Four days in the UNESCO World Heritage waters of Dusky Sound and Doubtful Sound aboard MV Tutoko II — led by award-winning photographer Derek Morrison, hosted by the operator with exclusive overnight access no competitor can replicate.
For Photographers Who Travel For The Light
Pairing Fiordland Expeditions' twenty-five years on the inner fiord with Derek Morrison's thirty years behind the lens. Permit-protected overnight access to Hall Arm, Crooked Arm and Bradshaw Sound. Places few photographers will ever reach, photographed at the hours that matter.
"Dawn in Hall Arm. Bioluminescence at anchor. The light that defined Fiordland."
Included In The Experience
Skip the long drive. Your scenic helicopter transfer from Te Anau into Dusky Sound is included in the trip price — arriving by air over the fiord is part of the expedition. Three days aboard MV Tutoko II through Dusky into Doubtful Sound, then Wilmot Pass back to Te Anau on Day 4.
Helicopter from Te Anau into Dusky Sound · Approx. 25-minute flight
The Expedition
No fixed schedule. The pace is set by the weather, the fiord, and the shot you came for. Helicopter from Te Anau into Dusky Sound. Three nights aboard MV Tutoko II. Each day spent in the parts of Fiordland the day-trippers never see.
You'll shoot alongside Derek as he works on assignment. Same conditions, same landscape, same daily rhythm. You'll learn how a working photographer reads a scene, builds a frame, and finishes the file.
Day 1 — Into the sounds
Te Anau pickup, helicopter into Dusky Sound, board MV Tutoko II. First sunset on the water.
Day 2 — Dusky exploration
Hidden coves, kayaks and tender shoots, golden hour from the deck. Evening editing and image critique aboard.
Day 3 — Dusky into Doubtful
Through the inner arms — Hall Arm, Crooked Arm, Bradshaw Sound. Catch and cook dinner, anchor in silence.
Day 4 — Deep Cove return
Final morning shoot, Wilmot Pass back to Te Anau. Image review and farewell over lunch.
Frames From The Shoot
Why This Expedition Is Unrepeatable
1.
AUTH-20202007. Hall Arm · Crooked Arm · Bradshaw Sound. Overnight commercial operations authorised through 8 December 2040. No new operator can replicate this access. For photographers, that means dawn and dusk in places almost no commercial vessel will ever reach.
2.
Purpose-built for Fiordland — helipad, kayaks, tender, dedicated chef, maximum 12 guests. Capped at 10 photographers for this expedition so every camera gets the deck space, the angle, and the shot.
3.
Our skippers know which arm catches first light, where the seals haul, when the cloud lifts off Hall Arm. Local knowledge no algorithm can match. The right anchorage at the right hour for the shot you didn't know you were after.
Your Guide
Travel, adventure, surfing, snowboarding, craft beer, fine wine, and exploring new places — and, of course, photography and storytelling. Thirty-plus years of it.
Derek's commercial and editorial work spans sports, adventure, tourism, architecture and rural assignments. Past clients include The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Penguin Random House, and Agence France-Presse. He shoots stills and film, with specialist training for underwater (surface and dive), drone, and helicopter capture — and he's an expert at working in remote locations.
On this expedition you shoot alongside Derek as he works on assignment. Same conditions, same landscape, same daily rhythm. You'll learn how a working photographer reads a scene, builds a frame, and finishes the file.
"My favourite images emerge whenever I have a connection with the subject and feel an emotional response."
About Derek Morrison →Inclusions
Common Questions
Book Your Seat
Saturday → Tuesday · 4 days, 3 nights · Max 10 photographers
NZD $6,000 per photographer
NZD $5,800 per companion
A test expedition by Fiordland Expeditions × Insider Travel Co (Adventure Media Group)