National Geographic Photographer, Expedition Leader & Cuba Expert
The Lowell Thomas Award 2008 ‘Travel Journalist of the Year,' Christopher P. Baker is one of the world's most acclaimed travel writers, photojournalists, and photo tour leaders. He has spent his career spanning four decades capturing the world with words and camera. His profession as a full-time travel journalist informs his work, which is represented by Getty Images and Alamy.
PUBLICATIONS
His photography has been published in scores of publications worldwide, from BBC, CNN Travel and Elle to National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, and Penthouse. His images have also appeared in dozens of books, brochures, calendars, and travel catalogs, including his award-winning coffee-table book Cuba Classics: A Celebration of Vintage American Automobiles. He has spent many months on assignment photographing for National Geographic, including for the National Geographic Traveler Colombia and National Geographic Traveler Costa Rica guidebooks, which he also wrote.
AWARDS
His many awards include the Gold Prize in the 2015 North American Travel Journalist Association Awards for “Best Photography: Portrait/People” for his image of a man and horse in Trinidad, Cuba, published in National Geographic.
PHOTO TOUR LEADER
Chris has led more than 100 tours and expedition cruises to Cuba, Colombia and Costa Rica on behalf of National Geographic Expeditions as 'Expert' & photo instructor… as well as photo tours worldwide for Jim Cline Photo Tours, Lindblad Expeditions, Lumaria Workshops, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, and UnCruise Adventures.
Chris is a gifted photo instructor. Whatever your skill level, he'll show you how to:
1) Take total control of your camera's ISO, f-stop, shutter speed, and exposure compensation (that's ALL you need) for maximum creative results
2) Actually SEE the world, then compose and utilize available light for stunning effect
3) Hone in on a narrative to evoke a response that sparks the psyche and make the viewer exclaim "wow!"
CUBA EXPERT & CUBA TOURS
Chris has been hailed by National Geographic as “one of the world’s foremost authorities on Cuba travel and culture.” Chris has visited Cuba more than 200 times during three decades, has led more than 100 tours to Cuba, has met Fidel Castro and a pantheon of Cuba’s leading cultural and political leaders, and is intimately familiar with the island’s culture, society, history, politics, and economics. He has written and illustrated seven books about Cuba, including the National Geographic Traveler Cuba and Moon Cuba guidebooks; written and illustrated countless magazine stories on Cuba; has appeared on radio and TV shows from CNN to Fox News as a Cuba expert; and has spoken on Cuba at the National Press Club and televised on National Geographic Live!
Needless to say, Chris is intimately familiar with Cuba's most spectacular photogenic venues and personalities. (See 'Testimonials,' below.)
Chris' photo tours to CUBA are unparalleled, and sell out fast!
UPCOMING PHOTO TOURS
See Chris's 'Calendar of Tours'
Join him on photo tours to Bhutan, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, Japan, Mozambique, Oman and Scotland.
TESTIMONIALS…
Thanks for the master class in photography. I learned so very much from you, particularly about context, ambiance and milieu to create a riveting picture.
SARAH S., Jim Cline Photo Tours, Cuba 2020Chris, you are one of a kind. Really enjoyed you as a photographer, a guide, and of course as a fabulous story teller. You have so much Cuba knowledge and I loved your positive energy.
ASA M., Jim Cline Photo Tours, Cuba 2020Colombia as a destination is long overdue and Christopher’s delight in showing it to us was infectious. Chris was the perfect trip leader. His knowledge of the country and its history is vast, and he enthusiastically wanted to share it with us along with his years of experience as a photographer. He’s talented, interesting, accessible, and fun to travel with. Plus, he really did seem to care about each of us — if we were okay, getting good images, too tired, too hot, etc..
JUDY B., Jim Cline Photo Tours, Colombia 2018If clients had traveled with you before, they came to Cuba to experience it with you. If they hadn’t met you before, they’ll go out of their way to travel with you again in the future… I’ve got a Cuba opening December 20-28 of this year. One family has booked most of the trip, and they want to know that a top-notch expert will join them before committing! We’re very much in need of a Christopher Baker!
FORD COCHRAN, Director of Programming, National Geographic ExpeditionsChris was way above our expectations. Vast knowledge of Cuba and was able to communicate clearly — he was like having a living Google Now with you. By the end of the trip we considered him a good friend that we would like to see again.
RENO D., Jim Cline Photo Tours, Eastern Cuba 2017More than I could have imagined, Chris made photography, history and current events fascinating. Plus, he truly had a love for the locals and treated them with compassion and respect.
PAULA Z., Jim Cline Photo Tours, Eastern Cuba 2017Please feel free to invite me on ANY cruise that Christopher Baker does with you again and I will spread the word. This was a life-changer for me. Seriously, I am hooked… Thanks to this cruise I have fallen in love with my camera.
MARY ANN A., UnCruise Aventures, Mexico’s Sea of Cortes 2017
