If you’re looking for a Bucket List adventure of a lifetime, I highly recommend a trip to the Galapagos Islands, particularly if you love photographing wildlife. I was fortunate enough to make the journey as an invited guest of International Expeditions. Everything about the journey exceeded my expectations, from the food on board the ship (appropriately named, Evolution) to the educational briefings, to the daily hiking and snorkeling experiences.

But what stood out to me most was not only the unusual wildlife on the islands but how the animals seemed to be unafraid of humans. Ordinarily, it would be impossible to get so close to without them fleeing or attacking. Our naturalists explained that the animals presumed tameness has evolved due to the absence of substantial natural predators on the islands.

Though I had traveled with a borrowed 600mm zoom lens for my Canon DLSR camera, I rarely used it as I was able to get close enough photograph the animals without it. In fact, many of the pictures in my Galapagos Photo Album were taken with my Motorola Droid Turbo smartphone provided to me by Verizon Wireless.  I was even able to get close enough to shoot a Galapagos Boobies Sex Video with the Droid Turbo.

Where are your favorite places to photograph wildlife?