ABOUT US
A brief overview
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WHO ARE WE?
We are photographer travel experts.
As in, we are experts in small group travel (via two decades spent traveling over half the globe, leading discerning travelers to over 60 countries, working in the high-end educational travel business prior to Open Sky ). See Alex & Temu bios below.
AND, we are photographers ourselves—passionate about our craft, energized by helping others develop theirs, and intimately familiar with how photographers move, seek, and see.
Over a decade ago we decided to apply our serious travel expertise to meticulously developing & refining a collection of photography journeys to the places we found most compelling on this earth.
These journeys stand on their own as immersive, thought-provoking, awe-inducing ways of encountering a place.
But they are designed with the timing, pacing and variety of experience that fits best for photographers.
FEATURES:
Our journeys, on the whole, feature:
A professional photographer, experienced as an instructor, to take your photography to the next level
A professional tour leader with serious logistics experience that is also a photographer, there to make your travel seamless
Top local guides with encyclopedic knowledge of their home countries, who become our portals to a place
Small groups (generally 6 to 12 participants).
Carefully vetted, trusted local partners
Extensive in-person scouting, and remarkable attention to detail
Comprehensive, thoughtful pre-trip preparation including a private trip portal for registered travelers, optional pre-departure briefings/trip Q&A's via zoom, industry partners to easily obtain travel insurance & flights, etc.
Intimacy as a guiding principle in the selection of accommodations, restaurants, and experiences—but not at the expense of what we know matter most to photographers.
KEY HUMANS:
Alex Ros (a.k.a. Alejandro or Ale) is Open Sky's founder & owner. While he'll prefer telling you he's a lifelong seeker, explorer and "architect of awe" ... he is also a Harvard graduate who speaks six languages and has traveled to 90 countries. A lifelong globetrotter, Alex counts a childhood living in several Latin American countries and a gap year before college traveling independently to 18 countries (with an old Canon SLR in tow) as some of his most formative experiences.
A photographer himself, he decided in 2010 to put his extensive experience in the high-end travel business (already a decade by then, most of it facilitating dozens of international programs for one of the world’s top operators of high-caliber educational programs aboard small ships) towards that personal passion, crafting a collection of photo tours to the places on the globe he found most compelling. Among his unique experiences, Alex has conducted reconnaissance missions to over 15 countries in Africa alone, and has personally led hundreds of travelers on scores of international travel experiences.
Playing music is something that brings Alex deep joy. A curiously private guy online, he did once agree to an interview several years back, which you can find here.
Alex presently lives between Puerto Rico & Jersey City, NJ. But often he feels most at home on this earth beholding the majesty of the planet from an airplane's window seat.
Temu Nana is a professional photographer, Open Sky's most senior trip leader, and Alex's right hand man / brother-from-another-mother. He is the son of an international airline pilot, and hails largely from Michigan, via roots in North America and Asia.
Temu brings a rare set of skills to a photo journey, combining extensive professional tour leading/logistics experience with a knack for making people at ease, and excellence as a photographer—an interest that nearly a decade of leading global photo journeys transformed from raw talent into profession, both as a personal career path and as an instructor with rare experience imparting skills to interested travelers on immersive small group journeys.
While Temu’s photographic interests run the gamut, night/astrophotography & wildlife photography are his top passions. His dedication and skill have led to myriad presentation opportunities on astrophotography in particular, including to camera clubs, schools, and via online mentorship classes.
You can find his photography online at
on Instagram at @tknana_photo or @tknana_astro.
Wait... don't you guys have a full website?
Yes we do. It's just undergoing a long-overdue redesign... So we've created this lil' intro in the meantime.
You can find the original version here.
SAMPLE PARTNERS & CLIENTS
Partners we have developed photo journeys for and with:
Unique Photo
Delaware Photographic Society
International Photo Center
Awake The Light Photo Workshops & Tours
David H. Wells
Mountain Travel Sobek
Los Angeles Center for Photography
Westchester Photographic Society
CPE Photo Workshops
Organizations Alex & Temu have personally led & developed trips for:
Stanford Alumni Association
Harvard Alumni Association
Association of Yale Alumni
Smithsonian Journeys
Association for Research & Enlightenment
National Geographic
Lindblad Expeditions
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Archeological Institute of America
American Geographical Society
Columbia University Alumni Association
INDUSTRY PARTNERS & ACCOLADES
IATAN (yearly accreditation)
New York Times Travel Expert
AEO500 Member of the Week
Travel Insured International
Trips Away Travel
Longitude Books
AON Affinity
Wanderwell
PRESS
Departures Magazine (twice)
Travel & Leisure
PhotoShelter
Huffington Post
Conde Nast (Alex, pre-OSE)
Madhouse at the End of the Earth
Monica Suma
A FEW TESTIMONIALS
"Travel companies make itineraries and reservations. Open Sky makes magic! Thanks for a FANTASTIC trip!"
Carol T., on her photo journey to Morocco
"Keep up the good work! Thanks for providing me with yet another once-in-lifetime wonderful travel adventure. Namibia is simply one of the most amazing places on earth, mind blowing scenery, the most outstanding night skies in the world, and people with a welcoming warmth. Animals and birds were breath taking is variety and abundance. But what made the trip stellar was Temu and Open Sky."
Hal M., on his photo journey in Namibia
"India was fabulous, exceeded all expectations! Definitely the experience of lifetime! Thanks to you and Temu for organizing this wonderful tour. Our guides and driver all worked very hard and the whole trip was seamless!"
Li C., on her photography journey in India.
"You guys are great - so organized and helpful…everyone at Open Sky made this a seamless journey. I had never used a tour company before…I think the level of detail and care allowed me to focus on photography and trust the rest would be handled. Loved it - would highly recommend you and would go anywhere with Temu.”
Vicki S., on her photography journey in India.
"The Antarctica trip greatly exceeded my expectations. The sheer magnitude of the area, and its abundant wildlife, certainly hit on all barrels! And the ship was absolutely superb - the staterooms, the meals, the staff, and having so many Zodiacs to shuttle us around were the perfect combination. Initially I was concerned that the scheduled amount of time in Antarctica would not be enough for me, but as it turned out it was just right. The memories of this trip, and its impact, will last forever!”"
Mollie I., on her photo journey to Antarctica
"Absolutely top notch guide and photography opportunities. Juan's knowledge of natural history and presentation skill is excellent. He made this trip into the desired nature photography event instead of a 'vacation' on the giant Silversea. Every location was great, intimate and free of tourists. When a baby sea lion waddles up to your face on a Survivor worthy beach, you know you are in the right spot at the right time.
Karl L., on his photo journey to the Galapagos
"You guys are simply the BEST. Thank you for an amazing, one-of- a-kind, never-to-be-forgotten, awesome, experience."
Sally S., on her photo journey to Morocco
Stay tuned for our new website, coming soon!
If you'd like to sign up to receive trip updates (infrequent, but worthwhile went sent, we feel... ;) click here.
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