Disappointing Photography Tour Experience, Poor Customer Service, and No Response
I recently participated in a Northern Lights photography tour with my mother on February 19, and unfortunately, the experience was far below expectations, especially considering the $277 cost for two people.
The main reason we booked the tour was for the photography aspect, but the pictures taken of us were out of focus, with our faces unclear and lacking detail. Additionally, by 10:30 PM (the tour started at 8:00 PM), the photographer's camera battery had died. We later learned she had brought the wrong spare battery, meant for a different camera model, which meant no additional photos could be taken. While she did her best to revive the battery by placing it near a campfire, it was only a temporary fix, and the camera wouldn’t stay on.
The photographer was polite, kind, and attentive throughout the tour. While I don’t blame her for the issues, as she shared with me that she only started this job in November, I do expect the company to properly train and support its staff to ensure they are fully equipped to handle the responsibilities of the job. A well-prepared team is essential for a successful tour, and this was lacking in our case.
To make matters worse, on our way back to the car, the photographer dropped the camera tripod—a large and expensive one—and didn’t even realize it. I found it on my way back to the car and handed it to her, otherwise, it would have been lost.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that we took a total of four Northern Lights tours in Lapland, and all the other photographers were well-prepared, took clear, focused pictures without issue, and did not need to waste significant time moving the camera back and forth to focus before capturing a photo. This only highlighted the lack of preparation on this particular tour.
I have reached out to Kaitlin and the Sales team three times now to address these issues, but I have yet to receive any response. If I do not hear back in next 2 days, I will open a legal case to resolve the matter.
I am attaching the out-of-focus pictures and a copy of the first email I sent them as an attachment, as evidence of my concerns. Given the lack of communication and the poor experience overall, I cannot recommend this tour to anyone seeking a professional photography experience.