David Cothran

Over a career spanning more than three decades, David has worked with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions on all seven continents and in more than 100 countries. His travels have taken him from the Arctic to Antarctica, from the peaks of the Himalaya to the Dead Sea and from the rainforests of Borneo to the high deserts of the Atacama. Throughout his career, he has sought to understand how geology, evolution and other natural processes shape the landscapes and ecosystems of our planet.

An award-winning photographer, David specializes in landscape and wildlife photography while also enjoying the opportunities for portrait and cultural photography found on expedition voyages. As a photo instructor, he is always happy to discuss the technical aspects of image-making and digital processing, but he especially enjoys helping travelers develop an understanding of the artistic principles that apply to all cameras, from phones to Hasselblads.
Originally trained as a cell biologist, David later left the laboratory to work as a field ornithologist with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. His interests span a wide range of natural sciences, including geology and tectonics, evolution, community ecology, marine biology and astronomy.

David lives with his wife on a completely off-grid property in the mixed oak-conifer forests of the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon. When at home, he enjoys reading, cooking spicy curries and searching the mountain forest for unusual species of wildflowers and fungi.