Justin Gibson

At the age of eight, Justin saw his first wild bear. Decades later, his infatuation with all things ursine continues to grow. While attending the University of Alaska Anchorage, Justin spent his summers as a ranger in Katmai National Park. He has since extended his passion to wildlife and endangered cultures around the globe. A self-described "eco-nerd," Justin is fascinated with wild animals, botany, microbiology, birding, glaciology and scuba diving.

Justin has been an expedition leader and photography instructor in more than 20 countries during the past 20 years. In his decade-plus as a Nat Hab guide, he's led photo expeditions to the furthest reaches of Canada, Alaska, China, Ethiopia, Yellowstone, Finland, Russia, Norway and Borneo.

Justin's love for nature photography stems from his childhood, where he would spend weeks at a time in Yellowstone with his family. He began his professional photography career guiding some of the biggest names in wildlife photography among the wild brown bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park. While these photography legends would lead on-location workshops, Justin would keep them safe and ensure they followed ethical bear viewing guidelines. He learned valuable artistic and technical secrets from these masters of their craft, then began using those lessons develop his own photographic voice.

Using a combination of in-camera techniques, intimate subject knowledge and advanced multi-layer post-processing, Justin has developed a unique style that he hopes brings the viewer a deep understanding of the subject, culture or wildlife that he is photographing. He is passionate about teaching photography in the field, since he believes that cameras are a remarkable tool to teach conservation, sustainability and cross-cultural connection.

Justin has been featured in World Wildlife Fund magazine, Asia Geographic, Alaska magazine, AFAR magazine, multiple stock photo agencies and in Nat Hab’s marketing materials. View Justin's latest photography portfolio additions on Instagram at @cultureandwildlife.

When he’s not guiding, Justin likes to travel and photograph the world’s beautiful places and cultures, including trips to Jordan, Taiwan, Cambodia, Egypt, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia.

Enjoy this selection of Justin's photography:
Admin Note : Slideshow Migration
Choose the version to show.
Current Version: old
Set Version

What’s in Justin's Camera Bag:

Camera Bags
Pelican Air Case 1535
Mindshift Gear Backlight 26L

Camera Equipment
Olympus OMD-EM1 III (2)
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital MC-14 1.4x Teleconverter
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f/2.8 IS PRO
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 300mm f/4 IS PRO
Olympus FL-900R Electronic Flash
Manifrotto Tripod
Gitzo Tripod
GoPro HERO9
DJI Mavic Mini II
iPhone 12 Plus

Filters
Singh-Ray Neutral Density Filters (2-5 stops, 10 stops, 20 stops)
Singh-Ray Graduated Neutral Density Filters (2 Stops, 3 Stops)
Singh-Ray Polarizing Filter

Post Processing Software Expertise
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Photoshop (multilayering techniques) 
Wacom Ituos Pro Tablet
Capture One

Upcoming Adventures with Justin:

Praise from Nat Hab Travelers:

R. Falkenberry
"There are no words to tell you how wonderful Justin was. He is kind, helpful, patient, smart, compassionate, energetic, always on time, protective of our safety, funny and serious about conservation. I think everybody on the trip fell in love with him. Don't let him get away from Nat Hab. He is a priceless jewel and an asset to your company. I felt like crying when we had to say goodbye to him. He made the trip extra special."

E. Hente
"Where do we begin? Justin was an outstanding, excellent, helpful, knowledgeable, professional and caring guide. His personality was terrific. Although we were not on a 'photo tour,' as a professional photographer, Justin was extremely willing to share his knowledge and help those of us who were not as knowledgeable at any time!"

E. Acosta
"I could not have asked for a better guide. His subject knowledge was excellent and his courtesy and helpfulness were better than anything I have ever experienced. He was very engaging with travelers and even offered tips on photography—he was above and beyond all around. He genuinely wanted everyone to enjoy themselves and experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip."

C. Brose
"Justin is INCREDIBLE! Not only does he have a vast knowledge of the bears, but if he didn't have the answer to a question, he would get it. He was very generous in helping make everyone's stay a memorable one. He is an incredible photographer and was very kind in helping others and sharing ideas on how to get the perfect shot. I was very impressed by his interactions and people skills. He is a polished and personable young man. We would LOVE to go with him again!"

E. Ownbey
"Justin was an AMAZING Expedition Leader. He is very professional, has a great attitude and is a true expert regarding polar bears! He took an amazing trip and made it a 'Once-in-a-Lifetime' experience!!! I don't know how anyone could do a better job at representing your company."

J. Pilarcyk
"Justin is a very caring young man. He was eager to please us and very genuine! I think our entire group fell in love with him and wanted to take him home."

E. Piwetz
"Justin is an exceptional Expedition Leader and functions at the highest level of competence at all times. He is continually vigilant, assessing the situation and responding accordingly in a consistent manner. His photography expertise is superior. His concerns for our safety were always paramount. There was no issue or problem that he could not solve. He is a delightful individual and has the perfect personality and temperament for his position. We have had guides throughout the world and he ranks with only the best! Our expectations are always high so to please us is no small feat. Justin made the trip perfect!"
Our Story

Get Weekly Updates

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.

Privacy Policy
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Outside
Voted "World's Best Travel
Company"
by Outside Magazine
Outside
Natural Habitat Adventures Ranked
“Best Outfitter”
NatGeo
Voted Best Winter Trip: Natural Habitat Adventures' Monarch Butterfly Migration, Mexico
VIEW MORE AWARDS

Request Your 2023 Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly a hundred nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Request Your 2024/2025 Catalog
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2023 Digital Catalog

View Our 2024/2025

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Photography Expeditions

Photography Expeditions

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/our-story/expedition-leader-bios/justin-gibson/