Roie Galitz - Nature and Wildlife Photographer

12/24/2025

National Geographic Pictures of the Year 2025 🙏

In this image from our Pictures of the Year 2025, a s***m whale floats amid shards of polar pack ice, dead and decomposing, mouth hanging open. When photographer Roie Galitz captured the scene with a drone, the image was so arresting that it took a moment to notice the hungry female polar bear stretching her jaw to break through the whale’s leathery skin.

The encounter raised a curious question: What was a s***m whale doing here? The species prefers temperate climes, but as Arctic waters warm, some whales are moving beyond their traditional range. Strong currents and winds might also have pushed it north, a happy surprise for both Galitz and the bear, which worked hard for the feast. “You can see she’s trying to get in and get through, but the hide is just so thick,” says Galitz.

National Geographic photographers ventured to places far and wide to capture the year’s most fascinating images. Out of hundreds of thousands of photos, 25 were selected as our Pictures of the Year. See them all: https://on.natgeo.com/4aURRYM

08/10/2024

It all began with a phone call that reached me on my satellite phone while I was near the North Pole. It was an invitation to come to the Kingdom of Bhutan to give a few masterclass lectures as part of Bhutan's first International Film Festival. The amazing person who called was Mel Gee Henderson, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Antarctica. This was the kind of invitation you can't possibly refuse. 🙂

A week ago, my wife, Yael Shapira-Galitz, and I arrived in Bhutan, and ever since, every moment has been dedicated to this wonderful kingdom and its dear people. Upon our arrival, we were dressed in Bhutan's traditional attire—Gho for men and Kira for women—as it's customary to wear traditional clothing to honor the local culture.

On our first day, we climbed the famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery, where we were introduced to the wonders of Buddhism and the kingdom's rich history. That evening, we celebrated with a warm welcome reception.

On the second day, I gave two lectures at Drugyel HSS high school, where we were surprised with an official reception and an impressive parade.

The third day was dedicated to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu, where we had the honor of meeting the Queen Mother and the very impressive Royal Family of Bhutan for breakfast. Honestly, with such a royal family, who are so dedicated to their kingdom with humility and devotion, Bhutan is truly blessed. In the afternoon, I lectured at the Lugar Theatre in the capital.

The fourth day was spent in the Haa Valley and the mountain passes, where I finally had a chance to do some photography (I haven't yet processed the images, but soon). Bhutan's nature and landscapes deserve a post of their own (and soon, an exclusive and new nature photography expedition). Here, we also hung flags with prayers for peace.

The fifth day was focused on the city of Punakha and its grand and ancient Dzong (fortified monastery).

On the sixth day, while my talented wife visited the ENT department of Bhutan's main hospital and planned a fruitful collaboration, I was interviewed by Bhutan's national TV channel in the morning and, in the afternoon, gave a lecture at one of the most beautiful places I've ever been—the Royal Academy of Bhutan. This is an entirely new structure and the largest Dzong in Bhutan. The youth who study there are the kingdom’s brightest, having received a special scholarship from the King. Only the most brilliant have the opportunity to study here, and I was so impressed by them. I lectured for nearly two hours about projects that are close to my heart.

And today—I'm already on my way back home, filled with new insights and a deep love for the Kingdom of Bhutan and its people.

Thank you to the Bhutan Film Festival for the perfect hospitality, to Zhiwa-Ling hotel chain, to the entire amazing team that accompanied us, and to my dear friend Mel Gee Henderson, for being the wonderful person that she is.

In Bhutan, when saying goodbye, they always say—see you soon. Amen.

06/20/2024

1 point for every species you've photographed in the wild!
I got 67, so far... 😎

02/27/2024

This , we bring you this incredible experience from Roie Galitz - Nature and Wildlife Photographer.

“I was photographing this big male polar bear in Svalbard, when suddenly he rapidly started to walk in our direction. We didn’t have time to pack up all our gear and quickly hopped on our snowmobiles and drove away, leaving our gear behind. The bear approached the cameras and tried to look through the viewfinder, licked the back of the camera and went away, continuing his path. Perhaps he was just curious to see what all the fuss is about or was thinking of a career change...

As a photographer who guides people on trips to Svalbard, I’ve been there dozens of times and never seen behaviour like this!”

📸 Nikon D850 + NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E
400mm | 1/640 | f/5.6 | ISO 80

07/01/2023

Following my recent post on plastic… I’m glad to read your comments and how surprised people are to learn that trash back home reaches the high Arctic. Raising awareness to these critical issues is one of the reasons I’m doing this.
Here’s another image of the mom and cub. He’s playing with a fishing net.
Photography is about telling a story. Light, composition and technique are the tools we use.

08/17/2022

Wildlife photography in Kenya, is one of my favorite expeditions. Cheetahs always provide my most memorable images.
if you would like to join me there in December, let me know in the comments! you're also welcome to tag your friends who might like that.
I've got 3 last spots.

07/18/2022

I've returned from Svalbard, the last trip for this season. I've photographed so many Polar Bears, Walruses, Arctic Foxes and many other magnificent animals, which I feel so lucky to be in the presence of. All in all, we've had amazing 7 groups for Svalbard this year in Phototeva with dozens of incredible polar bears.
If you would like to join my expeditions for next year, email me or comment below 🐻‍❄️
Here are a few images of a mother and cub, I've met just two weeks ago, in the eastern part of Svalbard. can you recognize what they are eating?

06/18/2022

Nature Photography is our tool to spread the love for wildlife and our environment. Here's a few of my favorite moments around the world 😍
Which one is your favorite?
you're welcome to share the love.

06/11/2022

The starving truth.
I met these two adorable cubs just a few days ago, actually they faced a very sad future. Mother bear is starving in the fjord, where very little sea ice remains and very few potential food sources. Since the mother’s milk has dried up, the cubs were starving as well.
A couple of days later, I've heard an update that the cubs had died, drowned since they were too weak to swim in the cold water. Our hearts were broken by this tragic news.
Polar Bears face an uncertain future, as environmental changes are making it harder for them to survive. Scientists predict that they might go extinct within this century.

You’re welcome to share this family’s story, so people will know what's going on in the Arctic.

Greenpeace International Nikon Gitzo BBC Earth Nat Geo Wild United Nations Discovery Polar Bears SanDisk

06/08/2022

Friendships are an indestructible bond that join many people together in beautiful ways. Celebrating best friends day is just one of the ways you can acknowledge your awesome sidekick and show them how much you love them.

Take a moment right now to think about that one important person who is there by your side no matter what. They are the person you want to go on vacation with, you turn to them when you are having trouble with relationships and you always want to share secrets with them.