Top 15 Photography Sessions in the USA

1.The ‘OG’ Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide/Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,539 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $76Our pick

Join River Ventures for a three-hour Crystal River manatee swim with a USCG captain, in-water guide, photographer, wetsuit, snorkel gear, and drinks. Cruise Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, then float quietly near wild manatees while your guide helps you follow encounter rules and captures photos.

“Awesome experience, Nat & Capt. Rob was a blast to be with. They will make sure you see the manatees!!”

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2.Manatee Swim Tour with In Water Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,300 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Join Explorida in Crystal River for a three-hour manatee swim through Kings Bay. A US Coast Guard-certified boat, wetsuit, snorkel gear, float noodle, and in-water guide are included. Guides such as Faith, John, and Topher help you stay safe and capture photos, with downloads sold after the tour.

“Actually swimming alongside the manatees was a thrill. Our guide was very helpful in preparing us for this experience. He told us that the manatees may bump us intentionally and they did. Twice I tried to move out of their way and they very gently turned into me. Another time one came up from underneath me. That too had to be intentional because it knew I was there. It was a blast. Both the captain (Marty) and the guide (Adam) were pleasant and personal. Although the water was murky, our guide Adam sent out some good underwater photos. Thank you for a great experience. Al K”

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3.Guided Small Group Manatee Snorkeling Tour with In-Water Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,336 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $79

Meet at 226 NE 5th St in Crystal River for a three-hour manatee snorkel with Gulf Coast Expeditions. Guides such as Crystal, Celeste, Ron, and Mike provide gear, safety guidance, wildlife insight, and in-water photos. The six-person limit keeps the outing personal and flexible.

“I really enjoyed this experience with a small group of 3! Learned about the manatees from our guide Crystal and captain Ron. It’s a small operation but full of care and passion! Super grateful to get to meet some very social manatees in their natural habitat!”

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4.LA: Hollywood Sign Tour with Comedians, Dogs, & Epic Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,193 reviews · 2h 30m · from $22Best value

Hike in the Hollywood Hills with guides such as Jon, John, JB, Joe, Matt, or Michaela, all bringing humor, local stories, dogs, and strong photography skills. Over 150 minutes, you’ll reach viewpoints in front of and behind the Hollywood Sign, with water and photos included.

“Joe is an amazing tour guide with great photography skills and great sense of humor.”

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5.All-Inclusive Small Group Manatee Swim with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 810 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $89

Join Nature’s Discovery in Crystal River for a three-hour, six-person manatee swim in Kings Bay. Your guide provides wetsuits, snorkel gear, wildlife instruction, hot chocolate on cold days, and an included photo package while you watch wild manatees in the water.

“This experience was absolutely fantastic! Hina and Jake were amazing! Super friendly, explaining everything with a smile on their face and doing their best for us to have the best experience possible… and Wow! What an experience! The energy was so good even the manatees noticed and followed us around, played, and were super curious! Absolutely exceeded my expectations!”

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6.Small group Manatee Tour with In-Water Divemaster/Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 751 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $98

Join a small group in Crystal River’s Kings Bay for a three-hour manatee encounter. Your captain finds the animals while an in-water divemaster helps you snorkel calmly and captures photos for purchase. Wetsuits, gear, towels, showers, hot drinks, and boat coats are provided.

“My husband and I went out 11/12/21 with the 9:45 group with Laura and Cory and had the best time! They made sure to get us the most time with the manatees as possible. Would definitely go back again!”

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7.SkyChase™ | Northern Lights Experience – Free Photography & More

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 706 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $335

You’ll leave Fairbanks in a heated van with guides such as Tony, Andrew, or Drew, following weather and aurora data toward darker skies. Expect several possible viewing areas, a campfire meal, hot drinks, camera help, tripod use, group portraits, and downloadable tour photos.

“Incredible, the staff were over prepared and provided much comfort for such extreme weather. We had marshmallows by the fire, sausage (even vegan), and the pictures were really of superior quality. The lights were just stunning, great experience!”

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8.Lake Tahoe Small-Group Photography Scenic Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 649 reviews · from $195

Start at 7:00 am with Jim or another professional photo guide, traveling in a vehicle limited to six people. You’ll visit a Tahoe beach, back-country lakes, waterfalls, Emerald Bay, and Sugar Pine Point while learning camera tips and receiving guide-taken photos.

“The tour was great! The highlight was a mom and baby bear running across the road in front of us and seeing the beautiful clear lake and fall foliage. Our guide was very knowledgeable and took us to many great spots to take pictures. I highly recommend this tour.”

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9.Crystal River: Manatee Snorkel Tour w/ In-Water Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 633 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Join River Ventures in Crystal River for a three-hour manatee tour limited to 10 people. After a 25-minute safety class, a Coast Guard captain takes you by covered pontoon boat to Three Sisters Springs, where an in-water guide and photographer help you snorkel respectfully with wild manatees.

“Our time was incredible, from the education we received regarding manatees to the guide (ours was the amazing Carlos), and our boat captain, who was just as wonderful (his name started with a T). Everyone was extremely friendly. We arrived to find hot chocolate, coffee, or tea available. We then watched a 20-minute video on what to do and expect and what not to do while in the water with a manatee. We were given time to ask questions and were provided some history about the manatees and how important the area is to the survival of these gentle giants. I would recommend this trip to anyone between the ages…”

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10.Small Group Manatee Snorkel Tour with In-Water Guide and Photographer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 574 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $89

Meet at Salty Siren Tours in Crystal River, get fitted with a wetsuit, and ride a heated enclosed pontoon to Kings Bay. Your in-water guide teaches passive observation before you snorkel with wild manatees. Guides such as Tyler, Robin, Kim, and Jessica also take underwater photos and videos for purchase.

“Highly recommend Salty Sirens!!! Very knowledgeable, very sweet people! From the moment we walked in, they treated us like family. Great experience! We will return for sure. They even knicknamed our youngest daughter Penguin! Funny store but it was just awesome!”

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11.Northern Lights Aurora Tour with FREE Photography

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 486 reviews · 8 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $210

Arctic Night Tours takes you from Fairbanks into darker country in search of the aurora, often traveling north toward mountain viewpoints. Elena, Ed, and other guides explain the science, monitor weather, provide snacks and warmers, and photograph you beneath the lights.

“Elania was a great tour guide. She went out of her way to help me walk on slippery surfaces. Also made sure I was able to get the best photos of the lights.”

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12.City Lights Atlanta Night-Time Tour with Photos & Dinner Stop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 485 reviews · 3 hours 20 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Start at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis for a 3-hour-20-minute evening ride through Little Five Points, Old Fourth Ward, Downtown, and more. Guides such as Jeff, Omar, Naveen, and Chef Diana mix local stories with photo stops. Dinner at Krog Street Market or East Atlanta Village is on your own.

“The night tour of Atlanta was fun and interesting. It was a nice overview of the city, with some pretty night views. Tour guide Jeff Moore was fantastic!”

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13.Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis Viewing) Chasing with Photography in Fairbanks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 481 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $189

Start around 10:30 p.m. with guides such as David, Grace, Cole, or Joy, then ride through rural Fairbanks in search of clear skies and aurora activity. The guide takes your photos at each stop and sends original JPG files by OneDrive or Dropbox, usually within three days. The route changes with weather and sky conditions.

“We received a call asking us if changing the time to earlier was okay because the northern lights were starting to become more active than expected. We were very happy they touched bases with us. Grace and her photographer David had over 30 locations to view the lights. The 3 locations they took us to were amazing. The viewing did not disappoint and the pictures they took were great. Having their photographer take pictures really captured this a once in a lifetime experience. After 3 hours of chasing, they would have kept going. Make sure you have your faces exposed to see them in the pictures. David captured us gazing…”

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14.Snorkeling for Non-Swimmers with Photos Guided Tour Wailea Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 415 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $149

At Wailea Beach, My Splash guides such as Triston, Ryan, James, and Georgia teach first-time snorkelers and non-swimmers to float, breathe, and use quality gear. After shore practice, you head out on a paddleboard or raft to see fish, coral, and turtles, with photos often shared right away.

“Snorkeling at Wailea Beach was unforgettable! The friendly instructors made me feel so comfortable solo, and I saw tons of sea turtles up close!”

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15.Rookery Bay Kayak Adventure – Mangroves, Wildlife & Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 335 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

At Capri Paddlecraft Park, you’ll spend about two hours paddling single or tandem kayaks through Rookery Bay’s mangrove channels. Guides such as Matt, Jessica, Elliott, and Tyler explain the ecosystem while you look for dolphins, manatees, birds, rays, snails, and starfish. Bring water, snacks, and bug spray.

“Matt was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable and patient (we are not experienced kayakers). This is such an enjoyable way to experience nature and learn about the uniqueness of the mangroves and estuaries. We highly recommend this tour!”

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