Written by Daryll Williams

There are two stories behind every photograph: the story of what was being captured, and the story of capturing it. Tales by Light focuses on the latter, documenting the wild, often dangerous journeys of world-class photographers as they set out to capture their beautiful images. As you’d expect, these journeys are perilous, taking cinematographer Abraham Joffe and his production team to some of the most dangerous places on Earth, including shark-infested waters in the Bahamas and anaconda-infested rivers in Brazil.

Let’s get snapping 📸

February’s Binge: Tales by Light

“The trick is to play the odds.”

Simply put, Tales by Light follows 5 artists as they push the limits of their craft in little-known, little-covered, and little-understood corners of the Earth. From there, it’s a show that encompasses photography, travel, and nature, but also strives to deepen our understanding of the world, forging a sense of connection and hope. Tales by Light is one of those rare productions that is engaging to watch, but difficult to summarise, as it aspires to be all of the above.

Episode 1, “Submerged”, opens with Darren Jew diving to capture Humpback whales on a ‘heat run’; a frenzy of racing whales taking part in a mating ritual. This is a stunning start to a series that continues the ride for all of its initial 6 episodes, taking us around the world in a spectacular fashion.

The sustainability factor

Overall: 3/5

Tales by Light is the perfect vehicle to put the people behind the lens in the limelight. It is an interesting take on adventuring and it’s also a visual masterpiece that can easily take your breath away. The show doesn’t spend much time focusing on technical specifics, but rather exploring how the common practice of taking a photo can be an art. Watching the show’s environments and the sacrifices the photographers are willing to make for the perfect shot makes for wondrous viewing. In this way, Tales by Light watches almost like a Planet Earth sister series but with photographers standing in the centre of each story instead of animals.

The Viatu review

Themes:

Each episode gives us some insight into the creative process of some very talented shooters, namely Art Wolfe, Darren Jew, Krystle Wright, Richard l'Anson, and Peter Eastway. With all having different personalities and approaches, these insights into planning and execution range from almost haphazard, to simply poetic. And photos aside, the cinematography is overly impressive. With each passing episode, the featured photographer captures their adventure through the camera, using a personal, preferred style. The group then sits down to talk about things such as how and why they got this shot. These photographers basically serve as tour guides, showing us parts of the world that some of us have not discovered yet.

Production:

Shot in stunning 4K resolution across 15 different countries over the course of a year, the series is a joint venture between National Geographic and Canon. Season 1’s 30-minute long episodes follow 5 photographers and their philosophy on taking photos and ultimately telling their stories. It’s a visual extravaganza that shows us what technology can do if properly used. We often question why there are so many products in the tech market, and we wonder what they are for. This documentary series shows us the many things we can do with the help of technology. Many scenes in Tales by Light use drones and other high-tech equipment to get the best angles and shots. Technology, in this sense, allows us to explore the wonders of our world in a different way.

What makes it different: 

If you're interested in photography, this series is essential viewing. You'll come away educated, entertained, and beyond inspired. We were delighted to find out that there are 2 more seasons out (and an alleged 4th in the making). Even if photography isn't your thing, the sense of exploration makes it all worthwhile – managing to harness the spirit of travel unlike anything else we’ve seen recently.

February’s Netflix & Change is purely inspirational. Whether you’re craving a mini streaming vacation or a powerful crash course on an art form you may not know much about, this series can serve as a revelation to travellers. If you are in the middle of planning a trip, Tales by Light will make you want to be as adventurous as you can be. You’ll want to explore places you’ve never been to. And you’ll want to document every leg of your trip.

At Viatu, we’re all about taking people to new places. Join the journey on Instagram.