capturing everything from architecture in China to Maldivian private islands. Over 15 years, she’s shot editorial and commercial work for National Geographic Traveller (UK), Condé Nast, Monocle, Aman, Apple and more across continents. But her favourite photography job is still snapping pictures of her dog, Xavi, at home.
Session Two: Shooting for the modern media landscape
Meet the panel (from left to right): Berkok Yüksel (moderator), Florian Kriechbaumer, Jessica Jungbauer
Moderator: Berkok Yüksel, Senior Content Strategist, National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Berkok oversees digital output for National Geographic Traveller (UK). He leads the brand’s social media strategy, focusing on how the publication’s award-winning photography translates into digital formats. With a background in travel media content strategy, he will direct the session, exploring how photography can retain depth and integrity across evolving social platforms.
Florian Kriechbaumer
Florian is an award-winning photographer who blends artistic vision with technical precision. He has explored a wide range of photographic styles, from landscape and cityscape to aerial, astro and deep sky photography. He is guided by a belief that strong images emerge not only from technical excellence and composition, but from a genuine appreciation of the subject and the ability to convey its story to a wider audience.
Jessica Jungbauer
Jessica is a freelance photographer and journalist for publications worldwide, including National Geographic Traveller (UK), Vogue, the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, Merian and FAZ Quarterly. Focusing on food, culture, and sustainable change, her work has taken her across the world, and for the past four years, she has been travelling full-time in a VW camper van, telling stories from the road through immersive writing, photography, and video.
Session Three: Building the right kit for the assignment
Meet the panel (from left to right): Aisha Nazar (moderator), Matt Dutile, Chris Gorman, Annapurna Mellor
Moderator: Aisha Nazar, Associate Picture Editor, National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Aisha has spent the past nine years as an editorial, commercial and documentary photographer. She’ll lead the discussion on how best to select the ideal gear, including what works best for multi-day assignments. She’s eager to learn more about the fascinating world of aerial photography during the sessions.
Matt Dutile
Matt is a photographer based in New York, specialising in travel, interiors and portraits. His assignments have taken him to more than 70 countries across all seven continents for publications including TIME, Travel + Leisure, Dwell, Dossier, Virtuoso, and National Geographic Traveller (UK). His favourite stories are where culture and environment come together.
Chris Gorman
Chris a newspaper photojournalist and the UK’s foremost drone photography specialist. He uses the latest DJI drone technology to produce carefully crafted images that appear regularly on the front pages of the UK’s top national newspapers. His key message from this session will be that drone photography isn’t simply about the extra height but about having a camera that can go anywhere with endless possibilities.
Annapurna Mellor
Specialising in travel, outdoor and documentary work, Annapurna’s assignments have taken her around the world — from India and Bolivia to the Outer Hebrides — and encompassed diverse environments, from cities to remote mountain communities. Throughout, she’s prioritised lightweight, minimal kit while also keeping things adaptable. Her work has appeared in National Geographic Traveller (UK), Intrepid Travel, the National Trust, and DK Books.
Ben Rowe, picture editor at National Geographic Traveller (UK) says:
“I’m looking forward to exploring the stories behind photographers — discovering how they first broke into the industry and built a portfolio that attracts commissions, how they juggle the growing demands of modern shoots and what they consider the ideal kit to cover all these bases.”
